Hu? Somebody please explain me the end - Quella villa accanto al cimitero (1984) Discussion

[–] 21 years ago

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[–] joedamato-1 20 years ago

I think it's all very simple - the girl new all the time about the freak in the basement,
I'm not thinking about he's dead, like "the others" because as you've noticed in the end they put it henry james lines something like "children are monsters "or "monsters are children", it means the monsters killed Bob's parents, and he just left living with them. I can be wrong.

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[–] bmk149 21 years ago

Bob was killed by Fruedstein, but we don't see it. His soul is lifted up by May and we find out that Mrs. Fruedstien helps the souls of the killed children and takes care of them because of her husband's sins. They all walk away together until the next couple with a child comes to the House. May was just another child who was killed by Fruedstein. If you listen to the librarian when Norman first meets him, he mentions that Norman was at the house before with his daughter. I don't know what this really comes to as Norman mentions he doesn't have a daughter and has never been to the house before, but it does mention that a man and his daughter were at the house sometime in the past and were killed by Fruedstein. Anyways the movies is very confusing (mainly due to multiple plot holes and dialogue that comes up once but is never mentioned or brought up again) and i guess we all just have to come up with our own conclusions.

http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mycollection.asp?alias=HeavyK

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[–] hurrumph 21 years ago

This may help, there is a Fulci interview up at http://www.shockingimages.com/fulci/interview2.html and he says a little about the ending to House By The Cemetery...

"I often tried to exorcise my personal Hell to no avail, so now I show it in my films. But, mind you, what is to me the most tragic thing in The House Near the Cemetery is not the people who die, but that little girl who opens for her young friend the gates to the world of the Dead, and saves him from normality (i.e., from the monster who killed the boy's parents), but also plunges him into the Beyond. In fact, those children do not actually die: they just live in another world in which adults have no power. Finally, the most frightening thing is that the house stays there and will receive other visitors."

He then goes on to say...

"In fact, this film was influenced by Henry James's The Turn of the Screw and its film version by Jack Clayton, The Innocents. That's why you can hear at the end of my film this quotation from James: "Are children monsters, or would monsters by children?", as all that is told may have happened in fact in the child's imagination - even his parents' deaths. The spectator may also see the film as a kind of cycle, the events being repetitions of events past."

Hope that helps..?

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[–] galdana30 21 years ago

Thanks a lot for the explain, but I have another question:

How about Anne, the babysitter? Who was she? And waht was her relationship with Bob's Father?

I tought she has a connection with Dr. Freudestein until she dies...

Remember the scene when the wife go to the kitchen and look to Anne, who is cleanning the blood near the cellar's door and say "I made cofee" instead to ask about the blood?

It does not make sense to me...

(Sorry for my bad english)

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[–] 21 years ago

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[–] HeartMonger 21 years ago

I think Anne was having an affair with Bob's dad. That is why she aways with the mommy, and likes to look at the daddy. Very naughty movie......

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[–] cinemastar 21 years ago

I just got done watching this last night and yes there were many plot holes!! What was the weird looks Anne gave the dad and vice-versa? Ofcourse I never really expected it to make too much sense, was still not bad and gives you that erie feeling after you watch it. As far as what some others were mentioning in the thread - with the librarian acting like the Dad had been there before - I believe this was a bad attempt at Fulci trying to make this movie like "the Shining" -- "Mr Torrance, you are the caretaker here - you have always been the caretaker here.."
There are a lot of obvious Shining influences throught HBTC, most never really get answered or wrapped up.
One thing is for sure -- that kids overdub sure was annoying as all hell.

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[–] NerdofHorror 21 years ago

In the end of the film, the children enters "the beyond". Is that so hard to understand?

And to compare this masterpiece with Kubrick's highly overrated The Shining, is an offense to Fulci. And why? Because Fulci hates The Shining. He thinks Kubrick is a genius, but his genius was never meant for horrorfilms.

And besides, unlike Kubrick, Fulci always made films in his mind first, and always from a catholic point of view. The House by the Cemetery or The Beyond has nothing to do at all with The Shining.

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[–] mamamiasweetpeaches 21 years ago

I watched this last night and I was like "Huh? He made it right? how is a live child going to live with dead little girl and woman?" now the next day I guess I realize Bob died.
I too was thrown by the babysitter. when she showed up I thought she was evil. I think there was an undercurrent that the babysitter and the father were foolin around.
a little confusing, but not all bad.

*** Marry me,Hal! ***

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[–] rollinstock18 21 years ago

How is it this movie has generated such deep discussion? The reason it doesn't make sense is because it's a bad movie. The only reason I've seen this movie is because it came in a DVD pack with 3 other bad movies because I was in the mood to watch some crap.

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[–] NerdofHorror 21 years ago

There's a reason why people like you never will understand Fulci.

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[–] The_King_of_Cool 18 years ago

NerofHorror you are either trying to come across as a know it all, or you are just trying to be annoying or finally you are looking way too deep into things.

I'm a big fan of Fulci. He often got over-looked. When he made some Giallos in the early 70s he was in the shadows of Mario Bava and Dario Argento.

In the late 70s into the 80s when he made some zombie movies he was in the shadow of Romero. In fairness anyone making a zombie flick then and even now is compared to Romero.

When Fulci returned to Giallos he was again behind Argento.

Fulci made some gore movies, but there was more to it than gore. He created some good suspsne and tension.

But to say his splatter flicks had a deeper meaning is so wrong. Again you either wanna come across as a know it all or you look too deep into things.

Fulci's Don't Torture a Duckling had a deeper meaning. While not clearly stated, but very much implied is sexual repression and pedophilia.

Also the motive for the killer is quite scary. The killer while yes is a bad person for what they did their motives aren't evil even if they are wrong.

So stop trying to act like you know all so much dude. There is no deeper meaning in most of Fulci's movies.

There are plotholes regardless if you like it or not.

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[–] L_Ron_Hagar 20 years ago

That's not fair. I bought "Carnival of Souls" in a 10 pack of DVDs for $6 from BestBuy and that's one of the best movies ever.

Personally, I don't give a crap if movies have plot holes. Sometimes the missing/contradictory information is what makes it intriguing...

I was disappointed that the sexy babysitter had to get killed, however.

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[–] MortiZ_01 20 years ago

This is good by the standards of your average "Hammer Horror" but to say it out does "The Shining" is a complete joke. Fulci wasn't a particularly good director, his screenplays are often riddled with bad dialogue and plot holes. He forgets to "complete" things. Kubrick on the other hand was a genius, and as far as I am concerned "The Shining" took an amazing leap from your average "horror" story. It was psychological.

Fulci movies are filled with gore, and I'm not detracting from the man when I say his movies are entertaining to watch, but as far as meanings go and overall finish, Kubrick is in a league of his own, even with "The Shining".

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[–] NerdofHorror 20 years ago

What bad dialoge? Can you give som examples?
And the whole plot holes thing...well try to write a complete script within jus a coupleof weeks and se how perfect it is. Fulci never ever got the chance to perfectionise his scripts because he didn't get the time. To call him a bad director because of that, is just silly.
And when it comes to plot holes, can you name som plot holes from his films?

Fulci's movies are not at all filled with gore (how many have you really seen?). Only a few of his films have a "lot" of gore. Most of his films does not contain as much gore as his so-called reputation states. His films are very deep, and contains a lot of personality, so to dismiss them like that is just like dismissing The Shining for not being psychological.

And by the way, Fulci's movies always had a deeper meaning. It's just silly gorehounds that judge him by the gorecontent and not his craftmanship that can't see it.

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[–] 20 years ago

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[–] jayt_26 18 years ago

Whoa Whoa Whoa,

Hold it for a second. Look man, I like some of Fulci's stuff, too. I have HBTC, City of the Living Dead, Zombie 2, Don't Torture a Duckling, Lizard in a Woman's Skin, and I have The Beyond on order. But to say that this is a masterpiece and that The Shining is highly overrated is a mis-statement if I've ever heard one. Let's give respect where it's due, please, eh?

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[–] fadelman 9 years ago

For the U.S. release, any mention of marital discord between the husband and wife were edited out, The distributor unwisely decided that having a husband and wife unhappy with each other would hurt the film. Actually, it's the edits that hurt the film. Still a good Fulci movie, though. I was very confused watching the Vestron Video VHS version since two reels were shown out of order, but the Blue Underground Blu-Ray really opened my eyes about what Fulci was trying to say. Maybe that's why it took until 1984 to make it to U.S. shores theatrically. Fulci films shouldn't be touched. One 10 second edit could destroy the whole film.

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[–] The-Original-Pinky 9 years ago

I caught this on TCM and even though there was nothing outright portrayed about marital discord, there was the scene where the husband asks the wife about taking some of the pills (to calm her down), and I got a sense he was exasperated with her. Plus the scenes of the babysitter eying the husband led me to believe they were getting it on. So, there were a lot of plot holes, I didn't expect a stellar horror flick, and let my imagination fill in the gaps.

Life can be arbitrary and comes without a warranty.

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[–] tankgirl23 20 years ago

If Anne was having an affair with Bob's father, wouldn't Fulci put a scene of them engageing in some affarness together? He has no reason not to, unless the actress who played Anne refused to do a nude scene or something.

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[–] timmetje_123 20 years ago

but...the girl is the daughter of Fruedstein, right? Did he kill his own daughter..?

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[–] stupid_fresh 20 years ago

I thought it was pretty poor, all told. I love Zombi 2, The Beyond and City Of The Living Dead (well, my girlfriend likes City of the Living Dead more than I do), but I was really disappointed by this film. No-one made any effort to prevent themselves being mutilated by Dr Freudstein or the zombies...

Oh look, here's a hand coming towards me and about to rip out my throat. I must leave my hands by my sides and wait for my imminent death.

But overall, although it had some good bits in it, it was a let down. Just because it was thrown together in two weeks doesn't mean it has permission to be rubbish.

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[–] ZombiePunk 20 years ago

You all seem like the type of people who would talk about loving The Shining, and say you don't like Stephen King. Kubrick had nothing to do with the lack of plot holes or anything because the story was written for him. Has Kubrick ever even written any of his movies? And another fact to take into account is that, according to IMDb, The Shilling's budget was $19,000,000 and House by the Cemetery's budget was, well, not listed, but I'm sure it was a hell of a lot less than 19 million. And House by the Cemetery was filmed in less than a month.

Another subject is the babysitter, Anne. It seems like something you all or forgetting is that she was destined to die from the very beginning of the movie. The mannequin with it's head falling off and bleeding??? I admit that I thought she was in league with the Doctor, but I was not at all suprised by her death.

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[–] adelaide1228 20 years ago

It's clear bob does die, it was another cheap escape in the film for me by not showing it. I like these type of films and still plan on watching some of his other work, but i hope it gets better.

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[–] janargeus 20 years ago

i Just had a thought.....does he say little girl, or just girl(refering to it being said he had bin there before) Maybe the girl is Anne the babysitter, and they had been there before, and thats how they knew eachother(they were having an afair?)

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[–] keyser_soze_08 20 years ago

I thought of that too.

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[–] NerdofHorror 20 years ago

adelaide1228: Maybe Bobs body dies, but his soul lives on in "the beyond" were he enters in the end of the film.

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[–] 20 years ago

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[–] riot4kimber 20 years ago

Here is my take on the film:

Maybe Norman was there before, and with Anne. Perhaps that is what is meant by going to Whitby with his 'daughter' Maybe he passed Anne, his mistress off as his daughter. Cmon, look at how they look at each other. Think about this. Mommy is on pills, (wonder what her medical condition was). and Daddy goes into the arms of another (younger sexy) woman. They move, and how conveant that she becomes a housekeeper.. :)

But there was supposed to be a comic adaption by Stephen Romano with help from Blackest Heart Media.

Stephen already did Fulci's The Beyond, and Zombie in comic form (and explains a ton of things with both movies) and he started with The Gates Of Hell, but it seems never to have been finished. In the graphic novel of Zombie, he did 6 pages as a teaser for 'House by the Cemetery'. And it shows the following,

1) Dr. Freudenstein seeing a 'ghost' in the mirror (which resembles his future self)
2) The Fruedsteins moving into the house
3) Him building the machine (not seen in the movie, but explains how he's been staying alive
4) Him using his daughter (May) to stay alive
5) and Him attached to his machine.

It looks good, but Stephen's website has been down for a while, www.xmachinaonline.com I was hoping to see this comic!!

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[–] HeartMonger 20 years ago

I think this film is pure stupidity. For the likes of only those who could withstand being on a board like this and talking about senseless activity that would be better off forgetten. I have respect for all people on this board...as I don't have any understanding any more than any of the rest of you, so don't think that I was speaking to you guys who have replied..except you NerofHorror.

You as a mere "geek squader" as I like to call them, can only stand up for senseless films like this because you think they have some purpose...but to say that Fulci films are something that people "Like Us" will never understand??? No Way, Uh UH!
Fulci was a bottom feeder in the Biz and he gave as much as he took-Nothing! His films were horribly weaved and worse so acted, with no point or plot or anything.

In fact, I used to be REAL big on Italian horror, but then this movie made me realize how stupid Fulci was, and how dare you say that a man who worked for his reputation(Kubrick) is lower than the piece of trash Fulci! You are not a film lover if that is what you really think.

I know, I know, To each his own, but please! You gotta have something good in there! Not just love for Fulci!

As for the ending...I think it means that a really bad film just ended...

I am considering nothing less than WORLD DOMINATION!

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[–] NerdofHorror 20 years ago

You cannot expect to be taken seriously when you write theese ultra-immature messages.

Fulci worked extremly hard, but he didn't need to have a reputation just to please everybody else. You seem like the type of person who, while watching films, needs all the answers answerd for you instead of doing some thinking for your owne. The House by the Cemetery is the type of film where you need to use your mind to find out what ties up the loose ends. This film only proves how intelligent and well reflected Fulci was by not giving the audience all the answers.

I didn't say that Kubrick was "lower" than Fulci. I just prefer Fulci over Kubrick.

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[–] 20 years ago

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[–] daryavaush-22563 9 years ago

I watched this movie for the second time tonight.

Insofar as horror movies go, a fairly well-made one should leave something to the viewers mind. "The House by the Cemetery" does that for me.

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[–] sbaldwin999 13 years ago

HeartMonger:

When it comes to classic rock, I prefer Super Tramp over, say, Led Zeppelin or The Beatles. Does it mean that Super Tramp is more talented? Not at all. Same goes for Fulci films, I prefer them over Kubrick, does it mean that Fulci is more talented than Kubrick? absolutely not!

But I can honestly say that Fulci's films are a whole lot of fun to me, they entertain me and creep me out and the gore effects are some of the best in practical effect history. Getting through a movie like The Shinning, no matter how well made it is, is a task for me because it's so damn tedious and the payoff is... disappointing. You acknowledge that you understand "To each their own" but you obviously don't respect it. If somebody likes Fulci better than Kubrick then that's the way they are and you need to respect that, even if you don't understand it.

Also, don't accuse NerofHorror of not being a films lover when he obviously does love films, just not the same films you do.

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[–] Banshee57 20 years ago

This film really is bad. I'm sorry, but it is. If Fulci wanted to show something from his "mind", than I am even more sorry, it shows his mentality rate of a 9 year old. Some things have to be taken just as they appear. I don't even think the "dimension" talk is real. I think the ending simply means, that a horribly crafted family-no offence to the beautiful Catriona McCall- have suffered enough, so to add the final insault, the mommy and daddy die, leaving the girlish little boy to cry for his dolly! Then she comes, as a little ghost with a geaser granny! They take him to safety, and thats it!!! I cannot see why so many implied ending discussions have evolved over the time. It is really rediculous. I think some of you guys are really smart...such as the father daughter thing with the babysitter. But others...need to watch "The Shining"! This film was shot in a garage, and shown in the toilet theatre club as film of the month. I mean, c'mon, it has no balance or focus, Fulci just...could not make a film for the life of him...whatever was left...
As for the rest, I think we're all just opinionated film watchers, don't hate us cause we love movies!!!

Such a pretty world, I can't wait until its all MINE!

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[–] ragemanchoo 12 years ago

"Oh look, here's a hand coming towards me and about to rip out my throat. I must leave my hands by my sides and wait for my imminent death."

I thought that was odd, too. A lot of the gore scenes were mechanically and logically nonsensical. Also, the dubbing was some of the worst I've ever seen outside Asian films, especially for the son's voice.

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[–] YankeeDood 20 years ago

Yes, this is way better than The Shining (both the novel and movie). "House by the Cemetery" has it's flaws like in most Fulci flicks, but the terror is much greater!

-L31

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[–] Zeizei1 20 years ago

Well well, i first time saw this movie around 1985 (like 10 years old) and watched just a few minutes ago DVD release. To be absolutely honest, i didnt understand it completely either 20 years ago or today. But i liked the film my own weird way :D. (yep, lots of plot holes and missing logic)

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[–] Texas-Chainsaw-Massacre 19 years ago

I didnt really understand the ending either. But luved House by the Cemetery. I think it is its atmopshere...dark as hell.
Bob dies at the end...and you just see his soul being pulled out of the basement at the end. 'Cause it says on the back of my EC cover that the girl (may) dosent really exist. Maybe that's why all the crying is coming from the basement, It's all the dead souls, from past victims.
Cause at the end when bob does get pulled out (his soul, i think) you hear the crying again.
It's just a thought...but that's what i think the ending is, But then again, why not just show the kid's head being torn off??.

I'm just killing time on planet earth...that must be why im here.. Nutbag

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[–] Fedorevsky 17 years ago

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
galdana30: Somebody help me!! "
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Here's what I got:

The little girl lives in some sort of Limbo world after her father doctor Freudstein killed her and her mother in the house when he had gone completely mad after discovering a remedy for eternal life through re-animation. We can presume that he needs something from human bodies to do this. He's been doing this for a while now, killing people who move in and trying to hide his tracks as best he can and harvesting something from their bodies and re-animating his cells.

Fulci was trying to convey that innocent children like Bob have an open mind and can sometimes see things and motives grown ups can't. This adventurous and open view of the world is what makes him see the dead little girl and be able to speak to her. It's all a clever analogy on childhood innocence. The little girl’s motives for visiting with Bob might perhaps be to warn Bob about her father’s intentions to kill his family and harvest something from their bodies. It would seem Bob is the first child who has moved into the house (there are no other children in Limbo, so Bob must be the first) so it could also be she's very lonely and bored being the only child in Limbo and that fate is already set; it would seem the latter is most probable, judging by Mrs. Freudstein's reactions and dialogue in the last scene when Bob is killed and enters their Limbo world.

The latter also makes sense according to Fulci's view of the world. Awful things like accidents happen all the time and there is no stopping them no matter what. The person involved in any accident could be a nice generous person or a wicked one; it doesn't matter. Ultimately we all die. Fulci was cursed with diabetes and he also was married to a woman who committed suicide and this lead to his realistic, pessimistic view of the world. This is reflected in most of his films.

That's the main story and whatever strange character motivation scattered around the film is only there to trick the viewer away from the main storyline in an effort to make it a little more complex.

One should judge a man mainly from his depravities.Virtues can be faked.Depravities are real.Kinski

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[–] galdana30 13 years ago

Thanks Fedorevsky!!.. I really surprised that this trend still have a lot of activity.. I watched the movie again on weekend and saw it in another completed perspective.. But I really enjoyed it...

Greetings from Guatemala!!

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[–] 123all4me (186) 6 years ago

Hi folks,
I think the 11 years old (!) post by Fedorewsky gives the best explanations as to the OP's question...
With or without additional explanations, the movie has some really annoying plot holes... and the dubbing is awful!
The cheaply made dvd version which I bought some time ago doesn't allow to chose between dubbed and original sound. Booo!!
Still, for me it's a collectible: If I'm not mistaken, this one has the first appearance of Giovanni Frezza :-)
Found it on a multiple disc box called "Pure Terror" some months ago (I'm writing this on Jan. 16, 2019).
(Edit: IMDB lists one earlier movie "Salto nel vuoto", 1980, in Giovanni's filmography... but it seems this one is unavailable, so it doesn't really count.)
Greetings,
Andreas (123all4me)

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[–] rabiddog67 13 years ago

I like the film, but I'm not sure I understand a lot of it. My take is that Bob dies and join the other ghosts.

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[–] greeneyedvillan03 13 years ago

fulci is way overrated. this movie makes no sense and is mostly a bad film. in reality you can spin it however you want to, because its nonsensical. thats why everyone seems to have a different rational for whats happening. hell, ive heard fulci himself give 3 or 4 explanations for the meaning. my best advice for any fulci movie is to either enjoy it for what it is visually or stay away from it, which is what i try to do.

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[–] xXRedrumXx 12 years ago

Having a definitive answer does not make a movie good or bad. True, it is an aquired taste. David Lynch's movies hold much ambiguity, but that's the sensation that's meant to be appealing. Fulci's movies are about mood and atmosphere. I can understand people not liking Fulci but personally, I think those people take the wrong approach when viewing his movies. You truly need to have different outlooks to different movies. I can watch a movie like Treasure of the Sierra Madre and enjoy it greatly, then watch a movie like The Toxic Avenger and enjoy it greatly, but I don't create preconceived notions based on what to expect or judge them based on some sort of comparison.

People see a label such as "horror movie" and have their own preconceived notions of what a horror movie should be. They'll quickly find that 'mental' template of what they find terrifying or scary or expecting a straightforward narrative but the fact of the matter is, you're not always going to get it served to you that way.

Watch with an open mind. Watch movies like you've never watched a movie before in your life.

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[–] ragemanchoo 12 years ago

From user polodeus on another thread he started. (Thu Dec 25 2008 17:00:47) "(...) to me the most tragic thing in The House Near the Cemetery is not the people who die, but that little girl who opens for her young friend the gates to the world of the Dead, and saves him from normality (i.e., from the monster who killed the boy's parents), but also plunges him into the Beyond. In fact, those children do not actually die: they just live in another world in which adults have no power. Finally, the most frightening thing is that the house stays there and will receive other visitors".

-- "The following interview was laboriously typed in word by word, by me, Lou Rinaldi, on Wednesday, August 27th, 1997. It was taken from issue 48 of Starburst magazine (an early 80's British publication) Volume 4, Number 12, August 1982 (publisher: Stan Lee). It was Starburst's "Zombies of the Screen" Special Issue. I have typed it in "as is," meaning there will be some confusing parts (for instance, the Starburst preface mentions a second interview, which is seemingly nowhere to be found). Oh well, enjoy!"

http://www.shockingimages.com/fulci/interview2.html

--Case solved.

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