Christina's House (1999)

Within every wall of her home, someoneor somethinghas been watching. A taut and horrifying thriller, Christina's House takes a hot, young cast, including Brad Rowe (Body Shots, "Wasteland") and Brendan Fehr (The Forsaken, Final Destination), into its dark innards where mysterious murders keep claiming its guests. Charged with electrifying performances and breathlessly fast-paced plot twists, Christina's House invites you in, locks its doors behind you and scares you half to death! On the surface, everything about Christina's (Allison Lange) life seems perfectly normal. With an over-protective dad (John Savage), a video game junkie of a little brother (Lorne Stewart), a capable handyman (Rowe) and a new boyfriend (Fehr) around, she has little to worry about. Little, that is, until dead bodies start popping up! Now, Christina must figure out whoor whatis lurking within the walls of her home, turning every room into a death chamber and calling for her as its next victim!

Dad Needs More Fiber...

Christina Tarling (über-hottie Allison Lange) keeps hearing odd sounds from the attic above her room. Her terminally constipated dad (John Savage) tells her that the house is simply making "settling" noises. Meanwhile, someone is murdering young gals in the neighborhood, and dumping the remains on Christina's property! Could the killer be grumpy ol' dad? The crazy, hormonally explosive boyfriend, Eddy (Brendan Fehr)? Howie, the ultra-nice handyman (Brad Rowe)? Or is it the pushy, downright creepy sheriff (Jerry Wasserman)? Christina grows increasingly terrified by the prospect that she may be going insane like her mum (Chilton Crane). This all culminates in a wham-bang, violent finalé w/ an interesting little twist. As an added bonus, Christina takes a relaxing bubble bath! CHRISTINA'S HOUSE is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to die there... December 15, 2008

A House Becomes A Trap In This Superb Slasher Gem

"Christina's House" is creepy fun. Christina (Allison Lange of "Single White Female 2: The Psycho"), along with her father and brother, has moved into a new home in order to be close to her insane mother. Meanwhile, visitors who enter the large, old house are brutally murdered. The list of suspects include the possessive boyfriend, the overprotective father, the odd handyman, and Christina herself who may have inherited her mother's mental illness. The killer is hiding inside the house, watching and waiting for the right time to trap everyone . . . and kill them.

This slasher gem has a great opening that is positively shocking. The film has an intriguing mystery that keeps the plot moving at a good pace. The ending is wonderfully downbeat; it is very reminiscent of numerous slasher flicks made in the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties. When Christina's family is trapped within the house, I was reminded of Wes Craven's bizarre chiller, "The People Who Live Under the Stairs." However, I enjoyed "Christina's House" more because it was more realistic. I was also reminded of the "Saw" series because of the various traps and devices in which the victims find themselves.

Some of the murders were gruesome. However, a few more victims would've been nicer. I would've had the investigating police officer killed; he was strange and useless. A nosy neighbor could've been written into the script; he/she saw something odd, wandered over to investigate, and was murdered.

If you like large, old houses with dark secrets, you will enjoy watching "Christina's House." The mystery will intrigue you and the murders will shock and horrify you. This is a must see for fans of slasher fare and Italian gialli (murder mysteries made in Italy).

Unfortunately, as far as the DVD itself is considered, there are no extras - not even a trailer. Therefore, if you really enjoy this movie, you will have to search for more information on your own.
September 7, 2008

Horror wins again

The movie really got a jump out of me. That has not happened in a long time. Seeing Allison Lange topless didn't hurt the movie either. February 10, 2007

The Gnosis Queen Reviews "Christina's House"

I love this movie. I watch it whenever I feel
depressed, and it picks me right up! John Savage, has a good role, in this film, as the
working father of two teenagers, Christina, and
her brother bobby. He looks very stressed out,
as usual, and he is burdened, due to his crazy
wife who lives in a mental institution: which
I would guess, houses the criminally insane.
Howie Rhodes, played by Brad Rowe, has been
recently released from, the institution, and
incorrectly diagnosed, as cured,(for in reality), he's as loony, as a tune. Howie has
been sent to Christina's house, by her mother
to check up on her husband, and to protect her
daughter, Christina. Howie, however decides to
kill everyone, especially Eddie Duncan, played
by Brendan Fehr. He poses as a handy man, and
rigs the house, with a steel trap, and plexi-
glassed windows. The tension builds in the
movie, as Christina, and Bobby try to figure
out, how to outsmart Howie, and survive, along
with Dad, who has unfortunately fallen into
the trap. Oh yeah! Dad gets stabbed too, so
the kids, have to make it out on their own,
eliminate Howie, and get dad medical attention
before he bleeds to death.
All in all, this is a real cool, young feeling
movie. It's supposed to take place in Washington, but was actually filmed in Canada,
which sort of looks like Washington, so what's
the diff? Christina,s House is a low budget
flick, but very well put together. I recommend
it for anyone, who is lonely or depressed.
Although it is a horror film, it has a magical
way of lifting one's spirits.. It is truly a
feel good movie. November 1, 2005

Ehhhh

Not a movie horror buffs will want to run out and see anxiously, nor is it hard to realise why it's always in the cheapie bin marked down 100 times since it's original cheapie bin price.

The title would probably make you think that the house itself is alive, or haunted or something. I wont say what it is, but I will tell you it's nothing to do with what you might think.

The story is about a 16 year old girl named Christine who lives with her father and younger brother. It sets up the story so that you have to try an work out WHO is the evil one etc, etc... her mothers in a loony bin and people in the neighbourhood are going missing and last seen at in the vicinity of that house.

Overall I wouldnt recomend it to buy, I'd rent it so that you dont have it taking up space collecting dust in your house. You probably wont ever wanna see it again, least not anytime soon and you couldnt have seen too many horror films if you consider this one scary at all. Actualy, it's not even a horror, it's more of a ... errr.... sort of suspence ATTEMPT.

The end of the film is a weird turn that does explain itself, but overall, i'd rather have watched something else then this one. I only watched it 'cause there is a 10 movie pack out here (regoiun 4) and one of the 10 "cheapie" movies was this one.

The story was interesting, but it needed gore and a direction for more of an R rating then trying for a kids suspence film. July 5, 2005

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