A Haunted House (2013)
Directed by Michael Tiddes
Malcolm and Kisha move into their dream home, but soon learn a demon also resides there. When Kisha becomes possessed, Malcolm - determined to keep his sex life on track - turns to a priest, a psychic, and a team of ghost-busters for help in this spoof of all the "found-footage/documentary style" films released in recent years.
5 connections found
View:
5 films that influenced A Haunted House
What critics say influenced A Haunted House
To a large degree, "A Haunted House" plays like a feature-length riff on a classic Eddie Murphy stand-up routine inspired by "Poltergeist" ("Why don't white people just leave the house when there's a ghost in the house?").
Such is the case with "A Haunted House," which additionally references 1999's " The Blair Witch Project ," 2010's " The Last Exorcism ," and, oddly, 1997's " I Know What You Did Last Summer " without knowing the first thing about subverting expectations or bringing clever or savvy twists to their shout-outs.
In a recent interview with HitFix, Marlon Wayans used the similarly timed releases of his found-footage horror comedy A Haunted House and the fourth Scary Movie sequel as an excuse to rant against the franchise he helped launch.
Since the “Scary Movie” brand is now someone else’s property (since that series is so genius), we now have “A Haunted House” a movie so bereft or wit or actual comedy, that it’s embarrassing.
In his career, Marlon Wayans has found success spoofing socially conscious black dramas (1996's "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood"), "Scream"-style horror films (2000's " Scary Movie "), haunted house pics (2001's " Scary Movie 2 "), and dance flicks (2009's, uh, " Dance Flick ").
Some of the Scary Movie series’ architects reassemble here for a joylessly raunchy comedy about a ghost causing trouble for couple Malcolm (Wayans) and Kisha (Atkins).
This doesn’t bode well for a “Scary Movie” type of film, with Keenan Ivory off doing god knows what.
Written by Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez and not so much directed as vaguely steered by Michael Tiddes, "A Haunted House" is a ramshackle parody of recent found-footage horror movies in the vein of the "Scary Movie" movies.
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
Directed by Paris Barclay
In his career, Marlon Wayans has found success spoofing socially conscious black dramas (1996's "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood"), "Scream"-style horror films (2000's " Scary Movie "), haunted house pics (2001's " Scary Movie 2 "), and dance flicks (2009's, uh, " Dance Flick ").
Advertisement
Considering Marlon Wayans’ crummy track record (Dance Flick, Little Man, White Chicks), it’s amazing how laugh-out-loud funny A Haunted House turns out to be.
Previous send-ups such as White Chicks have been counterbalanced with straighter roles in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
A Haunted House is written by and stars Marlon Wayans of Scary Movie, Dance Flick and White Chicks fame.