I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
Film · Horror, Mystery
Stream it, ifif you value lyrical, atmospheric dread over traditional scares and a fast-moving plot.
An extremely slow-burn gothic horror that prioritizes atmosphere and poetic narration over jump scares or plot momentum. It is a polarizing, meditative experience that will frustrate those looking for action but reward lovers of literary dread.
What it is about
A young nurse takes care of an elderly author who lives in a haunted house.
Trailer
What I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
The film is a whisper-quiet, hypnotic experience that feels more like a visual poem than a standard horror movie. It moves with a deliberate, almost glacial pace, using long takes and a rhythmic, hushed narration to build a thick sense of claustrophobia. The intensity comes from the unbearable waiting for something to occur within the shadows of the minimalist sets.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
This is strictly for viewers who appreciate gothic literature and the feeling of a cold chill down the spine. If you require jump scares, gore, or a concrete explanation for supernatural events, you will likely find this tedious. The primary caveat is that the film is almost entirely internalised; it demands total patience as it refuses to provide typical genre payoffs.
The right evening for it
It suits a quiet, solitary night when you can give it your undivided attention without distraction. It is best watched in the dark, where the subtle sound design and shadows can fully envelop the room.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
How I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
Expect to feel unsettled and contemplative, left with a lingering, ghostly chill that stays with you long after the final frame fades to black.
How I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
Investigating a strange sound, Lily discovers that the boards have been removed from the wall where the black mould has been growing. She turns to see the ghost of Polly and is so terrified that she dies from a heart attack. A few days later, Mr. Waxcap arrives at the remote house to find the bodies of both Lily and Iris.
The film concludes years later with a new family having moved into the property. The cycle of the house continues as the ghost of Lily is seen watching over the new inhabitants. This confirms that the house remains haunted by those who died within its walls, just as Iris had previously suggested that all pretty things eventually rot.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
The Innocents (1961)
the same focus on psychological decay and a stifling, haunted domestic space
A Ghost Story (2017)
a similarly meditative and unconventional approach to the passage of time and haunting
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I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House soundtrack
Music by Elvis Perkins
Questions people ask
- Is I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House a tense film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Tense. An extremely slow-burn gothic horror that prioritizes atmosphere and poetic narration over jump scares or plot momentum. It is a polarizing, meditative experience that will frustrate those looking for action but reward lovers of literary dread.
- How long is I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House?
- I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House runs 89 min and was released in 2016.
- Where can I watch I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House in the UK?
- In the UK, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is included with Netflix (all plans).
- Who composed the music for I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House?
- The music for I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House is by Elvis Perkins.
- Is I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House worth watching?
- It depends: if you value lyrical, atmospheric dread over traditional scares and a fast-moving plot. IMDb users rate it 4.6 out of 10 from 16,765 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 62%, Metacritic 68 and TMDB users 4.6.
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