A horror slapstick comedy directed by none other than Mr. Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund? I had to find this movie and watch it with all the fanboy glee I could muster! The whole premise is delightfully awful: A trio of best buds buy a house in the Hollywood Hills, thinking they’ve gotten the best deal ever, only to find out that in the real estate business, the truth is sometimes hidden beneath the surface. Or in this case, the basement.
I thought this movie was a lot of fun. The three leads were fine in their parts, and it was nice to see Eric Jungmann back in action after the last time I saw him in another piece of comedy gold, “Monster Man.” I admit, I laughed a lot throughout the movie. Everything is off-the-wall crazy, makes no sense, and that was the very intention. Englund’s direction is perfect for this type of film. The man has been in the business long enough that it’s obvious he knows what he’s doing behind a camera. It’s a shame he hasn’t done it more often. IMDB lists only a few things he’s directed, two episodes of “Freddy’s Nightmares” and the 1988 film “976-EVIL”, a movie I remember liking a lot. I might have to go back and watch that one again. Possibly another retro review? Time will tell.
And as much as I like Englund’s directing work, we love him most for his work on camera. I was hoping for a cameo from him at some point in the movie, but there was none to be found. Instead there is a small part in the movie by Joey Lawrence, and while most would groan at the inclusion of someone so little-known to the younger audience, I thought it was pretty cool, and he did an excellent job, as did everybody.
If you like truly B-movie fare, and are a fan of Robert Englund, or possibly even someone fairly unknown as Eric Jungmann (again, a shame, because he’s got comedic chops), check this little gem out. It’s got at least a few good laughs inside.
