Burnt Offerings – United States/Italy – 1972 – Horror, Mystery
Directed by: Dan Curtis
Written by: William F. Nolan; Dan Curtis
Main Players: Karen Black; Oliver Reed; Bette Davis; Burgess Meredith; Eileen Heckart; Lee Montgomery; Dub Taylor
If you like slow paced supernatural romps through the 70s, this could work for you. If you prefer other settings and/or pacing, perhaps seek other adventures. Otherwise, eerie time lie ahead…
Based on a book, the Rolf family zip along in their station wagon through the country to a secluded estate. This is Marian (Black), her husband Ben (Reed), and their snively shit kid David (Montgomery). They eventually get to a rundown home where each and every one of them take time to complain about it. If this is where they are to consider renting this summer, this tour is off to a bad start.
As they begin to check out the inside of the gigantic home owned by two siblings, Arnold (Meredith) and Roz (Heckart) Allardyce, Marian is entranced by it for some reason. After a peek around, the Rolfs wind up with a fabulous offer for the whole summer for $900, as long as they also provide meals for the Allardyce’s 85-year-old mother who will be reclusive in her room. Ben’s own Aunt Elizabeth (Davis) will be joining them, so they say screw it, may as well.
As the Rolf’s settle, odd happenings are afoot, but does anyone notice? The family begin to unpack and familiarize themselves with their summer setting. Marian cleans and tries to drop food for mother Allardyce, half remembering the plot. Ben rumbles around, shouting like a jack wagon and totally doesn’t go all “The Shining.” David acts like a sloppy little annoying clown shoes. Aunt Elizabeth is composed at least. As unsettling events happen, the family does their best to not notice anything.
Burnt Offerings may move too slow for the taste of some viewers, but enough of the film works for me. Should it have been 15-20 minutes shorter? Probably. Does it reinvent virtually anything about the haunted tropes it uses? Nah, not really, nope. It’s okay and it has a few chilling moments and atmospheric creep and the 70s vibes aren’t too bad. A couple of nice performances add value to the experience, but you need to set your mind to an older time and place to go along with its flow.
“Hey, I think I see some Ding Dongs.”
See This If You Liked:
The Shining; The Changeling (1980); The Legend of Hell House; Ghost Story; Let’s Scare Jessica to Death; The Woman in Black (1989; 2012); The Haunting (1963; 1999); The Amityville Horror (1979; 2005); The Abandoned (2006); The Others (2001)
Score:
7.0