Most of the horror releases over the last couple of decades have been disaappointing, to say the least - endless remakes and sequels and "original" properties which do little to subvert genre expectations have been the staple for many studios, filling out their low budget quota with predictable fare. While The House Of The Devil may not sound like anything groundbreaking on paper - the babysitter working for a mysterious family premise sounds like a template for countless films which preceded it - the execution puts this on a pedestal above most of its competitors. Director Ti West somehow managed to perfectly blend an appreciation of the nostalgia for movies like Rosemary's Baby and other demonic possession films, yet at the same time put his own distinct stamp on it. The fact that this wasn't appreciated by anything approaching a wide audience is painfully apparent in the box office takings - The House Of The Devil made a paltry $101,000 at the box office.
