Scream Stream 2023: Burnt Offerings

Marian Rolf (Karen Black) and her writer husband, Ben (Oliver Reed), are offered an opportunity to rent a large country mansion owned by the eccentric Allardyce family, for only $900 for the entire summer.  The catch is, they must look after the elderly mother who never comes out of her room.  A tray of food must be left for her three times a day, and no one is to disturb her.  So, the family, including their young son Davey (Lee H. Montgomery) and Ben’s aunt Elizabeth (Bette Davis), move to their new summer home.  Marian is the only one allowed into Mrs. Allardyce’s rooms on the third floor.  At first, none of the food that was brought to the elderly woman’s room was touched, but as Marian seems to become more comfortable in the house, the food begins to be consumed. Marian soon becomes obsessed with the care of the unseen and unheard Mrs. Allardyce and the house, which seem to be connected somehow. Her appearance also begins to change, dressing in clothes that hint at another time. Ben begins acting strangely as well and at times violently, which stirs up a traumatic experience from his childhood.  Aunt Elizabeth’s energy seems to wane, and she falls ill as more and more strange things begin to happen. All the while, the decrepit house seems newer and brighter, coming more alive each day. Ben eventually begins to realize that there is something wrong with this house that is causing all of their strange behavior but his attempt to escape is thwarted by a storm.  Can the Rolf family escape the clutches of this possessive mansion? Watch and find out!

This is a classic 1976 Dan Curtis supernatural thriller and based on a 1973 novel of the same name by Robert Marasco.  The film had a limited theatrical release on August 25^th, 1976, and went into wide release on October 13^th, becoming the number one film in the box office that weekend.  The critics at the time were not as kind, with most of them sighting the script and movie pacing as less then stellar when compared to the wonderful acting talents that comprised the cast and relying too much on stereotypical horror tropes such as shocks and loud music.  Retrospectively, the reviews are kinder, with Donald Guarisco of Movie Guide calling the film, “worthy of rediscovery by the horror fans who missed it the first time”, concluding “In the end, Burnt Offerings is probably a bit too methodical in its pacing for viewers accustomed to slam-bang approach of post-’70s horror fare but seasoned horror fans will find plenty to enjoy…”.  Even with the unkind reviews, the film went on to win several awards at the Stiges Film Festival and the Saturn Awards, including “Best Horror Film”.

My personal feelings are that this is a great creepy but subtle “haunted” house film if you can call it that.  There are no ghosts, but the house itself is an entity with its own agenda. Much of the horror is subdued, which might make it hard for modern audiences to feel much fear. The storyline and plot I found intriguing and the ending, although somewhat predictable, was an interesting twist. The cast really was stellar with many big stars. I enjoyed Karen Black and Oliver Reed’s performances and liked the way their happiness slowly devolved into anxiety.  Bette Davis also gives a great performance as the fun-loving Aunt who suddenly becomes tired and then gravely ill. Supporting cast members Burgess Meredith, Eileen Heckart and Dub Taylor all are eccentric, interesting and a bit creepy.  And Anthony James, who plays a silent role, has the most sinister smile I have ever seen. Overall, if you are a fan of 1970s films, especially Dan Curtis productions, you will like this film.