‘The House of the Devil’ – ’80s retro horror done right

The danger faced by the indie horror film “The House of the Devil” is paying homage to film era that hardly deserves its – the early ’80s horror slate.

So “Devil” goes one step further, creating a thriller that evokes the era while improving on it at the same time.

The film begins slowly, sure to test the patience of modern horror mavens.

Just wait. The payoffs are plenty, and the creepy ending more than makes amends for the glacial pace.

“Devil” stars Jocelin Donahue as Samantha, a college student in dire financial straits.

She’s so broke she agreed to take a babysitting gig that pays a ridiculously large fee for one night of work. Sure, Spider sense is a tingling, but the cash makes it impossible to say no.

Still, she’s tempted, especially when the man hiring her for the gig (Tom Noonan) tells her at the last minute she won’t be watching any toddler but keeping an eye on a very old woman for the night.

“Devil” evokes the ’80s in nearly every scene, from the title sequence to the feathered hair of Donahue and her on-screen galpal (Greta Garwig).

The goosebumps, though, are thoroughly original.

The house itself is a relic, a stately home with endless corridors that director Ti West exploits at every possible turn. His camera slinks around the house, not in showy fashion, but only to build up the structure as a character onto itself.

Yes, “Devil” begins slowly, and if that’s part of the homage we could do without it, but once we start learning the reasons why the gig paid so handsomely all is forgiven.

Let’s give some credit to Donahue, forced to work alone for much of the movie. She’s beautiful in a way that goes against the Girl Next Door grain, but her plight and reaction to it remain relatable.

“The House of the Devil” manages to make the haunted house movie feel reborn while reminding horror audiences that patience, not boundless gore, remains a virtue.

Note: DVD extras include a commentary track with director Ti West and star Jocelin Donahue, behind the scenes footage, deleted scenes and interviews with cast and crew.

(Photo: Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) suspects something isn’t quite right in “The House of the Devil.”/Dark Sky Films)

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