Monster House: How a Restless Soul Haunted A 1980s Neighborhood
The only thing scarier than a haunted house is a haunted house that’s alive. In Monster House, the home belonging to an elderly neighbor terrorizes the neighborhood. And the domicile’s attacks get worse as Halloween fast approaches. It is up to a trio of adolescents to stop the house’s reign of terror. They must also be careful not to become the homestead’s newest victims.
The Story of Monster House
Monster House follows DJ, a middle-school-aged boy who has a habit of spying. His favorite target seems to be his elderly neighbor, Mr. Nebbercracker. The senior citizen despises kids and has a habit of confiscating their toys. He has a run-in with DJ and his goofy friend Chowder. And it ends with Nebbercracker going to the hospital after he suddenly collapses.
Since then, DJ has noticed odd happenings involving Nebbercracker’s house. He and Chowder decide to stake out the place after it attacks them one night. They conclude that Nebbercracker has died, and now he possesses his home. Jenny, a prep school girl, joins the boys after they save her from the house. Together, they plan to destroy the domicile to protect the neighborhood children on Halloween night.
How the House Became Possessed
During the events of Monster House, the kids accidentally wind up inside Nebbercracker’s house. They see this as an opportunity to destroy it by extinguishing its furnace. The trio deduced that it serves as the house’s heart. As the kids search the house, they learn of Nebbercracker’s late wife. The trio reaches the basement and discovers a caged cart containing a body. They realize it’s the body of Nebbercracker’s wife, and her spirit controls the building.
Afterward, Nebbercracker returns alive and well and confirms the kids’ theory about the house. He reveals how his wife, Constance, was a giantess in a circus freak show. She was constantly mocked by patrons and forced to live in an animal cage. Nebbercracker whisked her away, married her, and began building their house. Everything changed one Halloween when Constance fell into their under-construction basement and died. Since then, she has possessed the house and attacked anyone who got close.
The Spirit Inside the House
Monster House revealed that Constance attacked people because of the torment she suffered. She harbored much rage built up during her time with the circus. And it transformed into defensive and protective instincts that were borderline homicidal. She was willing to kill trick-or-treaters for egging her house, thinking they were attacking her. These negative emotions carried over to her death, and she lashed out at anyone. And even for minuscule reasons, such as the paperboy tossing the newspaper at the doorstep.
Nebbercracker did his hardest to keep Constance under control in Monster House. He did everything possible to protect the neighborhood from her. He even resorted to creating a persona that painted him as mean and somewhat insane. But when he left for the hospital, Constance was left unchecked and went crazy. She even attacked and devoured two police officers in broad daylight before eating their car. The possessed house was indeed a vengeful monster, but one with a reason to be.
Still a Kid-Friendly Movie
Despite the horror aspects, Monster House is a PG movie that is safe for kids. The victims of Constance’s vengeance do not fall victim to bloody deaths. For example, everyone the house devours returns safely by the end. Monster House even serves as a nice coming-of-age story as DJ realizes he’s getting older. This aspect comes to light when he tries to impress Jenny upon meeting her. But in the end, he and Chowder decide to spend one more Halloween trick-or-treating.
Final Thoughts
Monster House is a fun film with horror, humor, and relatable life lessons. Constance’s sorrowful backstory adds extra layers and differentiates it from the typical horror flicks. And the relatable antics of Chowder help older audiences return to a simpler time. Monster House is the ideal Halloween movie to watch with friends and family.
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