(AKA Night of Death) A young woman gets a job working at a retirement home for crazy geriatric cannibals.
CHARACTERS
- Martine Clemente (Isabelle Goguey)
- Nicole (Charlotte de Turckheim) Martine's coworker
- Flavien (Michel Flavius) groundskeeper
- Mr. Léon (Jean Ludow) patient
- Hélène (Betty Beckers) owner of Deadlock House
- Serge (Michel Duchezeau) Martine's boyfriend
RATING: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10
REVIEW: [1/12/24] I'll cool my jets and refrain from calling this a masterpiece, and just say this is one film I will never forget. Disturbing as fuck, extremely well crafted. Nothing scarier than old people in horror movies; see Exorcist III for proof.
SECOND SPIN: [12/21/24] It's amazing how many movies like this that are out there and just not well known - and many I'm sure forever lost to obscurity. While this did have boring stretches and other issues, it also had some incredible moments. When Nicole is graphically stripped and murdered - and then eaten! - it comes out of nowhere and is just a curb stomp to the skull. Isabelle Goguey plays it well - as a naive innocent who is confronted with extreme evil. I thought this was amazing overall, but as mentioned too many stretches of repetition and yawns. However you could argue these make the horrific gut punches land so much better.
SYNOPSIS
Martine Clemente (Isabelle Goguey) applies to work at Deadlock House. It's brimming with crazed old people such as Mr. Léon (Jean Ludow). Flavien (Michel Flavius) is the creepy groundskeeper. Hélène (Betty Beckers)won't give her the time of day. But then realizes something (as we'll learn later) and decides to hire her anyway. Nicole (Charlotte de Turckheim) is Martine's coworker. She's sassy and outspoken, but gets along well enough with Martine and shows her the ropes. Hélène does nothing but insult Nicole - she complains about her cooking and everything else. Nicole brushes it off as just being a bunch of grumpy old people. Flavien is rude to them as well. It's just a water pistol, but these old people can be a handful to deal with. This was all on Martine's first day on the job... or more correctly, her employment starts tomorrow. So, Martine returns home to gather her belongings.
This leaves Nicole alone as the old people congregate menacingly. Flavien produces a butcher knife which they are claw for. Nicole wakes up to see this at her bedside. They pull Nicole from her bed, rip open her nightgown and carry her to a table upstairs. Hélène plays the piano thunderously. Martine is with her lover Serge (Michel Duchezeau) and had a brief flash of a nightmare - as if feeling what's going on at Deadlock House right now. Martine assures Serge it's nothing. The Deadlock House residents have drained some of Nicole's blood and they pass it around for a drink. Martine returns with her belongings unaware of what's going on upstairs.
The next day Martine is surprised to find Nicole is gone. Hélène tells her that Nicole was fired. Flavien isn't helpful either. And so life goes on at Deadlock House. All the residents are vegetarian, so Martine has to be careful cooking their meals. As the residents gather to feast again on Nicole's remains, they realize the heart is missing. One of the residents selfishly stole the most prized organ. Nicole finds the heart hidden by his bed. Surprising considering all the residents claim they are vegetarian. Flavien asks if she'd ever consider marrying a guy like him. The residents all look through Martine's window as she's dressing. [The one nude scene from Isabelle Goguey] Martine meets the milkman (Jean-Paul Lilienfeld) who seems nice - like the only sane person she comes in contact with all week.
Using the wood ash to clean pots, Martine finds something interesting at the bottom of the bucket from the fireplace - a monogrammed remnant with Nicole's name on it. Now that's suspicious. Martine snoops around the fireplace further and is caught by Flavien. Martine finds that the drink the old people have been making for her has been making her gain weight. It's almost as if they are trying to fatten her up. Things come to a head when she finds Nicole's remains. She runs the hell out of Deadlock House and calls for Serge. But it soon becomes apparent that there all sorts of people around here that seem very suspicious - like they are in league with the cannibals. She makes the mistake of requesting help from this couple... who quickly abduct her and bring her back to Deadlock House. Martine is thrown into a room - but she has an advantage over Nicole. She knows they're coming. Martine is thrown into a room - but she has an advantage over Nicole. She knows they're coming. Martine is able take them out one by one. They are just old people after all. But when she gets to the gate, it ends badly. The milkman kills her. THE END
When I saw this movie, I was shocked by how much it reminded me of my former job.
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