Review of The House of the Devil

Shot to look like a classic early eighties slasher movie, The House of the Devil succeeds on all fronts, from the haircuts, to the cinematography, to the cover art, to the sweaters. The premise is refreshingly simple-- college girl in need of money for down payment on new apartment takes baby sitting job. College-age girls, large house on the edge of town, mysterious old couple-- very basic stuff. This is a fun, stylish little picture with likeable characters and a coherent sense of identity all the way thru. It doesnt try to do everything, but instead does a few things very well. Also contains one of the best jump-cuts Ive seen in any horror movie. This is a MUST SEE for fans of the genre, especially for those with a soft-spot for late-seventies/early eighties horror.