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Bookmark this pageDoghouse (2009)
Director: Jake West
Movie review
From Time Out London
You wait ages for a horror movie in which beery, unreconstructed blokes are set upon by sexy man-eating women, and then two come along. However, the contrast between Horne and Corden’s bloodless, laugh-free ‘Lesbian Vampire Killers’ and Jake West’s gory, funny ‘splatstick’ comedy could not be more stark. The magic ingredient here is Dan Schaffer’s sly script, which constantly undercuts the film’s inherently sexist premise.In ‘LVK’, a bloke took his recently dumped ex-mate to a remote country village, where they were set upon by blood-sucking lesbians; in ‘Doghouse’, a bunch of blokes take their recently divorced pal to a remote village, where they are set upon by flesh-eating ‘Zombirds’. The crucial difference is, while ‘LVK’ celebrated its protagonists’ leery lad-mag misogyny, ‘Doghouse’ points up the Neanderthal blokes’ deep Freudian fear of being castrated by women. ‘This is the day you rediscover your inner bloke,’ says Neil (a typecast Danny Dyer) to his despondent pal Vince (Stephen Graham). But in order to become a born-again bloke, Vince and his mates must face a horde of ‘pissed-off man-hating feminist cannibals’.
West sails dangerously close to indulging the sexism he aims to mock: many of the Zombirds are dressed like strippers or porn fantasy figures. But then Schaffer throws in an ironic line like: ‘Now is not the time to stop objectifying women,’ and the dick swings the other way. And you’d have to be barking mad not to cheer when the lairy lads risk life and limb to save their gay pal Graham from the Zombirds’ nest.
Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 2025, June 11 - 17, 2009
User reviews of this film
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- Sox said...
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Posted on Nov 22 2009 20:52
"All women are ................ MENTAL!
Was laugh out loud, watched it two nights on the trot, Mr Dyer is right its funny as fuck!!!! - Report as inappropriate
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- brian said...
- Posted on Nov 02 2009 21:56 great funny film a must see best english film for years
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- george clarke said...
- Posted on Oct 28 2009 09:34 thought it was fab - love british flicks especially horror - this was very shaun of the dead esque but more humour than horror I'd say but still managed to do both. i did notice the sexism in the film but it didn't seem to paint either men or women in great light generally and sometimes people do over analyse these things!! great film want more of this type of film
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- Michael said...
- Posted on Oct 27 2009 12:18 Almost didn't watch this due to poor as said above 'snobish' reviews but soooo glad I did... Very fast pace hilarious script and the characters work brilliant with each other. My opinion the best British horror/comedy yet!
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- AaronStevens said...
- Posted on Oct 24 2009 12:47 The Film Is a Great Laugh With a great Story behind it I do Love Films With danny dyer In So Hilarious But i Must Say Noel Clarke Was Just As Funny i it but all together an amazing film 5 stars from me :)
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- david said...
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Posted on Jun 24 2009 19:19
It is fantastic to see so many favourable reviews after subjecting myself to reading poncy snobbish newspaper reviewers laying into 'Doghouse'.
A large number of the people who matter - those who pay to watch films - really seem to have enjoyed it.
it makes my year of waiting and my weeks of promoting the film off my own back well worth-while.
Welcome to the world of Jake West..
oh and Jake is a really nice bloke - Report as inappropriate
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- Tim Willaims said...
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Posted on Jun 19 2009 17:30
Just Loved it…. !!!
Funny light hearted horror - Report as inappropriate
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- claire said...
- Posted on Jun 18 2009 11:57 I thought it was brilliant! Not usually a horror lover but I really love Jake west's work- its well funny, nice light entertainment, and it made me jump!
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- Mark said...
- Posted on Jun 13 2009 04:03 BRILL!, i laughed so much, you must see this film!
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- Sandy said...
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Posted on Jun 13 2009 00:16
As a female watching this film I have to honestly say any women that thinks this film is misogynist is a little to uptight for her own good.
If they actually pay attention it's about men facing the fears they have of women, and them getting what they deserve.
In most horror films women are just there for full nudity and a quick death, this is different, so relax.
Yes, it is a 'lads film', but the ladies, if they have a sense of humour will enjoy it as well. I have to say the women performers were great too.
It is a film you go to see to have fun, so enjoy it, it's summer laughs! - Report as inappropriate
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- Robert said...
- Posted on Jun 12 2009 12:00 I was sceptical before I saw it but it is very funny & entertaining. More like a spoof horror movie, even my wife enjoyed it.
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- james said...
- Posted on Jun 11 2009 21:39 got on a plus one for screening and i must say this is a top film.... you must see it for just all out laughter....one not to miss....please please do doghouse 2
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- Paula said...
- Posted on Jun 11 2009 15:35 Saw this on Tuesday at the premiere and was pleasantly surprised. I had my doubts at the start but thought it was well made, very funny and well acted. Some great one liners.
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- ROBIN said...
- Posted on Jun 11 2009 13:47 I WAS ALSO AT THE PREVIEW OF THE MOVIE AND I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, IT KNOCKS THE LESBIAN VAMPIRE KILLERS INTO IT'S RIGHTFUL PLACE, BOTTOM OF THE COMEDY HORROR PILE, DYER AND CO DELIVER THE FUNNIES PERFECTLY, IN THE WORDS OF MR DYER IT'S NO MASTERPIECE BUT IT'S FUNNY AS F*CK!
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- Bunkus said...
- Posted on Jun 11 2009 12:28 Saw it at a special screening last night at was pleasantly surprised - it's definitely up there with 'Shaun of the Dead' and is miles better than the lame 'Lesbian Vampire Killers'. There's loads of hilarious gags and set-pieces, lots of gore, the script is sharp with some great comedy lines, and there are pretty solid performances all round. Well done to Jake West and his crew - I hope they get to do a sequel!!
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Cast & crew
Director: Jake West
Cast: Danny Dyer, Stephen Graham, Noel Clarke, Terry Stone, Christina Cole full cast
Genre(s): Horror
Rated: 15
Duration: 89 mins
UK Release: Jun 12 2009
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