|
buy this title
 Arrow Video Blu-ray (US release)
 Sisu   Cliffhanger  The Covenant  The Pope’s Exorcist  The Last Starfighter  65 |
The US theatrical version was compared with the uncut export version (both avaible on the Blu-ray by Arrow Video).
In 19th century France, Teresa arrives at the strict boarding school for girls run by Mrs. Fourneau, who keeps a tight rein on her students and sometimes uses violence. Teresa quickly makes friends and learns that several of the girls have disappeared recently. Teresa falls in love with Fourneau's son Luis, who secretly watches the girls. Soon Teresa learns that the boarding school is hiding a terrible secret....
The House That Screamed (original title: La residencia) is a fabulous psychological thriller that congenially mixes different elements. The setting of the girls' institute, with its sometimes worn interior and antiquated furnishings, is reminiscent of gothic horror. This is mixed with a boarding school drama with sexual undertones that turns into a murder mystery with Giallo borrowings. In this oppressive environment, the students are defenselessly at the mercy of Fourneau, who uses Irene, a student devoted to her, to consolidate her power. Fourneau has a strange relationship with her son, who is forced to live in the boarding school due to an illness. Through the character of Teresa, the viewer learns about the workings of the boarding school and also the multi-layered abysses, be it voyeurism, sadism or sexual exploitation. The film offers some clever and unexpected twists and is incredibly beautifully filmed. Director Narciso Ibáñez Serrador shot Who Can Kill a Child? seven years later, which is also well worth seeing.
Two versions on UK Blu-ray of Arrow.There are different versions of The House That Screamed. The three main ones are the Spanish version, the export version and the US version. On the UK Blu-ray of Arrow, in addition to the US version, there is now also (apparently) for the first time the complete export version. All previous releases (German Blu-ray by Colosseo Film or the US Blu-ray by Shout! Factory) were a kind of hybrid version, based on the US version and adding most of the missing scenes from the Spanish version.
Shout! Factory didn't do a very clean job here, so two parts are missing that are in the export version. Luis goes into his room after turning out the light and Irene is seen earlier walking down the stairs. Pretty much every place where footage from the Spanish version is inserted, a few frames are lost. Only longer moments are listed in the report. Without question, the Arrow Blu-ray currently represents the best release of the film.
Running Times:
US version: 95:24 min.
Export version: 105:10 min.
[00:00:06][00:00:05]
The Shout version shows the Spanish title overlays. The Arrow version has English titles.
No runtime difference [00:01:37][00:01:37] Jump cut in the Shout version: the carriage continues down the path.
EX: 4 sec [00:02:55][00:03:00] Teresa and Pedro are seen longer as they go to boarding school.
EX: 1 sec [00:42:29][00:42:37] After Isabelle's murder, the black frame is longer and the next shot starts earlier.
EX: 1 sec [01:05:35][00:01:05:45] Irene can be seen earlier.
EX: 0.5 sec [01:05:36][01:05:46] Teresa can be seen earlier.
EX: 1 Sec [01:09:52][01:10:03] The black frame is a little longer, after that you see the girls eating earlier.
EX: 1 sec [01:16:30][01:16:42] After Luis turns off the light, you can see him running out of the room.
EX: 2 sec [01:31:26][01:31:40] Desprez can be seen earlier as she walks down the stairs.
EX: 1 sec [01:33:23][01:33:39] Irene can be seen earlier before she runs down the steps.
EX: 3 sec [01:42:28][01:42:48] The credits differ in the two versions. In the Shout Blu-ray, the names have been adjusted. In both versions, the music continues when the picture is black. The Shout has an acknowledgement at the end.
Shout: 1:17 min Ex: 2:22 min |
