Thursday, December 20, 2007

Monster House

I watched this last night, and I kept thinking, "Didn't I read the book?" But I guess not. Just one of those creative coincidences, maybe.

The house of the title is a living entity that eats kids, cops, and dogs. Naturally nobody believes it, though DJ, the kid who lives across the street tries to tell them. Mr. Nebbercracker, who lives in the house, seems almost as evil as the house itself. And Halloween is coming.

You can probably take things from here, if your imagination is wild enough. I liked the animation, most of the jokes, and the house itself. The story could have used some work, I thought. Maybe if it had been more like that book I read. . . .

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

What, that Creative Genius Robert Zemeckis Not Be Startlingly Original, particularly with the guiding hand of Papa Spielberg somewhere in there? I haven't read the Lansdale yet, though I look forward to it...I imagine it must elaborate the carnivorous houses that are plants, houseplants, in several Manly Wade Wellman stories (which don't do much but trap and presumably eat, none of the song and dance stuff, so to write, in the film's promos).

mybillcrider said...

While the movie isn't bad, Joe's book is much more fun.

Dave Zeltserman said...

Kathleen Turner must have an amazing snese of humor to play the character she did.

mybillcrider said...

I think you're right, Dave.

Anonymous said...

Well, between BODY HEAT, V. I. WARSHAWSKI (the script wasn't her fault, nor Paretsky's), and SERIAL MOM, I think she's demonstrated that pretty consistently...

mybillcrider said...

You know, I hadn't thought of V. I. WARSHAWSKI in that context, but now that you mention it, I agree.