You are here:

The House of the Dead

Name: The House of the Dead
Director: Sharron Miller
Released: 1978
Duration: 80 min

Representation Score

0.6/10

Minimal

1978

Director

Sharron Miller

Runtime

80 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The House of the Dead (1978) is a conventional genre piece that adheres to the standard narrative structures of late-1970s horror. The plot centers on a male protagonist's transgressions, suggesting a focus on traditional domestic morality rather than a deconstruction of systemic power dynamics. Because the film focuses on a philandering husband and a mortician, the character dynamics remain rooted in a patriarchal framework. There is a notable absence of diverse representation and any intentional disruption of social hierarchies. Ultimately, the film lacks evidence of diverse identities, making it a product of its era's traditional storytelling clichés.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The House of the Dead have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any characters with non-traditional gender identities. The story revolves around a philandering husband and an elderly mortician, focusing on traditional infidelity.

How does The House of the Dead portray gender?

Limited

The narrative follows a patriarchal structure driven by male control. The central conflict involves a male protagonist and a male secondary character, with no strong female presence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The House of the Dead?

Minimal

There is no information about the racial or ethnic makeup of the cast. The film does not provide any details about characters of color or non-white actors.

How does The House of the Dead represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film adheres to traditional moral views on infidelity. It uses standard horror clichés without challenging established social norms or Western conventions.

Does The House of the Dead include disability representation?

Minimal

The narrative does not mention any characters with visible or invisible disabilities. There is no representation of neurodivergent individuals in the story.

Present on Screen

The film effectively uses classic horror clichés like the isolated, mysterious figure to build tension.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks diverse representation and fails to challenge traditional gender hierarchies.
There is a complete absence of racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ diversity within the character profiles.
The story relies on a patriarchal framework that centers almost exclusively on male control.

Official Synopsis

When a philandering husband accidentally finds himself lost during a rainstorm, he’s taken in by an elderly mortician and is forced to learn the ghastly origins of four freshly arrived corpses.

How are these scores produced? →