The House of Ghosts
| La Maison ensorcelée | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Segundo de Chomón |
| Distributed by | Pathé Frères |
Release date |
|
Running time | 6 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | Silent film |
La Maison ensorcelée (literally "The Ensorcelled House" from French, English: The House of Ghosts,[1] also known as The Witch House)[2] is a 1906[3] French short film directed by Segundo de Chomón. The film features stop-motion animation and is considered to be one of the earliest cinematic depictions of a haunted house premise.[4][5]
Plot
Two men and a woman stop at a small house in the woods. Inside, they experience numerous instances of paranormal activity, including disappearing furniture; a stereotypical ghost; movement of cutlery and food on their own; ball lightning; unexplained tilting of the entire home; and a grotesque being with claw-like fingers that attempts to eat the trio.[4]
Legacy
The film inspired director Jennifer Kent, and was included in a scene in her 2014 horror film The Babadook.[2][6]
References
- ^ "The genius of Segundo de Chomón". The Bioscope. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ a b Evry, Max (31 October 2014). "10 Movies That Scared 'Babadook' Director Jennifer Kent Into Filmmaking". Shutterstock. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ The House of Ghosts (1906) - IMDb, retrieved 2022-03-08
- ^ a b G., Stef (2 October 2014). "Retropiece Theater: The Haunted House (1908)". GeekMundo. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
- ^ "Indie Ghost Story "Dwelling" Adds New Depth To Haunted House Flicks". We Are Indie Horror. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
- ^ "The Babadook - Production Notes" (PDF). South Australian Film Corporation. February 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2016.