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Film / Sweet Home (1989)
aka: Sweet Home

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DVD re-release cover, trumpeting the influence it had by then.
Sweet Home (スウィートホーム) is a 1989 Japanese Toku haunted house horror movie that would be another obscure piece of cinema sought by horror enthusiasts... if it weren't for the Famicom game of the same name by Capcom that helped to influence their popular Resident Evil series. Experiencing both, in either order, is necessary to fully appreciate the story. Since the trailer advertised both the movie and the game simultaneously, it's safe to say that this was designed as a cross-medium work, despite production on the game starting after production on the film did. Several events occur in a different order.

The story of both the film and the game centers around a crew that ventures into the long-abandoned mansion of famed artist Mamiya Ichirou with the intent of filming a documentary while attempting to restore Mamiya's works. Upon entering the mansion, the group discovers that the ghost of Lady Mamiya (Ichirou's wife) haunts the place — and they're trapped inside. The group must now attempt to find a way out alive...and possibly lay Lady Mamiya to rest once and for all along the way.

The film, like the game, has never been released in the States, though it is also similarly easy to track down.

Not to be confused with Chi's Sweet Home (couldn't be farther from it, really). Or Sweet Home (2017), even though they may both be in the horror genre.


This film contains examples of:

  • Accidental Murder: Lady Mamiya accidentally killed her baby by turning on the furnace when he was playing inside it.
  • And Then John Was a Zombie: This literally happens to Taguchi.
  • Anyone Can Die: Of our six protagonists, half of them don't leave the mansion alive - Taguchi is bisected before being put out of his misery by Asuka, who is in turn axed to death. And Yamamura melts alive. At least Kazuo, Emi and Akiko survive.
  • Chairman of the Brawl: When Lady Mamiya's spirit manifests herself, Akiko throws a chair at her. Which just explodes upon impact.
  • Chekhov's Gun: The axe. After Taguchi messes with it, almost hurting somebody, he sets it aside in a corner of the house. Asuka is later killed by it when it falls toward her.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: Yamamura.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: Before Taguchi's death, Asuka is cold and unresponsive to the group. After her Demonic Possession, she wants to leave the group before she causes any harm. But after Taguchi's death, the next time the group sees her, she's literally molten.
  • Demonic Possession: Lady Mamiya possesses Asuka. After killing Asuka, she does this to Emi.
  • Driven to Suicide: After Lady Mamiya was cornered by the townspeople when she was alive, she threw herself in the furnace that killed their children. Ichirou thought that would stop the horror. He was wrong.
  • Falling Chandelier of Doom: Akiko is almost crushed by one when she sets out to rescue Emi.
  • Family-Unfriendly Death:
    • At about halfway into the film, Taguchi and Asuka die back to back. Taguchi's bisected by one of Mamiya's shadows before Asuka bludgeons him with a wrench, after which Asuka gets an axe to the face. Her body is melted down afterwards.
    • In perhaps the most infamous scene in the movie, Yamamura's skin melts off, leaving only his skeleton behind which then collapses.
    • Even though it happened before the events of the movie even take place, innocent children being burned alive is hardly family-friendly.
  • Death of a Child: The accidental death of Mamiya's son is what causes the events of the mansion to unfold.
  • Forgotten Fallen Friend: Definitely a major flaw in the movie, especially since — unlike the game — it actually gives Character Development and character background to the cast.
  • Ghost Butler: Happens few times.
  • Gory Discretion Shot: Despite not taking discretion in some parts, this happens during Asuka's Shoot the Dog moment.
  • HA HA HA—No: When Kazuo starts laughing about Akiko's worries, she does this.
  • Living Shadow: How Lady Mamiya manifests herself initially.
  • Malevolent Architecture: Invoked by Lady Mamiya, as she's the one haunting the mansion, except for one specific part of the mansion: when the incinerator is located at the end of a hallway from the back door of the mother's room, you've got a messed-up house even without a ghost.
  • Mama Bear: Shows just how screwed up this trope can be. To wit: Lady Mamiya wants to make sure her dead baby has "playmates" in the next world, so she kills a bunch of other children in the same way her child was accidentally killed (being burned in an incinerator). When someone digs up her baby's corpse, she returns as a ghost, terrorizing her mansion and brutally killing anyone who comes near.
  • Mr. Exposition: Yamamura, who tells the people of the legend of the mansion.
  • MST: A hilarious one of the movie here. Warning: You may never be able to take the movie seriously again.
  • Say My Name: Emi, Yamamura, and Lady Mamiya's names are shouted.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: The Memorial Tower where Lady Mamiya's baby is entombed is the only thing stopping Mamiya from haunting the house and continuing to kidnap babies.
  • Sleep Mask: Asuka is wearing one when she is sleeping in the car.
  • Title Drop: One fresco says "Home Sweet Home" on it, and a song during the climax also does it.
  • Wrench Whack: Ami ends up killing Taguchi by bashing his head in with a wrench.

Alternative Title(s): Sweet Home

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