MovieChat Forums > When a Stranger Calls (2006) Discussion > Mostly only worth seeing for the amazing...

Mostly only worth seeing for the amazing house


In my opinion, this movie isn't that horrible, in fact it's okay for a fun Friday night popcorn movie. But what made it worth watching for me was the breathtakingly beautiful house most of the movie takes place in. Man, I would LOVE to live in place like that! Definitely my dream house.

What an excellent day for an exorcism.

reply

Agreed, to an extent. I loved the setting. Not just the house though, I love atmospheres like this.

But after seeing this movie, it would probably take me months to feel safe in a house like that.

And I would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids! -Count Olaf

reply

Was a really nice house! Needed a few attack dogs, a gun room, and a turret or two to make a good zombie fort, though. I wouldn't mind spending "The Pox-eclipse" with her, though.

reply

I personally wouldn't want to live in the middle of a swamp.

-----
http://www.youtube.com/dinoatcharterdotnet

reply

I know. I'm watching it right now (thanks to a Starz free preview weekend) and I love that house! And I'm not normally a minimalist/modern architecture kind of gal. I would love to be able to figure out the floor plan, but that would take repeated viewings and so far, thanks to Camilla Belle's "acting", I'm not sure I'd be up for that.

reply

Kinda funny in a way that the best part about the movie, and I'm apparently not the only one that thought that (lol), was the house it was set in.

The movie wasn't *bad* really. The house was just *really nice*! ;)

reply

Actors have that saying, "Don't work with animals or kids."
I will add, "Or act in a fantastic house."
I spent the entire time looking at the house and grounds, and not paying attention to what was going on.
It was a real house, wasn't it?

reply

Sadly, from what I understand, it wasn't a real house. (Which means I can't get my hands on some floor plans, darn it.) The exterior was built beside an unused reservoir and the interior was built on a soundstage. Speaking of, I was like you the entire movie, more concerned with looking at the house rather than at anything else. I don't think I missed much by doing so, though.

reply

Thanks for the information.
I really tried the last time I watched it (it plays often on cable, and I usually watch a little whenever it is on) to tell in the long shots if the house was a model. I know the water didn't look right, like it was maybe a miniature?
I didn't think it could really be a house because the story revolves the house; actually the story IS the house. Too many instances (like the tiny windows that just happen to be there for the children to crawl through) for the house to fit the story, if the story had come first.
It is novel in that I didn't have to sit through ten people getting their heads cut off to try and scare me.

reply

You're welcome.

Sadly, I don't have the premium movie channels; I only happened to catch it thanks to a free trial weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky on the next free trial weekend and it'll show again, so I can get another look at that house. I doubt they used models for the movie, but I'm guessing that, because they used a reservoir and not a real lake, the smaller water volume made the waves and whatnot look off. And you're right, the story is the house--you can tell it was definitely designed and built around what needed to happen in the plot.

From what I've heard, the director wasn't actually trying to make a horror movie, but a psychological suspense-thriller instead. Hence the lack of gore and severed heads. ;)

reply

The movie wasn't bad at all, it just needed a much better leading lady. I'm sorry, but Camilla Belle looked and acted comatose throughout the entire thing. Which is probably *why* the house was the best thing about the movie. :)

reply

[deleted]

ha, ur right house was awesome movie not so much

reply

It's not that great, but I love the atmosphere.

This is sort of like a glossier version of a Ti West movie.

reply

mostly worth seeing at night for the amazing house, mostly

reply

I'm on the side of the movie being predictable, contrived, and full of plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. If there had been anything else on even remotely interesting, I would have changed the channels without even a second thought. But that house! All I could think of was falling water! What a beautiful house! If it ain't real, I don't even want to know!

reply

I'm on the side of the movie being predictable, contrived, and full of plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. If there had been anything else on even remotely interesting, I would have changed the channels without even a second thought. But that house! All I could think of was falling water! What a beautiful house! If it ain't real, I don't even want to know!

reply

Bump.

reply