House of Voices (2004)

- Saint Ange
If nothing else, I would call House of Voices an ambitious film., 24 June 2006

A young woman named Anna (Virginie Ledoyan) is hired to help clean an abandoned orphanage, Saint Ange, after a series of accidents forces its closure. Anna has been forced to leave her previous job after her employer raped her and left her pregnant – something she desperately wants to hide. She's not completely alone at Saint Ange as the cook (Dorina Lazar) is still around to help Anna and to care for the one remaining orphan, a disturbed older girl named Judith (Lou Doillon). Before long, Anna begins to experience some unusual things in the house including mysterious noises, voices, and footsteps. With Judith's help, Anna begins to investigate the giant house and its history. The cook claims to have noticed nothing and questions Anna's sanity. Is Anna mad or does the house have secrets to hide?

If nothing else, I would call House of Voices an ambitious film. I got the distinct impression that the director, Pascal Laugier, was attempting to bring back some of the style of the 1970s Euro-horror films to a modern audience. The film has much of the look and feel you would find in some of the best classic Italian horror films. Many of the camera shots are reminiscent of something you might find in an Argento or Fulci film. Laugier went so far as to cast Catriona MacColl, best known to me from her roles in three of Fulci's zombie films, as the headmistress of the orphanage. If Laugier was actually going for something akin to the films I've mentioned, then he succeeded. I noticed it straightaway.

House of Voices is a very slow moving and very atmospheric film. Laugier takes his time telling his story and the movie benefits from it. If you're looking for a thrill-a-minute, stay away. But if you enjoy leisurely paced films where the horror is more subtle than in your face, you'll appreciate Laugier's efforts. As for atmospheric, there are moments in the film where the atmosphere is so thick you can all but cut it with a knife. There's a real sense of foreboding throughout the huge house. The feeling that Anna is in real danger is inescapable. It's one of the films real highlights.

The acting in House of Voices is quite good. I was extremely impressed with Virginie Ledoyan. She brought real believability to her role. I could feel the fear and pain she was going through. I don't think I've seen her in anything before, but I'll keep an eye out for her in the future. The supporting cast is equally good and enjoyable. I've got no complaints as far as the acting is concerned.

Unfortunately, there are some real problems with House of Voices that keep it from being a great film. Chief among them is the screenplay. It's so utterly confusing that it almost feels purposeful to make House of Voices seem deeper and full of hidden meaning that's really not there. I don't mind a film that makes you think, but there are too many loose ends and plot points that make no sense. Who killed the kittens? What was in that box Anna found hidden in the wall? What really happened in the orphanage years previous? Was I right when I said Anna was raped by her previous employer? I can make educated guesses, but there are too many of these nagging questions left unanswered at the films end. A script that actually explains a few of the major plot points would have made House of Voices a real winner.

7/10