Das Haus an der Friedhofsmauer

Eine nette Überraschung. Zumindest für Fulcis Verhältnisse und für die Verhältnisse des italienischen Gore-Trashs. Die blutigen Szenen sind zwar selbstzweckmäßig, sie bilden aber einen Teil der Geschichte, die irgendwo anfängt und endet, realistische Figuren sowie eine geheimnisvolle und mysteriöse Stimmung hat. Gefällt es Ihnen nicht, wenn in Horrorfilmen Kinder auftauchen? Der Hauptheld in diesem Film ist knapp acht Jahre alt und geht durch eine Hölle, die in Filmen meistens nicht einmal Erwachsene erleben. Es ist nur schade, dass das Monster, das komplett in der Szene im Finale zu sehen ist, ein schlechter Witz ist. Jedenfalls ist es wahrscheinlich der beste und "normalste" bekannte Horrorfilm von Fulci. (18.05.2002)

The gloomy autumn weather and the bleak surroundings of an abandoned cemetery with tombstones among the yellowing fallen leaves thicken an already dense atmosphere. The location of the house is perfectly chosen, in a secluded spot by the forest, away from the main road, which adds to the oppressive feeling of not being able to get help. And the house itself, built in the old style, is perfect for some satanic rituals or black metal parties :) This movie is so beautifully creepy and good that it could have easily done without the gore scenes. Paradoxically, it was their too naturalistic and sophisticated nature that didn't suit me, they disturbed the beautifully mysterious atmosphere. But why am I complaining, gritty violence has always been a part of Fulci and I have to praise the Maestro for the beautiful, ambiguous ending. (28.09.2003)

It’s confirmed, Italian horror classics are not for me. The House by the Cemetery is already the fifth famous film from that country to disappoint me. Not only do the characters behave very illogically, but there are also a lot of incomplete motifs that are never explained, and everything feels awfully fake and shallow. Formally speaking, it’s not bad; the gore isn’t shabby, either – actually, it’s great, but that’s something you can expect from Fulci – so I can’t give it a low rating, but I can’t grant more than 3* either, the story was too irritatingly contrived for me. The last 10 minutes in the “cellar” are great, if the entire film had that atmosphere, I wouldn’t have been disappointed. (03.06.2008)

The exceptionally well-played aspects, both in terms of storytelling and form, unfortunately get stuck during the second half in both respects. In comparison to The Beyond, Fulci significantly restrains the detailed portrayal of human body destruction. However, the halt in the narrative flow becomes a significant issue, and the dead twenty-minute segment leaves a bitter taste in an otherwise well-executed film. Its ultimate quality can be attributed to the phenomenal ending, in addition to the aforementioned introduction. For those who wondered about the absence of gore, Fulci opens their mouths wide with a strong concentration of mutilated bodies in a single scene, pleasantly unsettling the stomach while maintaining a juicy punch of dark atmosphere. With a bit of good will, one could even call it fear, as the chilling sensation down the spine from what we see can be described as such. Perhaps only a few blatantly idiotic lines from the mouth of the little blond and extremely unsympathetic boy, as well as the characters' implausible behavior throughout most of the film, create unpleasant flaws. However, these can be overlooked if we approach the overall experience more emotionally than logically. In such a case, four stars would indeed be a more than fitting rating for a good film. (30.12.2005)

Eines der besten Werke von Lucio Fulci, wenn nicht das Beste überhaupt. Natürlich sind auch Ein Zombie hing am Glockenseil, The Beyond oder Zombi 2 wahre Schätze, aber zum Das Haus an der Friedhofsmauer habe ich wohl die engste Beziehung, auch weil es mir in meiner Kindheit so manche schlaflose Nacht beschert hat. Die Umgebung allein ist schon sehr unheimlich. Eine verfallende Villa mitten im Nirgendwo, in Reichweite nur der Herbstwald und der Friedhof. Der Film stellt die Existenz und Bedeutung jedes Charakters in Frage, sodass automatisch das Gefühl aufkommt, dass das Böse überall lauert. Und dann natürlich ein schauerhaftes Geheimnis, verborgen im Keller. Fulci hat wieder einmal den Ruf eines Meisters des Horrors erlangt und zieht den Zuschauer mit perfekter Ästhetik des Todes in seinen Bann, wieder einmal naturgetreu und detailliert. Ein Klassiker. (31.01.2011)

"The House by the Cemetery" definitely won't belong to my favorite Fulci films, although I think that others could learn from it when it comes to how to shoot an atmospheric film. One thing he struggles with is keeping the viewer's attention in terms of the plot. I think that this can sometimes be so strange that it discourages the viewer, and they won't even enjoy the fantastic atmosphere that is otherwise present here. That film could use a few adjustments in the script." (17.05.2014)

The last, most conventional and cohesive film of Fulci's Gates of Hell trilogy. The plot this time makes sense, but Fulci's flair for odd moments and bizarre stylistic excesses, such as disorienting camera swoops, jumbled refocusing and incomprehensible editing, are still evident. This time, though, there are slightly fewer gore effects. The most impressive moments mostly revolve around a mysteriously ajar or slammed cellar door, which plays a suspenseful role in key scenes. An insectoid zombie in a surgical gown, named Freudstein (apparently a fusion of the names Freud and Frankenstein), is a wonderfully bizarre villain. This time, a child character becomes the center of the supernatural events, and she goes through some surprisingly big scares (I wouldn't be surprised if her child actor took some trauma from the filming). Avoid the English dubbing, where this character is dubbed by an adult actor who tries to imitate the voice of a child, making the film an unintentional comedy. (15.08.2023)