Housebound (2014 film)
Housebound | |
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Directed by | Gerard Johnstone |
Written by | Gerard Johnstone |
Produced by | Luke Sharpe |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Simon Riera |
Edited by | Gerard Johnstone |
Music by | Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | XLrator Media |
Release date |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
Country | New Zealand |
Language | English |
Budget | US$400,000[1] |
Housebound is a 2014 New Zealand
Plot
Kylie Bucknell, a troubled young woman, attempts to steal the safe from an ATM but she fails to escape and is arrested. Due to her history of recidivism, she is sentenced to house arrest for eight months under the care of her mother, Miriam. Kylie does not get along with either her mother or her step-father, Graeme. A security contractor, Amos, explains that Kylie's ankle monitor will alert the police if she ever leaves the premises of her mother's house.
Kylie is further frustrated when Miriam claims the house is haunted. After a disembodied hand grabs her in the basement, Kylie becomes convinced that an intruder is in the house. Amos takes Miriam's suggestion of a haunting seriously, and promises to return with ghost hunting equipment. After a series of unexplained experiences, Kylie comes to believe there may truly be a ghost in the house. Dennis, Kylie's clinical psychologist, becomes concerned with what he believes to be delusions in Miriam and Kylie. Graeme reveals that their home was once a halfway house and the site of a horrific murder. They discover evidence of the crime, including an orthodontic retainer.
When Kylie and Amos discover that her neighbour uses a retainer, Kylie breaks into the man's house as she attempts to take his retainer. After she flees back home and hides in the basement, she panics and accidentally stabs Graeme. Amos attempts to break into her neighbour's house next but the neighbour says that he is not the killer. He tells the story of a young savant, Eugene, whom he adopted. Eugene is an expert at mechanics and electronics, and disappeared a year before the killing, though the neighbour believes him to be responsible.
Kylie discovers Eugene's secret hallways in their house. She and Amos converge at the police station, and Amos corroborates her wild stories of a serial killer living in the hidden passageways. However, the police find no evidence, and Dennis convinces all involved that it would be best if Kylie were institutionalized. Once Dennis reveals that he wears a retainer, Kylie becomes suspicious of him. When she confronts him with evidence that he was an intern at the halfway house, he attempts to kill Miriam and Kylie, while incapacitating Amos. Kylie and Miriam flee into the secret tunnels, where they encounter Eugene.
Realizing that their paranormal activity has been Eugene all this time, they are at first frightened but realise that he is friendly. Dennis stabs Eugene, knocks out Kylie, and begins to strangle Miriam. Eugene wakes Kylie and hands her a weapon, which she uses to stab Dennis. Eugene throws a switch, and high voltage explodes Dennis' head. Months later, all have recovered, Amos removes Kylie's ankle monitor, and Eugene has seemingly become an accepted (albeit mostly unseen) member of the household.
Cast
- Morgana O'Reilly as Kylie Bucknell
- Rima Te Wiata as Miriam Bucknell
- Glen-Paul Waru as Amos
- Cameron Rhodes as Dennis
- Ross Harper as Graeme
- Ryan Lampp as Eugene
- Mick Innes as Mads Kraglund
- Bruce Hopkins as Officer Carson
- Millen Baird as Officer Grayson
- Wallace Chapman as Mr. Hollis
- Nikki Si’ulepa as Leslie
- Ian Mune as Judge
Production
Johnstone was first inspired to create a horror film after watching
Release
Housebound had its world premiere at the South by Southwest film festival on 11 March 2014.[5]
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 96% of 46 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 7.54/10. The site's consensus reads: "Alternately hilarious, gross, and simply diverting, Housebound is the rare horror-comedy that delivers on both fronts."[6] Metacritic rated it 76/100 based on 10 reviews.[7]
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Fright Meter Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Rima Te Wiata | Won | [14] |
Best Horror Movie | Housebound | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Gerard Johnstone | Nominated | |||
Best Actress | Morgana O'Reilly | Nominated | |||
Best Screenplay | Gerard Johnstone | Nominated | |||
Best Editing | Gerard Johnstone | Nominated | |||
Dead by Dawn | Best Feature Film | Housebound | Won | [15] | |
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Housebound | Won | [16] | |
New Zealand Film & Television Awards | Best Actress | Morgana O'Reilly | Nominated | [17] | |
Best Supporting Actress | Rima Te Wiata | Nominated | |||
Best Director | Gerard Johnstone | Nominated | |||
Best Make-Up | Jacinta Driver | Nominated | |||
Best Costume Design | Lissy Mayer | Nominated | |||
Best Film | Housebound | Nominated | |||
Best Visual Effects | Matt Westbrooke | Nominated | |||
Best Production Design | Jane Bucknell | Nominated | |||
Best Cinematography | Simon Riera | Nominated | |||
Best Sound | Franklin Road Sound Post Production | Nominated | |||
Best Poster Design | Johnny Lyon | Won | |||
Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival | Audience Award | Housebound | Won | [18] | |
Toronto After Dark Film Festival | Best Horror Film | Housebound | Won | [19] | |
Best Comedy Film | Won | ||||
Best Ensemble Cast | Won | ||||
2015 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Limited Release Film | Housebound | Nominated | [20] |
Best Screenplay | Gerard Johnstone | Nominated | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Rima Te Wiata | Nominated |
Remake
In February 2015, New Line Cinema announced the production of a US remake.[21] Original writer and director Gerard Johnstone is set with Dave Neustadter and Walter Hamada as executive producer for New Line.[22]
References
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (8 January 2023). "How 'M3GAN' Boogied Her Way To The Box Office Via TikTok; Sequel Already In Works". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "Dominic Corry: Gerard Johnstone on Housebound". NZ Herald. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ "Dark New Zealand Comedy HOUSEBOUND Visits The Loo In First Clip". Twitch Film. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ a b c Whittaker, Richard. "SXSW Gets 'Housebound". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ "Schedule: Housebound". South by Southwest. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
- Fandango Media. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- ^ "Housebound". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- Hitfix. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Zimmerman, Samuel. ""HOUSEBOUND" (SXSW Movie Review)". Fangoria. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ Turek, Ryan. "SXSW Review: Housebound is the Real Discovery of the Fest". STYD. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ Hall, Peter (11 March 2014). "'Housebound' Mixes a Haunted-House Formula with Slasher Mystery to Create a Pretty Great Horror Movie". Movies.com. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Gholson, John (14 March 2014). "SXSW Review: Creepy Crowd-Pleaser HOUSEBOUND Makes A Big Impression". BadassDigest.com. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Bowen, Chuck (12 October 2014). "Housebound". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ "Fright Meter Awards". Frightmeterawards.com. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Dead by Dawn 2014". Deadbydawn.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival". NIFFF.ch. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ Baillie, Russell (12 December 2014). "The Dark Horse sweeps NZ film awards". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Fest: 2014 Winners".
- ^ "Award Winners". Torontoafterdark.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Chainsaw Awards Exclusive: "HOUSEBOUND" 'For Your Consideration' Posters!". Fangoria.com. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "'Housebound' Getting Remade By New Line".
- ^ "Housebound Being Remade".
External links
- Housebound at IMDb
- Housebound at Rotten Tomatoes
- Housebound at Metacritic