Friday 20 January 2012

20/01/2012: Doghouse [2009]

I always found that the United Kingdom produces the cream of the crop when it comes to horror comedies.It has already given us the well known Shaun of the Dead as well as the lesser known gem Lesbian Vampire Killers. Doghouse mixes the best of both these movies, combining the zombies with the tiny remote village.



 The movies plot is simple, a group of seven men, facing varying degrees of relationship trouble load up and head to a small village where the women outnumber the men 3:1. However instead of a night of drinking and partying with their mates the men find the town full of infected women and dead men.

A disgruntled bride taking a bloodied axe to the not so proverbial doghouse.
 Unlike your typical zombie movie almost every zombie featured is memorable and given its own personality and nickname. From The Bride, to the Snipper, from The Butcher to The Finger Eater, none of these beauties are forgettable. It's only a shame Candy, I mean Ruth, had to get infected too. The male group is also well done and varied, what was most surprising was that any of them were in fact killed. I was beginning to think they would all survive, but the movie turns up the horror in the final act.

At first I thought this was just shameless product placement.
The movies "moral" undertones are rather simple and is summed up in the tagline " The battle of the sexes just got bloody...". Clearly the dominatingly clear, and recurring billboard ad for a men's razer symbolizes something. What I enjoy the best about these British comedies is that they aren't vulgar, disgusting or just outright rude and over the top like there American equivalents. Doghouse is full of witty one-liners, and subtle humour and doesn't just poke fun at everyone.

If you only want to infect women, only poison the washing powder.
Doghouse clearly relies on the men and women, battle of the sexes stereotypes and does it well. Vince's speech is particularly funny towards the end.

As for the visual quality of Doghouse, the special effects are well done, whilst the blood and gore not over the top, although not lacking by any means. There is not much of a soundtrack to the film, as it contain a lot of chatting and yelling and screaming. The setting is great and fits the movie perfectly.


Overall I must say that if you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead, Lesbian Vampire Killers or any such movie this is right up your alley, or if not it's a good place to start. As a horror comedy this movie will not let you down and is probably one of my favourites in the genre.






























Links:
Doghouse IMDB
Lesbian Vampire Killers IMDB

3 comments:

  1. Comedy brings happiness in our life and also it helps to prevent many more disease. I love to see comedic actors do a serious role. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Stranger Than Fiction are actually my favorites from those two actors. I admit I'm more of a comedic tyRecent Commentariespe, but the fact that they did them so well and so convincing I think made them my favorites.current movie reviews

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. While I would argue that Will Ferrel doesn't exactly play a strictly serious role in Stranger than fiction, which is still a comedy, I understand what your saying. It is good to see comedians play a different role once in a while. If you liked Stranger Than Fiction I would suggest you try Everything Must Go, which also has Ferrel in a more serious role.

      Delete
  2. It is pretty freaky.

    ReplyDelete