Subplotly
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ALL SHELVES·
The House by the Cemetery (1981) poster

The House by the Cemetery

dir. Lucio Fulci · 1981

Feature
Psychological Horror
Mood
Dark / Tense
Look
grainy, atmospheric cinematography with stark contrasts and unsettling imagery
Structure
linear progression with escalating tension and revelations
Plot

In New York, Dr. Norman Boyle assumes the research about Dr. Freudstein of his colleague Dr. Petersen, who committed suicide after killing his mistress. Norman heads to Boston with his wife Lucy Boyle and their son Bob to live in an isolated house in the woods that belonged to Dr. Petersen. Bob befriends the girl Mae that only he can see and she warns him to leave the house. Soon his parents hire the mysterious babysitter Ann and creepy things happen in the house. When Bobby goes to the basement, his parents discover the secret of the house.

Why watch

Dr. Norman Boyle moves his family to a secluded house in Boston, unaware of the dark history that lurks within its walls. As his son Bob befriends an unseen girl, the family's descent into horror unfolds, revealing secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Watching this film is like stepping into a nightmare where every creak of the floorboards amplifies the tension, and the line between reality and the supernatural blurs.

Cultural context
1980s Italian horror revivalexploration of familial traumasocietal fears of isolationthe legacy of giallo cinema

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