Invitation to Hell (1984)

Another old one from Craven.

Matt Winslow(Robert Urich) takes his family and move to California after landing a high position for a big corporation. They end up meeting a woman named Miss Jones(Susan Lucci) who owns a country club resort. Matt notices the changes in everyone who has joined the club and is very cautious of it. His wife on her own joins the club and Matt soon feels like a stranger in his own home.

I actually enjoyed this one. This isn't one of Craven's usual slashers that we know him so well for today. "Invitation to Hell" is a character driven movie that explores the depths of ones desires and deceit. Robert Urich gives a good performance and his wife Patricia(Joanna Cassidy) plays a very good role as the power & wealth motivated wife. Susan Lucci also stands out with her role as the seductive little she devil.

The movie works its horror through the family's dilemma. Simply due to Matt's unacceptance by his own family and his struggle trying to understand what exactly is going on. Gore and pure horror through fright is non existent. And the body count is very low with some cheap deaths, except for one. I recommend this to those looking for something less barbaric. But with a story that is easy to relate to. October 24, 2008

Immersive emotional family movie

Invitation to Hell is an unknown and clearly underrated movie, done with very little budget but yet so strong emotionally. IMO a master piece.

It basically evolves around family bounds and how it feels to see the ones you love becoming strangers to you.

About the score, another great composition from Sylvester Levay (author of AirWolf main theme TV series) very simple and very emotional, that contributes a lot in creating the atmosphere of the movie.

Hope you will enjoy this movie as much as I did.

A-Lin
May 15, 2008

Robert Ulrich as Rosemary Woodhouse?

A true howler: "Invitation to Hell"; is an 80's shocker from Wes Craven before he hit it big with " A Nightmare on Elm Street". A mish-mash of "The Stepford Wives" and "Rosemary's Baby", it features Robert Urich and Joanna Cassidy as a couple who move into the the house seen previously in "Poltergeist" with their two kids so he can work on a new space suit that will be used by NASA to visit the superheated surface of Venus. It can also shoot lasers and has a built in flame-thrower, as well as have the ability to detect non-human life forms. For those of you who have never seen a movie before this is called "foreshadowing". But the real star is Susan Lucci as the Devil herself. This Devil doesn't wear Prada: she wears big-shouldered jumpsuits she stole from the set of "V" and hair bigger than a Chrysler. As this opening shows, you don't go mow down La Lucci with your craptastic K-car wagon and live to tell the tale....

The scene where the newly-evil Miss Cassidy mauls Urich is laugh-out-loud funny (he mewls like a starlet on the casting couch as she grinds him as much as is acceptable for "family night" and visibly blanches at her intentions), and is capped by him playing the next morning scene exactly like Mia Farrow in the Polanski movie. One half expects Miss Cassidy to remark that she didn't want to miss "baby night" and Ruth Gordon to pop in with his blender drink.

That's all I am telling you; buy this right now! May 3, 2008

Decent and Different

This was not a typical slasher, or supernatural movie of the 80's. Wes Craven does a nice job with the creativity on this one. The story revoloves around a country club in california. The new family joining the club, is eluded into thinking that the "secret" part of the club is only for a select few, who are admired most amoung all the other club members. Susan Lucchi from the "All my children" is in this one, as the evil main characters, who may just be satan him/herself... March 25, 2008

morality tale - told through ice cold computer early 80's atmosphere

I find Invitation To Hell to be a strange and wonderful little flick. I remember the first time I watched it. It really sucked me into that cold, detached, materialistic atmosphere very well. Not like that's a place you want to visit other than with escapism.
And even though it was just Tv movie from 1984, the acting was very good (IMO) Even TV flicks from 20 years ago, carry way better acting than anything you'd see of similar ilk these days. I credit Wes Craven for his excellent directing skills and love of true, effective creepiness. Also credit Joanna Cassidy for an excellent turn as the once decent, well mannered wife. Her morph into a superficial, devious and evil sexpot was really believable and effective. Robert Urich as well. To me he was great as the unintimidated, "simple needs" family man...the rock of good surrounded and tempted by sex, money power and superficial acceptance. These are all the selling points of "The Club", headed by Susan Lucci.

i know this all sounds a bit cheesey and in a lot of ways, it is. But with good acting, an ominous "feeling" and atmosphere running through the picture, some good directing, taut little script, the movie comes off most entertaining.
Even Susan Lucci, I think, did a fine job within her hard to believe role. She came off perfectly seductive, tempting and devoid of goodness. I suppose she's meant to represent the devil. In this case, the Devil in early 80's hair and make up and a really hot red dress (among other interesting outfits)

This flick plays as much a morality tale as it does a TV horror film. Again, it does own that somewhat cheesy TV horror flick dressing. But to me, underneath, lies a pretty cool, thought provoking, fun movie that sticks with you.

*I've always liked the first 70-80% of the film best. All the morality stuff....the family's decent into madness and deeper evil (loved ones losing their souls, etc.) The ending couldn't help but be a bit over-the-top and cheesy. It was 1984 and this was a TV budgeted movie.

**I really liked the whole scene with the dog too...(Urich's character would not fall to Lucci's temptations, but his family does) This "dog scene".....Urich's first dealings with his family after their initiation into The Club. their entrance into "the spring" All that with the dog knowing how they've changed. How we now hate Joanna Cassidy's character for not only taking the family dog the vet to be euthanized, but also for "wanting to watch"...I liked the vet character and his good decision to not let her get away with that. At that point of the movie, we really bond with Urich's goodness

The full frame transfer of this DVD is very good. Colors are strong and images sharp. the sound is clear, somewhat dynamic and dialogue is audible throughout

Nice relase of a memorable little Wes Craven nugget from '84

**One thing. I sure wish these TV movies on DVD would start to include TV SPOTS. i mean, who wouldn't want to see a TV Spot for the "upcoming" Friday Night At The Movies feature. Anyway, that's one thing this DVD is lacking...Special features. No trailer, TV Spots or commentary.

I sure wish the older films (whether A grade or B grade) would get some more respect in the way of special features. I mean, newer films are so loaded with fluff and BS. It's the older films we'd like to see good special features inclusive. Who needs to "look back on" (or see for that matter) Cyote Ugly. Just an example. Or say, any of the bloated but empty CGI flicks. Do we really need special features for those? i don't even need the film, let alone special features! Always containing some fluff piece featurette with a bunch of lame, supposed actors overusing the word "amazing" for a half an hour

the 70's was a true golden age of cinema, in so many ways. And the late 70's into the early 80's was a wonderful, inventive, fun time for horror flicks. We WANT special features for these!

So, "Invitation To Hell" has no special features but it's a worthwhile purchase for those seeking a cool little "morality tale horror film" they could've missed out on back then.

July 13, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...