Last year classic horror fans were greeted to a proper Blu-Ray release of the 1933 classic Michael Curtiz pre-code film Mystery of the Wax Museum from the good folks at the Warner Archive. This film pushed the boundaries of the horrific back in the day, and it is a story that endured long enough to get a second life with the 1953 remake House of Wax starring the late, great Vincent Price. It only feels right that almost exactly a year after that release I get to reexamine the third generation of this concept. Fifty years after the original House of Wax, the folks at Dark Castle Entertainment decided that they had a fresh take on the concept that would not only honor the legacy of the original but scare the pants off a modern audience. While occasionally a little clunky in the acting department, the 2005 result is one that ranks among the strongest of the company that was among the most active in the genre in the early 21st century. With a distance of sixteen years since I last watched this, I was thrilled to see how this movie played with modern eyes.
In terms of the core mechanics, House of Wax does not offer anything too groundbreaking in the character development process. After a particularly mysterious and slightly unsettling opening flashback we are quickly introduced to a cadre of future victims fulfilling certain archetypes. Our star and inevitable final girl is Carly (Elisha Cuthbert, The Girl Next Door), who is embarking on a weekend trip to an “important” football game with her friends. Among them are her boyfriend, Wade (Jared Padalecki, Supernatural), the “nice guy” who is in a weird place with Carly over a potential long-distance relationship. Carly also has some tension with her delinquent brother Nick (Chad Michael Murray, One Tree Hill), who blames her for getting locked up for stealing a car. Nick has brought along the “funny guy” of the group, Dalton (Jon Abrahams, Scary Movie). Finally, there is the sex-obsessed Blake (Robert Ri’chard, Cousin Skeeter) and, yes, Paris Hilton as his girlfriend and Carly’s best friend, Paige. With the type of movie this is, it is probably smart not to get too attached to anyone.
What may appear odd to first time viewers but actually works in the movie’s favor is the amount of time up top devoted to establishing these characters as people. Sure, several of these performers are on the more limited side in terms of dramatic range and many of their lines are cringeworthy, but the effort to make them more three-dimensional is appreciated and helps when things quickly start hitting the fan in the second half of the film. When a broken down car leads Carly and Wade into the seemingly out-of-time town of Ambrose, the creep factor kicks into overdrive, no matter how hard local service station owner Bo Sinclair (Brian Van Holt, Cougar Town) may want to convince you otherwise. While waiting around for help, the pair venture into a House of Wax with some amazingly lifelike figures that hide a much more sinister secret underneath. While the original House of Wax held many of the same secrets, this iteration doubles down and establishes itself as a slasher film that gleefully dispatches its victims in increasingly brutal ways.
The obvious ace up the sleeve that sets this film apart from other slasher films is the wax itself. First-time director Jaume Collet-Serra (soon to direct Black Adam(!)) makes the great decision to go as practical as possible with the visual effects. The wax figures that populate this town are inherently creepy, and things really start paying off by the time we get to an incendiary finale that literally has the House of Wax melting as our few remaining survivors attempt to make it to freedom. This is some of the greatest production design I have ever seen in a horror movie and it is honestly thrilling. This coupled with the incredible score from John Ottman elevates the entire movie to another level of entertainment. Proper credit should also be given to the makeup work that allows the gore to appear quite viscerally from impalements to exposed muscles and decapitations. These are simple throw-back killings that are very effective within the context of the story.
House of Wax has its limitations, but it is a much more effective horror film than you might remember. There was a certain stigma surrounding this movie upon its release due to the inclusion of Paris Hilton, but honestly she is not any worse than anyone else in the film. Her character is not “the worst” and works well within the framework of the story. If anything, Jared Padalecki inhabits the character that will have you screaming at the screen the most with his dumb decisions. If you can get past some of the poor performances, you will be greeted with a really fun horror movie that is a visual feast.
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray from Scream Factory gives House of Wax an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that is derived from a new 2K scan of the interpositive that offers an improvement to the previous Warner Bros. Blu-Ray. The new transfer provides a pleasing viewing experience overall that appears much more natural, stable and detailed in all respects. The film has a solid grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing subtle details in the thoughtful production design of the town and especially the titular House of Wax. The practical effects of the various terrors hold up well under the scrutiny of high definition with each setting providing much to marvel over. Skin tones look natural, and the occasionally vibrant colors are rendered faithfully. The neon signage and some of the outfits that Paris Hilton wears really pop off the screen. Black levels hold up pretty well with some admirable depth to the image. There is no apparent damage to be found in this presentation. Scream Factory has made the film look the best it ever has on disc.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that opens up this world in a pretty interesting way sonically. The time in the town offers distinct sounds that creep through the surrounds to provide some excellent ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately placed so that nothing ever feels off. Dialogue sounds perfectly clear without sound effects or the momentous score trouncing on important information. Moments of playful banter among the friends are employed appropriately in precise channels in the front and rear. The subwoofer is given an immense workout in the fiery finale where things start falling apart. The soundtrack provides different stylistic flourishes from the haunting John Ottman score to the Hot Topic-approved soundtrack. Overall, this is a pleasing track that does everything it needs to do.
Special Features
- Die, My Darling: A new eight-minute interview with actress Paris Hilton in which she discusses becoming involved with the project, getting the plaster mold of her face, her friendship with Elisha Cuthbert, shooting the camping scenes, her memories of the dead animal pit, the awkwardness of screaming, her continued love of the film and more. This is a surprising get for the disc and is quite fun.
- The Tale of Blake and Paige: A five-minute interview with actor Robert Ri’chard in which he discusses getting involved with the film, updating the classic film, his relationship with Paris Hilton, his relationship with the film and more.
- To Me They Live and Breathe: A nine-minute interview with Makeup Effects Artist Jason Baird in which he discusses pulling off the makeup effects in the film, the dangers of working with wax (combustion!), tricks to avoid creating a full silicone bust, his favorite “characters” he created and much more that makes for a fun discussion.
- Organ Grinder: A six-minute interview with Composer John Ottman in which he discusses spending his budget on a proper orchestra instead of going the cheap route, developing themes for the film, layering his voice in the mix and more. The audio quality of the video call is not the best, but the information is interesting.
- B-Roll and Bloopers Video Cast Commentary: A nearly 27-minute vintage piece in which Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Paris Hilton and Jared Padalecki gather on a couch to watch behind-the-scenes footage. The cast have a friendly rapport where they talk about their experiences during certain scenes, funny moments not shown on screen, scenes that made them uncomfortable, memorable crew members and more while revealing little tidbits of their interpersonal relationships.
- From Location – Joel Silver Reveals House of Wax: A minute-and-a-half video in which producer Joel Silver discusses the film and its connection to classic features. There is also a playful on-set aspect to this piece.
- Wax On – The Design of House of Wax: A seven-minute piece in which the creative team discusses the production design of the film including the construction of a town for this feature. There are some nice informational tidbits included here.
- The House Built On Wax – The Visual Effects of House of Wax: A ten-minute piece in which the creative team discusses how they wanted to make the film as real as possible, the reliance on practical effects, the inspiration they took from the Vincent Price House of Wax and more. It is fascinating to get a behind-the-scenes look at how they pulled off all of the visuals.
- Alternate Opening: An unused minute-and-a-half long opening which offers up a death scene that clues you into the dangers of the menacing truck a little sooner.
- Gag Reel: A nearly five-minute collection of flubbed lines, faulty props, joking around and other ruined takes that are a good bit of fun.
- Vintage Interviews & Featurette: A twenty minute collection of interviews with actors Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, Robert Ri’chard, director Jaume Collet-Serra, and producers Joel Silver and Susan Levin. The participants discuss pretty standard points related to the film, but it is nonetheless interesting to get anecdotes from all of the key figures.
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute theatrical trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Like a lot of movies of this ilk, House of Wax suffers from some inconsistent acting and occasionally cringe worthy dialogue, but overall it proves to be a well executed horror film that takes its classic movie roots and updates it without dishonoring what came before. The level of detail that went into the production design, makeup and visual effects is pretty mind blowing at times. Scream Factory has released a new Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray that sports a superior A/V presentation and a fun array of new and legacy supplemental features. This is a disc well worth a spot in the collection of horror movie fans. Recommended
House of Wax (Collector’s Edition) will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on July 13, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
