DVD Release Date: May 15, 2007
Six teens are on their way to a football game when they find themselves in a town occupied only by two brothers with sinister intent.
Let’s face it; there will never be a remake that measures up to the mastery of the late and great Vincent Price. In fact, the 2005 version of [easyazon_link identifier=”B000AM4P9K” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]House of Wax[/easyazon_link] only shares the name of its 1953’s predecessor. The message conveyed in the modern version is that if you’re going to take a detour, take a lot of friends to keep the killers busy while you look for a way out.
Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray play the siblings Carly and Nick Jones. It’s pretty clear from the start that they’re the leads and either one or both of them will survive to tell the tale. This is not a spoiler because it’s simply the way the genre works. Both actors turn in credible performances, though the chemistry between the siblings makes for a bit of an odd, but not out of place, dynamic. The moment that Carly runs into the church and realizes that they are the townspeople covered in wax is wonderfully chilling.
Hearing the name Paris Hilton associated with the film may lead viewers to think the 2005 remake is a spoof. Not only is it not a spoof but, and this may come as a surprise, Paris Hilton actually does quite a good job in the role of Paige. While a horror movie might normally present an array of one-dimensional pretty people headed for a gory end, writers Charles Belden, Chad Hayes and Corey Hayes set characters that are well rounded with defined motivations.
Don’t get me wrong; the writers don’t skimp on the gore. Modern audiences allow a shock-value that moviegoers in 1953 may have found over the edge. One character is stripped and shaved in preparation to be covered in wax. Every minute of torture sets the scene for what characters are likely to face, and when the end comes, it is in no way a disappointment.
The killer brothers are in no way brilliant killers. The teens manage to get the jump on them from time to time that serves to push them forward in determination. There’s never an intention that anyone is getting out of the town alive on their part but the opposition ramps up the urgency of their plan. From the start, the bad guys are interesting and their motivations, while mysterious, something a viewer seeks to understand.
If you’re looking for a scary Halloween flick, [easyazon_link identifier=”B000AM4P9K” locale=”US” tag=”rabidreaders-20″]House of Wax[/easyazon_link] is a great option.
House of Wax is available as a DVD and Amazon Instant Video:
Amazon U.S. • Amazon U.K. • Amazon Canada
| Title | House of Wax |
|---|---|
| Director | Jaume Collet-Serra |
| Actors | Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki |
| Length | 1 hour and 53 minutes |
| Rating | R |
| DVD Release | May 15, 2005 |
If you’re looking for the original version starring Vincent Price released in 1953—it is available as a DVD and as a Blu-ray.
House of Wax is available as a DVD and Amazon Instant Video:
Amazon U.S. • Amazon U.K. • Amazon Canada
| Title | House of Wax |
|---|---|
| Director | André de Toth |
| Actors | Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones, Paul Picerni |
| Length | 1 hour and 28 minutes |
| Rating | Not Rated |
| DVD Release | November 3, 2009 |