The Nextlander Watchcast 065: House (1977)
Added 2023-10-23 22:01:25 +0000 UTCWe're trading terror for bafflement on this week's Watchcast, as we move to Japan and one of the most genuinely off-the-wall movies ever made in 1977's House!
CHAPTERS:
(00:00:00) - The Nextlander Watchcast Episode 65: House (1977)
(00:01:20) - Intro.
(00:03:36) - Our film this week: House! The Japanese one. Not the US one.
(00:06:40) - What did we know about this movie going in.
(00:14:50) - How the hell did this get made?
(00:26:27) - Getting into what the film is, and introducing our crew of high school girls.
(00:31:12) - What's up with Mr. Togo?
(00:33:38) - Let's all go to Auntie's super cool house.
(00:39:25) - Break!
(00:39:44) - We're back, and here's the Melon Man.
(00:41:23) - Arriving at the titular house.
(00:49:52) - Mac gets got.
(00:55:38) - Auntie's genuinely bizarre montage.
(00:59:48) - Eating Sweet before bed.
(01:05:47) - Goodbye sweet Melody.
(01:09:24) - Togo, noodles, and a bear that may or may not really be there.
(01:10:48) - Marathoning through the remaining deaths.
(01:17:59) - Gorgeous is back! Oh no.
(01:23:38) - Final thoughts, such as they are.
(01:31:06) - Outro.
Comments
I watched this movie at a midnight movie night in college 15 years ago, and I thought it was a 'so bad it's good' thing. then i rewatched it last night for the podcast and i couldn't shake that they had intention in all they did. It's an intentional movie.
Peter L Eldred
2024-09-15 23:28:06 +0000 UTCThank you Alex for going into Obayashi's history in the intro. I honestly didn't know some of that but I'm certainly no Obayashi scholar. House definitely has a sense of humor but in it's own way is a truly staggering work of art. I watch it at least once a year. This year I was lucky enough to see a 35mm transfer of it at the local repertory theater. Obayashi is one of my favorite artists and his other work is similarly disorienting and staggering, I highly recommend The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983). Sadly, Obayashi's non "House" ouvre is largely unappreciated in the west and the only way to see most of his stuff with English subs is through extralegal means, though third window has released some of his films on region free bluray (including the film mentioned above in a box set collecting his work from the years he was working with Kadokawa). The Hiroshima bombing being very personal to him was a strain that ran throughout his work thematically to the very last film he made, Labyrinth of Cinema, which was released the year before he died of lung cancer at 82 in 2020. Seriously though, I know House is largely seen as like this weird outlier, but if you were impressed or bowled over by this film in any way I implore you to check out some of his other stuff. It's guaranteed to leave an impact on you. I consider Obayashi to be one of the greatest artists I've ever had the pleasure of sharing some of my time on Earth with. I hope this long winded comment convinces at least one other person to seek his stuff out. 😅
bishonenknife
2023-10-27 07:48:48 +0000 UTCWhat a fucking intro 👏 Also love the chapter notes
Frillz
2023-10-24 08:02:11 +0000 UTC
