There is a sentiment that musicians have over the course of their career, if critics or fans (or both!) see a decline in the quality of work, and that sentiment put simply, is: “I had my whole life to write my first album, but the label only gave me a year to write my second.” While Rob Zombie has churned out banger after banger throughout his music career, there’s no argument that he’s been going strong since White Zombie’s formation in 1985.
However, on the cinematic side of things, many consider his directorial debut, House of 1,000 Corpses, to be his best work– and they’re right to think so. It’s not that he hasn’t grown as a filmmaker with follow-up titles such as 3 From Hell, or his infamous Halloween reinterpretations, but rather because House of 1,000 Corpses was such a raw, viscerally horrifying, and hilarious debut, that is considerably tough to top. While Zombie’s entire film catalog is definitely worth a look, we’re going to quickly dive into why his debut is still his best.
It’s Just the Right Amount of Campy
Lionsgate
We’ve all seen films that seemed a little too “try hard,” and House of 1,000 Corpses treads this line beautifully. We’ve all heard this story before: the protagonist’s car breaks down, leaving them stuck in an inescapable world of horror and mayhem that will make the most stoic of viewers lose their stomachs. It’s the campiness in the form of the Firefly family that really drives this flick home.
Captain Spaulding (portrayed by Sid Haig) is a walking cavalcade of one-liners and grotesque mannerisms that make the audience both cringe and want to stick around for more. After all, the man is surprisingly transparent from the beginning when he says, “Howdy Folks! You like blood? Violence? Freaks of nature? Well then, come on down to Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Mad-Men. See the Alligator Boy, ride my famous Murder Ride. Most of all, don’t forget to take home some of my tasty fried chicken! Haha! It just tastes so damn good!” Is this guy joking? Or is he dead serious? It doesn’t take very long at all to find out.
It Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously
One major failing of the horror genre is when a film thinks too highly of itself and misses the mark. This could be in the form of seeing the zipper on the costume in the monster reveal after way too much unnecessary buildup, or through over acting. House of 1,000 Corpses does neither of these things, and expertly lets the audience know this is not your average horror film. On first viewing it’s hard to tell if this flick is a piece of horror with lots of comedic relief, or a piece of comedy with horror relief. Think of it as the Pulp Fiction of grindhouse horror– how can something so disturbing illicit so much laughter?
When equal parts of horror and comedy are mixed, the audience tends to be a little more lenient. When a film takes itself too seriously, it lends itself to harsh criticism if it falls short – but when everybody’s in on the joke, there’s a stronger sense of camaraderie, which is the case with this cult classic. We’re all here to have some fun at the expense of the protagonists.
Classic Structure With a Modern Twist
It’s no mystery that House of 1,000 Corpses is a loving callback to films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Tourist Trap, or The Funhouse. Structurally, these movies are very similar. But it’s not the storyboard that’s important; it’s the execution. And in the case of House of 1,000 Corpses, there is no shortage of executions. For 2003, the gore is top notch, nauseating, and a cut above the films that preceded it. This is not to throw shade at the classics that did the best they could at the time of their creation, but rather an affirmative nod to Zombie for standing on the shoulders of giants, and carrying the torch of gore and horror to new and exciting places.
Rob Zombie Soundtrack
Since White Zombie’s debut in 1985, and through subsequent success as a solo artist, Zombie has always been known to put out a solid “banger.” We’re talking high octane, driving, empowering music that is executed with purpose. You don’t even have to be a fan of his music to find yourself drumming along on your steering wheel when the hard rock station kicks it into high gear. Zombie’s contribution to the soundtrack is heavy-handed, and justifiably so. It’s a little bit outlaw, and it’s a little bit industrial, but it’s all Zombie. Whether we’re talking bumper music between scenes, or straight-up rock anthems, a Rob Zombie soundtrack is just the icing on the cake that is House of 1,000 Corpses.
It’s no mystery that House of 1,000 Corpses, a film that was critically panned at first, is still a fan favorite almost 20 years later. It’s violent, it’s funny, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s a wild ride from beginning to end.
