This underrated chiller is worthy of rediscovery by the horror fans who missed it the first time. Those who expect a zippy pace and shocking twists need not apply -- the film's "evil house" plot is pretty archetypal stuff and the one real twist at the end isn't terribly difficult to predict. However, these elements hardly matter in Burnt Offerings: co-writer/director Dan Curtis knows the real horror of this tale lies in helplessly watching an innocent family unit breaking down as it is preyed upon by an unseen evil. As a result, he wisely concentrates on the family drama angle of the story and allows the tension to build in a slow, methodical fashion that makes the handful of shock scenes genuinely unsettling. He also layers on plenty of brooding atmosphere and is ably aided in this aim by his technical crew's efforts: Jacques Marquette's gauzy cinematography brings out the antiquarian creepiness of the film's setting and Robert Cobert's blood-and-thunder score adds some musical exclamation points to the film's set pieces. Burnt Offerings also benefits from a well-chosen cast: Oliver Reed, Karen Black, and Bette Davis all share a natural intensity in their acting styles and that intensity is given a great vehicle here as each character is slowly but surely driven mad by the house's diabolical machinations. In the end, Burnt Offerings is probably a bit too methodical in its pacing for viewers accustomed to slam-bang approach of post-'70s horror fare but seasoned horror fans will find plenty to enjoy in this film's subtle charms.
