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Boardinghouse

Boardinghouse is a 1982 film from the USA, directed by John Wintergate, running 98 minutes. reelscum files it under splatter and slasher.

Poster for Boardinghouse
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Year
1982 · 1980s films
Country
USA
Runtime
98 min
Director
John Wintergate
Updated
29 Oct 2026
Obscurity
obscure (72/100)
Also known as
Housegeist · Psycho Killer

Defined in the glossary: Splatter, Slasher

The first shot-on-video horror feature, blown up to 35mm and just as ugly as that sounds.

Somebody had to shoot the first feature-length horror film on home video and haul it into cinemas, and it was John Wintergate with this. A man opens a house with a lethal history to a rota of young women, telekinesis starts flinging them into swimming pools and garbage disposals, and every frame of it was taped on consumer gear and optically blown up to 35mm for a theatrical run nobody saw coming. It even shipped with a gimmick called Horror Vision, a hand signal flashed on screen to warn you gore was imminent, in case the title had undersold it.

As a film it is barely functional. As the origin point of the entire shot-on-video underground, it is essential.

Something else

Trailer

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Legal options in USA

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