The Bewitched House (1907)

Written by RottenPop on February 22, 2017

Spanish director Segundo de Chomon directed this fun, six minute short with some really unique and creative effects. The troupe that stars in this film is really relaxed with slapstick comedy. La maison... has no shortage of slapstick. Not to uncommon for these brief flicks. Another interesting thing to note is that this is a film from the very famous Pathé Frères out of France.

The film had gone unnoticed by myself for a long time. I am searching all over the internet for little pictures like this one. Thanks to Reddit, specifically /r/truehorror, I found this blessing from the horror gods.

The concept is simple enough. Three very, very accepting travelers come upon a cottage in the forest. At least it appears that they had just come across it. They could have just as easily rented it. I guess it doesn't matter. They get inside the house and instantaneously things start to go erratic. Demons laugh at them. Luggage flies around the room. Paintings come to life. So of course the travelers huddle together frightened before becoming completely calm again as soon as the chaos stopped. It goes on like this for quite some time. The make horrible decisions and never try to leave.

In the end our dopy drifters get rewarded for their idiocy and are promptly eaten by an enormous demon. Perhaps Satan himself. It's very rewarding in the same way that Cabin in the Woods is. Your young, free loving patrons stumble upon a foreign place and intend to sully it with their sin. However they pay the price for their foolishness. Great silent short. I highly recommend it. It's only six minutes.