House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 2000
Running Times: 88 mins
Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound: Dolby Digital

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Universal Pictures
Executive Producers: Andy Given, Guy Oseary
Producer: Andy Gould
Co-Producer: Danielle Shilling Lovett
Associate Producers: Joel Hatch, Robert K. Lambert
Unit Production Managers: Joel Hatch, Andrew D. Given
Assistant Production Coordinator: Nancy Reid

SCRIPT
Script: Rob Zombie

DIRECTION
Director: Rob Zombie
1st Assistant Directors: Marco Black, John Nelson
2nd Assistant Directors: Ty Arnold, Wendi Lampassi
2nd 2nd Assistant Director: Robert D. Schroer

PHOTOGRAPHY
Directors of Photography: Tom Richmond, Alex Poppas
Camera Operator: Tom Fraser
Steadicam Operator: Bruce Alan Greene
1st Assistant Camera: Lex Rawlins
1st Assistant B Camera: Richard Miller
2nd Assistants Camera: Jared Abrams, Dominic Aluisi
Additional 2nd Assistant Camera: Dave Myers
2nd Assistant B Camera: Dan Jones
Camera Loaders: Eddie Avila
Gaffer: Logan Leabo
Rigging Gaffers: Kathy Andreasen, William P. O’Melia, Thomas Reavis, David Scott, Jerald Wilson
Best Boy Electrics: Jeffrey K. Nakamura
Lighting Technicians: Michael Albala, Paul Ciancetta, David J. Irwin, Tim McGinnis, Chuck Linkes, Nathan A. Pelland, Domeni Sfreddo, William Skinner, Steven C. Steig, Andre T. Williams
Lights Up Balloon Technicians: Ian Jordan, Paul D. Strong
Assistant Balloon Technician: Roger Herren
Musco Technician: Don Hastings
Key Grip: Sean Crowell
Best Boy Grip: John R. Koth
Grips: Pete Asidilla, John Keefer, Clint Borden, Tom Keefer, Joel Bystrom, Charles F. Lenz, Daniel Carpluk, Gary Molyneux, Josh Denering, Jeff Nemeth, James T. Gordon, Thomas J. O’Connell Jr, R. Dana Harlow, Richard C. Phelps, Charles Hart, Daniel Robinson, James J. Hughes, Calvin R. Starnes, James B. Irons, Al Stewart, Rick Johnson, Bob Stillman, Mark Vollmer
Dolly Grip: Chris C. Lucchese
Dolly Grip B Camera: R. Michael Stringer
Rigging Key Grip: Chris Rossi
Rigging Best Boy: Joe Clarke
Crane Operators: Albert Gerald Bozian, Matias Farias
Stills: Suzanne Hanover, Peter Sorel
Video Playback: Suzanne Davis, Mike Shaheen
Camera Dollies: Chapman Leonard
Colour Timer: Bob Fredrickson
Colour: Fotokem

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editors: Kathryn Himoff, Robert K. Lambert, Sean Lambert
Assistant Editors: Mark Bourgeois, Lara Khachooni, Anne Sawyer, Ron White
Post Production Supervisor: Virginia Landis Albertson
Negative Cutter: Executive Cutting

MUSIC
Music: Rob Zombie, Scott Humphrey
Songs: The Ramones (Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Tommy Ramone) (Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue); Lionel Richie (Brick House 2003); Slim Whitman (I Remember You); Rob Zombie

SOUND
Sound Supervisor: Fred Howard
Sound Mixers: Buck Robinson
Boom Operator: Brian N. Robinson
Re-Recording Mixers: Joe Barnett, George Haddad
Re-Recording Facility: Widget Post Production
Assistant Sound Editor: D.G. Kustin
Dialogue Editors: Michael Hartlein, Robert Garry
Sound Effects Editors: Michael Kemper, Anne Slack, Michael Mullane, Benjamin Cook
Foley Mixer: Mary Erstad
Foley Artists: Diane S. Marshall, Michael Lyle
Utility Sound Technicians: Mike "Fuzzy" Anderson, Joe Michalski
Digital Transfer Engineer: John Carlson
Facility Engineer: Brian Slack

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Department Head Make Up: Keith Sayer
Key Make Up: Kelly M. Beatty
Make Up: Mustaque Ashrafi, Gilbert Romero, Leslie Sebert, Wayne Toth
Department Head Hair: Vicki Phillips
Key Hair: Patricia Gundlach
Hair: Gary Perticone
Costume Designer: Amanda Friedland
Costume Supervisor: Christi Work
Costumers: Sara W. Daubney-Kinney, Jennifer L. Starzyk, Cesha Ventre, Josephine Willes

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects Supervisor: Wayne Toth
Make Up Effects: Gilbert Romero, Cedric Summerbell, Ted Smith, Jake McKinnon, Norman Cabrera, Bart J. Mixon, Matt Henkelmann, Mike Deak, Pete Farrell
Contact Lens Technicians: Cristina Haines, Laurie Smith

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Coordinators: David Blitstein, M. Kam Cooney
Special Effects Set Foreman: Roger Lifsey
Special Effects Technicians: Roy Augenstein, Jared Baker, Johnny Fontana, Christine Onesky

VISUAL EFFECTS
Titles and Digital Opticals: Howard Anderson Company
Digital Artists: Peter Kozera, Derek Ledbetter, Steven Fagerquist, Christopher Grandel, Dave Feinner
Lineup: Mike Griffin, Richard Eberhardt, Leilani McHugh, Steven Mayer
Effects Colour Timer: Hillary Murray
Title Designer: Charles McDonald

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Gregg Gibbs
Art Director: Michael Krantz
Set Designers: Colin de Rouin, Maria Baker
Set Decorator: Lisa K. Sessions
Set Dressers: Matthew K. Atzenhoffer, Tobey Bays, Tim Park, Lisa Penaranda, Edmond Scott Ratcliff, Mykal Williams, Ricky Zamudio
On Set Dresser: Tammy Banal
Property Masters: Tony Bonaventura, Steven Eustace
Assistant Property Masters: Ellis J. Barbacoff, Timothy A. James
Propmaker Foreman: Matthew Martin
Propmakers: Fredrick Apdito, Rick M. Atwell, Brian Berkel, Bob Carmody, John Empero, Michael Grover Forster, Anthony A. Guilar, Bill Johnson, Jeffrey A. Leake, Ramon Lopez, Dave T. MacDonald, Tony Medina
Drapery Foreman: Terry Sheffield
Drapery: Rick Staves
Construction Coordinator: C.R. Santini
Carpenters: Oscar A. Alvarado, Cesar Orozco
Head Paint Foreman: Paul Walton
Painters: Eric Andresen, Kiven Meyer, Daniel Beralas, Perry L. Paolone, Cliff Berns, J.P. Patry, Donald Boyd, Gerardo Rodriguez, Craig L. Diantonio, Sergio Martinez, Tom Fedele, Michael Spitaletto, Martin Goulding, Tim Stadler, Mariana Grubbs, Robert Tagle, Curtis Hamill, Rick Tanner, Mitchell Hammer, Nate Walton, Keith A. Krope, Mark Wong, Maureen Krope
Scenic Artists: Yvonne Lopez Bas, Dominique Blaskovich, Daniel Tull
Labour: Atron McFadden, Isaac Wright
Art Department Coordinator: Missy Parker
Graphic Designer: Adam Tanrell
Production Illustrator: Russ Smith
Leadman: Freddy A. Waff
Swings: Brian Anderson, Maxwell Jean Britton, Christopher Elledge, Pete Flynn, Dorit Oberman, Dugald Stermer
Greensman: Gerard Dery Jr

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Toby Forlenza
Production Accountant: Kathryn Hibbs
Post Production Accountant: Ryan Hintz
Assistant Accountant: Jennifer Wieland
Payroll Accountants: Isabel Ferrer, Katy Tatian-Genovese
Accounting Production Assistant: Margaret L. Bierman-Lytle
Production Office Coordinators: Sharon Dietz, Edward Cass
Production Assistants: Yvonne Lopez Bas, Joshua Reitman, J.T. Bock, Erin Smith, Anna Bradley, Amy K. Snetzler, Ryan Demarti, Brian C. Sullivan, Nancy Diaz, Samuel W. Sullivan, Marvin Lee Hayes, Shaun Sullivan, Eric Ernest Johnson, Rhys Summerhayes, Sean S. Kanase, Donna Tatum, Timothy Kreis, Jon-Paul Velasquez, Stephen Maloney, Stacey Wahlstrom, Laci Dionne Maltbie, Ooralla Yamada-Walman, Eric Melstad, Cloudia Wintermute
Transportation Coordinator: Allan Yamauchi
Transportation Captains: Ron Hardman, Pete Mandel
Drivers: Richard G. Almo, Leon L. Meek, Casey Boden, Joe P. Moreno, Stephen Brooks, Verne McKinney, Byron Carter, Russell Overstreet, Harold R. Davis, Tommy Rizzo, John P. Dobry, Michael Rooke, J. Armin Garza II, Akao Shibuya, Felician Ghitescu, Willian Splawn, Michael Wayne Grooms, Roger Spurgeon, Deborah Hardman, Jennifer Tabish, Gary Hardman, David Torgerson, Flint Hardman, Rene Veluzat, Eddie Hatch, Paul Robert Veluzat, Marlo Hellerstein, Zvi Gabriel Venyige, Don Herman, Erik Von Hof, Gregory S. Hoslet, Gary Wigglesworth
Publicist: Deborah Wuliger
Animal Trainers: Cherly Harris, Karl Lewis Miller, Teresa A. Miller, April Morley, Michael D. Morris, Donald F. Spinney
Teacher: Dick Wickland
Set Medics: Tony Hill, Jason Inman, Roy G. Irwin, Timothy Lampros, Lance Mancuso, Diane Wells
Fire Safety Advisors: Gary A. McPeak, Don McClanahan, Robert H. Phillips, Richard Rebol, David Shephend, Jack Wamsley, James E. Wilder
Catering: Deluxe Catering, James Flemming
Chef: Richard Katzenson
Chef’s Assistants: Julian Morales, Juan Murillo Ruiz
Craft Service: Bill Nuzzo

LOCATIONS
Location Managers: Christopher Miller, Eric Klosterman

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In Memory of Dennis Fimple 1940 - 2002

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Gregg Brazzel
Stunt: Rick Avery, Jon Braver, Gino Crognale, Wally Crowder, Alisia Hensley, Terry James, Lou Kiss, Roger Morrisey, Jake McKinnon, Tony Santoro, Michelle Sebek, Ted Smith, John Vitale, Webster Whinery

CASTING
Casting: Donald Paul Pemrick, Dean E. Fronk
Casting Assistant: Greg Sacks
Extras Casting: Central Casting

CAST
Sid Haig (Captain Spaulding)
Bill Moseley (Otis)
Sheri Moon (Baby)
Karen Black (Mother Firefly)
Chris Hardwick (Jerry Goldsmith)
Erin Daniels (Denise Willis)
Jennifer Jostyn (Mary Knowles)
Rainn Wilson (Bill Hudley)
Walton Goggins (Steve Naish)
Tom Towles (George Wydell)
Matthew McGrory (Tiny)
Robert Mukes (Rufus)
Dennis Fimple (Grampa Hugo)
Harrison Young (Don Willis)
William H. Bassett (Sheriff Huston)
Irwin Keyes (Ravelli)
Michael J. Pollard (Stucky)
David Reynolds VII (Richard Wick)
Chad Bannon (Killer Karl)
Joe Dobbs III (Gerry Ober)
Judith Drake (Skunk Ape wife)
Ken Johnson (Skunk Ape husband)
Gregg Gibbs (Dr Wolfenstein)
Jake McKinnon (The Professor)
Irvin Mosley Jr (Lewis Dover)
Walter Phelan (Dr Satan)

PLOT SUMMARY

Four young people traveling the back roads of America in 1977 fall foul of a bizarre family in a remote house while researching the legend of the appalling Dr Satan and his obscene experiments to create superhumans from mental patients. The travelers join a quintet of abducted cheerleaders in the family's house of horrors, while various parents, police and other bystanders are slaughtered by the clan.

A delirious, non-stop barrage of surreal imagery and, some great moments and a thunderous soundtrack aren't quite enough to hold a promising debut together. The biggest problem is that the film doesn't seem to have any discernable story beyond the brief synopsis given above. Zombie clearly knows his stuff, but it results in him simply ransacking the best bits from every genre film and TV show he's ever seen and placing them end to end in the hope that some sort of plot might emerge. It looks to be exactly what it is - it's what a heavy metal fan / musician things a horror film should be, so we get lots of mad cackling, lots of hairy people shouting at each other and lots of leering over-acting. That said, some of it shows real promise - Zombie's going to be a genre force to reckon with when he gets to grips with writing and House of 1000 Corpses showcases his raw talent in some deeply unsettling moments. And that's the problem really - it's just a film of "moments." It's much better made than I'd feared it would be and it's perfectly clear why the suits at Universal crapped themselves when they saw it and ditched it - this certainly isn't your multiplex friendly teen horror.

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Lions Gate Films Inc / The Shooting Gallery

USA
Rating: R (for strong sadistic violence/gore, sexuality and language)

2000
May
14: USA - filming begins

August
20: USA – filming ends

2003
March
21: Belgium – shown at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Films

April
11: Canada, USA – limited theatrical release

August
Day Unknown: UK - showing at Frightfest 2003, London

October
3: UK - theatrical release

The most shocking tale of carnage ever seen.

The movie some never wanted you to see.

There's no turning back!

SEQUEL
The Devil's Rejects (2005)

SEE ALSO
The House of Seven Corpses (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

REFERENCES

MAGAZINES

Fangoria no.224 (July 2003) pp.6-7 (USA)
letters and e-mails (from Jeff Konopka, Slasherjunkie13, Ray Fuccillo, Gage Hubbard, Madison Carter and Bryan Norton)

OTHER SOURCES

press release
credits, synopsis, production notes

KEYWORDS

ghouls, haunted houses, zombies

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008