House Of Screaming Glass

The Blair Witch Project is one of the scariest films of all time because no matter how often I see it, I genuinely believe those characters’ lives are in danger. That sense of mortal dread is something both follow-ups fail to capture. Unfortunately, this affliction rears its head in a lot of horror, even overrated “classics” like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre; dirty and grimy does not equate to chilling and eerie. Enter House Of Screaming Glass, written by Costanza Bongiorni, Tom Jolliffe, and director David R. Williams.

Elizabeth (Lani Call) is still grieving over her mother’s death when she discovers she’s inherited a rundown old schoolhouse from her grandma. The strange part is that Elizabeth never met her grandma. But she goes to the expansive grounds and begins to poke around. In doing so, she uncovers a photo album where most of the faces are scratched out, and all the eyes have been blackened with a marker. This understandably freaks Elizabeth out, though she does not leave as she’s processing her turbulent relationship with her mom. Eventually, Elizabeth discovers that her grandma is a witch and even finds her book of rituals. Does Elizabeth use these rituals to fill in the gaps in how she sees herself, or does she search for a way out of the possibly haunted school?

Let’s revisit the “dirty and grimy” comment. The school is in complete disarray, with the floors looking gross. Yet, because there’s more going on than just the visual ick factor, the squalid feel of House Of Screaming Glass works in its favor. The set design aids the story and cinematography, both of which generate plenty of frights on their own. The scariest scene comes at roughly the 12-minute mark. Elizabeth sits down at a piano and begins playing. The camera is facing her, with the entryway slightly out of focus in the frame. As she plays, a supernatural being slowly makes its way toward the lead. Elizabeth does not notice as the entity inches ever closer. From the way it’s shot to the music, everything creates a sense that this might pull a Psycho and switch main characters by killing Elizabeth just minutes in.

“…discovers that her grandma was a witch and even finds her book of rituals.”

The visual prowess extends beyond the impressive blocking and framing. The lighting is also stellar. In another piano sequence, the scratched-out photos and images from the ritual book are projected onto Elizabeth. It highlights how she’s changing, for good or ill, in a simple yet powerful way. A sequence involving a bridge, a standout for its stark contrast to the school, highlights the natural beauty of the locale. The school itself is a character, with its brick-and-mortar columns towering over Elizabeth. The foreboding intensity of the interiors, especially the bedroom, creates several memorable scenes.

As the only person on screen, minus the supernatural entity, Call has a lot riding on her shoulders throughout all 107 minutes of House Of Screaming Glass. As with every other aspect of the film, she was carefully chosen for her skills. Her voiceover begins rather monotone. Whether this is to indicate that Elizabeth is lost in grief or to signal her detachment from her dead mom, I don’t know. But as strange things continue to occur, her inflection changes to scared or confident or bewildered. The actor jumps through every imaginable emotion and nails each one. Her body language and facial expressions, especially her eyes, are also very emotive and used to sell the horror befalling Elizabeth as the plot continues.

If you like the lore of Book Of Monsters and the oppressive atmosphere of The Blair Witch Project, then House Of Screaming Glass will hit all the right notes. It’s intriguing, bizarre, frightful, and twisty in all the best ways. Call mesmerizes as the only person on screen, and she sells the transformation of her character to a tee. Horror hounds and art picture lovers will find common ground here.

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