Quentin Tarantino Thinks This Slasher is “attractively repulsive”—And You Can Watch It Now On Tubi
Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino always has something to say. This past week, it was some, err, ill-advised comments on the nature of real handguns on film sets. The filmmakers’ analogy was crass, and given the climate, arguably inappropriate. The conversation was part of a lengthy sit-down Tarantino had with Bill Maher, and you can watch the entirety of that interview here. Or, if I could suggest it, you might be better served revisiting some of Quentin Tarantino’s old film reviews, previously published on the New Beverly website. One such review was for Joseph Ellison exploitation slasher Don’t Go in the House, a film Tarantino called “attractively repulsive.” Better still, it’s streaming for free on Tubi now.
Per Tubi: Burned as a child by his sadistic mother, Donny Kohler is taking out his tormented childhood on unassuming young women—and with a flamethrower.
I first caught Don’t Go in the House during my YouTube slasher days. Before widespread streaming, I often found titles that were tricky to track down streaming free (and probably illegally) on YouTube. I was a kid, and I know better now, but Don’t Go in the House was one of the gnarliest I managed to track down. It was grisly, ridiculous, exploitative, and while I wouldn’t quite call it a good movie, I agree with Tarantino that, by and large, it was an attractive watch.
Quentin Tarantino’s review expands on what works in Ellison’s film. He wrote:
“This 1979 drama, without any intentional or unintentional humor (always a relief), still recalls the spirit of the old EC Comics, aided by gloomy New Jersey and New Rochelle (NY) locations, Oliver Wood’s dim lensing, and most of all writer-director Joseph Ellison’s view of humanity. Moreover, the film seems virtually anti-Catholic, yet is a casebook study in Catholic guilt.”
Like a lot of the drive-in, grindhouse slashers from that era, there was considerably more going on than simple bloodshed. I echo Quentin Tarantino’s sentiments: “In short, I kinda liked it, but still gave it my highest rating for total trash.” Total trash indeed, but the best kind of total trash. It’s gnarly, visceral, fun, and might even give you a few things to think about. Not bad for a slasher made for a shoestring budget.
What do you think? Are you a fan of Don’t Go in the House? What other titles that Quentin Tarantino has recommended have you enjoyed? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins
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