Burnt Offerings (1976)

☆ ☆

Burnt Offerings (1976) – D. Curtis

Dan Curtis mostly directed low budget horror movies for TV (and famously the Dark Shadows movies and TV series), but this putative haunted house thriller really goes nowhere.  Instead, Karen Black and Oliver Reed try to demonstrate who can act most crazy (and Bette Davis joins in for good measure).  Presumably the actors are somehow possessed by the house which fixes itself and drapes itself in flowers, presumably after accepting an “offering”.  But their struggles are rather tiresome and boring and the house doesn’t actually do anything scary.  IMdB says that this is “one of Stephen King’s favorite horror films” – probably because he doesn’t like The Shining.  But methinks that quote must be bollocks.  There is nothing to see here.  Maybe I need to check out some of those paranormal activity sequels.