Invitation to Hell (1984)

Admirable film.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It may be directed by Wes Craven of Nightmare On Elm Street fame, but this is a more interesting movie that a frightening one. Shades of Stepford Wives abound, only this time, instead of becoming perfect people, the new members of this exclusive club turn into nasty little hellions. You know something is wrong when your daughters cuts up her cuddly bunny with a kitchen knife, and your beloved wife tries to decapitate you with a golf club. The only way to return them to their former lovable selves is to put on the space suit you invented, and delve deep into the depths of hell itself. But don't be tempted by the charms of the sexy she-devil who's pursuing you!!Yep, it is as weird as it sounds. But the mystery behind what's going on will keep you viewing... to a point. Then, when the not-so-surprising rationale for everyone acting cuckoo shows itself, it all fizzles out in a damp squid of a finale as all the dad has to do is LOVE HIS FAMILY to set it all right. Yup, not even a chainsaw or shotgun in sight. YAWN. Still, the journey getting there ain't so bad, and I was slightly beguiled by the 80's apparel on display... from the dodgy fashion, starchy hairstyles and primitive computers. In GREEN font. Compared to them, my ZX Spectrum looks like HAL-9000... 5/10

During the time around 1984, Craven was on his way to becoming a director with name recognition after admittedly struggling in show business until Nightmare on Elm Street changed his life forever. Television movies like "Chiller" and this movie, "Invitation to Hell" were more or less gigs to pay the bills. An interesting recurring theme in Craven's horror universe whether on the small or big screen was the notion of terror in suburbia. "Invitation to Hell" features some fine talent with Robert Urich, Joanna Cassidy, Soleil Moon Frye(Punky Brewster), and Barret Oliver as a family commuting to a nice suburban neighborhood after pops accepts a lucrative position working at an aerospace facility, redesigning a space suit for the 21st century. What Urich soon discovers is that a lavish club, where most of the neighbors and his fellow employees, along with their families, and most of the major figureheads in and around his new home belong to, is headed possibly by Satan herself in the form of Susan Lucci! The problem Urich faces is that his wife so badly wants "a piece of the pie" that she willingly leads herself and the kids into possibly hell in order to do so! Will Urich save them? While I did find the linking of yuppie-ism with selling your soul rather amusing, you know the concept of getting everything your heart desires, with a price, and not knowing that you must give up far more than you bargained for in the process. Of course, the end, as Urich must descend into a type of hell itself in order to rescue his family, is more than a bit corny(..it becomes a special effects showcase that pales in comparison to Nightmare), but, again, Craven was working in a medium too tame to really explore darker territories, as he most certainly would in something like "A Nightmare on Elm Street", "The People Under the Stairs", and "Deadly Blessing"..Craven, to me, seems less comfortable for "family friendly" horror, but I didn't consider "Invitation to Hell" too bad. I liked the cast, particularly Urich in the lead..plus, I think Lucci devours the scenery in a juicy part always trying to seduce Urich into joining "the club". Echoes of the "body snatcher" plot(..which I think has become a whole sub-genre in itself)can be found here in the inspired casting of Kevin McCarthy as Urich's boss, always needling him to join the club and become a "true member of the community"..I think it's safe to say that Urich actually inhibits McCarthy's role from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" as the hero who is ominously alone in his crusade to stop Lucci and recover his family from the very depths of hell. The ending is pat and predictable, as is expected for a television film, most end on a positive note. Nicholas Worth has an effective heavy role as Lucci's muscle who has an eventual altercation with Urich when he finds him snooping around where he's not supposed to be.

When the scientist and family man Matt Winslow (Robert Urich) finally accepts the invitation to work the Micro-Digitech Corporation in a space suit project, he moves with his beloved wife Patricia (Joanna Cassidy) and their son Robbie (Barret Oliver) and daughter Chrissy (Soleil Moon Frye) to a huge modern house in the corporation compound. They meet their friend Tom Peterson (Joe Regalbuto) and his family completely adapted to the new lifestyle, and Tom invites the Winslow family to join the Steaming Springs Country Club. Tom tries to seduce Matt telling him that every member of the club has a meteoric professional ascension in Micro-Digitech, but Matt is not tempted with the offer. Later he is introduced to the director of the club, Jessica Jones (Susan Lucci) that befriends Patricia and convinces her to join the club with her children. Matt feels the changing in the behavior of his family and decides to investigate the club, finding an evil secret about Jessica and the members.In the 80's, when I saw "Invitation to Hell", I liked this movie that partially recalls "The Stepford Wives", with people changing the behavior in a suburban compound. I have just seen it today, and I found a great metaphoric message against the big corporations, when people literally sell their souls to the devil to climb positions and earn higher salaries. I am not sure whether the author intended to give this interpretation to the story, but I believe it fits perfectly. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Convite Para o Inferno" ("Invitation to Hell")

Better than the typical made-for-TV movie, INVITATION TO HELL is blessed with excellent casting (Urich, Lucci, Cassidy, McCarthy, pre-Murphy Brown Joe Regalbuto, Soleil Moon-Frye) and a high concept update to the familiar Faustian plot. Urich is likable as always and Lucci is particularly fetching and devilishly over the top in the mother of all femme fatale roles. Definitely a product of the 80s from Lucci's occasionally too big hair to the synth-heavy soundtrack to the pre-internet boxy computers. Kind of a hybrid version of STEPFORD WIVES and THEY LIVE, the movie commits early to its apocalyptic Miltonesque vision and horror fans will likely not have many complaints until the soppy, maudlin denouement. 7/10