Rob Zombies House of 1,000 Corpses Turns 20: An Oral History of a Bloody Cult Classic

Table Of Content

• Mindblowing Facts About Bill Moseley
• Director
• The film draws inspiration from real-life serial killers.
• Rob Zombie went on to direct a sequel called The Devil’s Rejects.
• Production Designer
• House of 1000 Corpses was shot on a tight filming schedule.
• House of 1000 Corpses received a mixed reception from critics.

But whether they formed a huge part of the movie's machinery or acted as a single cog, each of these actors was part of something special. Their legacies will forever live on in House of 1000 Corpses, and in the hearts of horror fans everywhere. The other two films in the Firefly trilogy aren't even the only sequels Zombie has gone on to make.

Mindblowing Facts About Bill Moseley

Moseley himself was one of them, having already collected a number of horror credits, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, the Night of the Living Dead remake, and Army of Darkness. For Mama Firefly, Zombie turned to Karen Black of Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces fame. Sid Haig, a cult film legend known for his work in Spider Baby and Foxy Brown, was tapped to play the gonzo clown Captain Spaulding.

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Director

The group thinks it is just a blown out tire and so Baby takes Bill to her family's house to get a tow truck. Moments later, Baby's half-brother, Rufus, picks up the stranded passengers and takes them to the family home. Movie enthusiasts flock to these events to experience the chilling atmosphere of the film alongside fellow horror fans. The intricately designed set pieces add to the unsettling atmosphere and provide insight into the twisted minds of the characters. House of 1000 Corpses has earned a dedicated fanbase who appreciate its blend of horror, dark humor, and distinctive visual style.

The film draws inspiration from real-life serial killers.

Later that night, Jerry Goldsmith, Bill Hudley, Mary Knowles, and Denise Willis are on the road in hopes of writing a book on offbeat roadside attractions. When the four meet Spaulding, who is also the owner of "The Museum of Monsters & Madmen", they learn of the local legend of Dr. Satan. As they take off in search of the tree from which Dr. Satan was hanged, they pick up a young free-spirited hitchhiker named Baby, who claims to live only a few miles away. Shortly after, a mysterious figure appears hidden in some overgrowth and shoots out their vehicle's tire with a shotgun.

Take Dr. Satan (Walter Phelan), hands down one of the most interesting beings in the Firefly trilogy. The cyborg scientist appears briefly in the movie, but will haunt viewers' nightmares forever, even if he doesn't necessarily fit in with the style of subsequent flicks. Some of these actors were a major part of the movie, present for the majority of its runtime.

Since its release, the film has achieved a cult following, was developed into a haunted-house attraction by Zombie for Universal Studios, and was followed by two sequels, The Devil's Rejects (2005) and 3 from Hell (2019). House of 1000 Corpses won't go down in history as the most commercially successful horror movie of all time, nor the most critically acclaimed. This hardcore horror film's style plays like a terrifying music video, providing a roller coaster ride of gruesomely colorful scenes. To the squeamish, this movie can come off as shocking, repulsive, and downright unwatchable, due to its gory nature.

House of 1000 Corpses was shot on a tight filming schedule.

An animated musical "sidequel" released in 2009, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, is also part of the tale. That’s exactly why it appealed to McClelland, who went out and bought the DVD—“the very first one, where it was just a cardboard flip cover without a clasp”—as soon as he could. When Zombie released a sequel, 2005’s The Devil’s Rejects, McClelland led a group of more than a dozen friends to the theater. House of 1000 Corpses cast list, listed alphabetically with photos when available. This list of House of 1000 Corpses actors includes any House of 1000 Corpses actresses and all other actors from the film.

Mary attempts to run away, but is tracked down and stabbed to death by Baby moments later. The final acts of the film ramp up the violence and suspense, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats. Zombie infuses moments of levity that provide a brief respite from the intense and horrifying situations the characters find themselves in. Zombie’s love for the genre can be seen through various references and nods to horror icons that shaped the industry.

It does, after all, contain torturous mental abuse, bloody murder, and, for good measure, necrophilia. To fans, however, it's one of Rob Zombie's masterpieces, and the film that launched his career in horror. The studio completed a theatrical trailer for the film, which was shown in theaters and prior to the Universal ride created by Zombie.[18] Zombie later received a call for a meeting with Stacey Snider, head of Universal.

McClelland, who estimated he goes to three or four cons a year himself, would see them frequently, set up behind booths and interacting with delighted fans. More people are catching on (including Universal, which used House of 1,000 Corpses as the basis for part of its annual Halloween Horror Nights in 2010, 2011, and 2019). Cherry also runs a server on the social messaging platform Discord that has accumulated more than 150 members, who gather to discuss and post about Zombie’s movies and other horror flicks like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Manes was introduced to House of 1,000 Corpses while playing Tubi roulette a few years ago, and was instantly drawn to how the movie reveled in its own wickedness. House of 1,000 Corpses hit theaters and landed in second place at the domestic box office in its first week, behind only Jack Nicholson’s Anger Management. Mixed in with this motley collection of Zombie’s favorite actors were his friends.

Now terrified that House of 1,000 Corpses would be slapped with an NC-17 rating—a box-office kiss of death—the studio asked Zombie to tone the movie down. Safety was an afterthought, with one scene calling for an actor to dodge a real ax wielded by another performer whose vision was severely compromised by his costume. “We just assumed she would get out of the way,” Zombie remarks on the film’s DVD commentary.