The House By The Cemetery is the finale of Lucio Fulci’s Gates of Hell trilogy after City of the Living Dead and The Beyond.

The film concerns a house in New England that is synonymous with a series of murders that continue to happen in it. A new family have just moved in, not knowing that the killer, Dr Freudstein (!) resides in the basement.

The House By The Cemetery has all of the ingredients that I love regarding early 80’s Italian horror films- bad dubbing, a great synth-heavy soundtrack, gorgeous direction and cinematography and the kind of kills that are both utterly grisly and perversely beautiful.

The House By The Cemetery is a fantastic film. But, for me, the legend surrounding the movie and its controversy during the era of the Video Nasties only adds to its legend. And it’s not even my favourite Fulci film (that honour goes to New York Ripper followed closely by Zombi 2).

These films also epitomise an era in horror history of graphic content directed with panache and flair. In Italy directors such as Fulci, Bava and Argento are seen as artists. Back then, in the UK and Thatcher’s Britain, the state banned their films. That’s Britain’s loss.

Common sense did prevail, though, with this film now being given the 4K treatment and the love it so rightly deserves.

4.5 out of 5 stars