House of Wax

"Prey. Slay. Display."

2005 1h 53m EN

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 3,471

HorrorThrillerMystery

Synopsis

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A group of unwitting teens are stranded near a strange wax museum and soon must fight to survive and keep from becoming the next exhibit.

“Prey. Slay. Display.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Elisha Cuthbert
Carly Jones
Chad Michael Murray
Nick Jones
Brian Van Holt
Bo Sinclair / Vincent Sinclair
Paris Hilton
Paige Edwards
Jon Abrahams
Dalton Chapman
Jared Padalecki
Wade Felton
Robert Ri'chard
Blake Johnson
Damon Herriman
Lester Sinclair

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writers: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes, Graeme Callander
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 21 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, shot by Stephen F. Windon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Ottman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Joel Negron shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray and Brian Van Holt carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Prey. Slay. Display.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0397065 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jaume Collet-Serra directs. Stephen F. Windon behind the camera. John Ottman scores. Joel Negron cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 21 years ago.
2Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, shot by Stephen F. Windon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by John Ottman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Joel Negron shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray and Brian Van Holt carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Prey. Slay. Display.".
7IMDB entry: tt0397065 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 16 themes, including "louisiana", "gore", "traffic jam", "remake".

The technical file

Cinematography: Stephen F. Windon
Original score: John Ottman
Editing: Joel Negron
Production design: Graham "Grace" Walker
Costume design: Alex Alvarez
Makeup / hair: Maree McDonald
VFX supervisor: John Breslin
Sound: Richard Adrian
Stunt coordinator: Danny Baldwin
Runtime: 113 min · 1h 53m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $40,000,000
Box office: $68,766,121
Return: 172% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: House of Wax (2005)

Also by

Jaume Collet-Serra

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2018-07-15
★ 7/10
Engrossing and imaginative modern Mystery/Horror with Elisha Cuthbert RELEASED IN 2005 and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, "House of Wax" is a horror/slasher about six college students (4 dudes and 2 gals) who drive from Gainesville to Baton Rouge to attend a crucial football game. They end up camping in the woods somewhere off I-10 where some of the party discovers a mysterious town in the sticks that has a curious House of Wax. Horror and death ensue. This is not a remake of the splendid 1953 Vincent Price cult flick of the same name. The only thing these two films have in common is their title, their genre, and the fact that they both involve a wax museum. It's therefore pointless to compare them as they are two totally different stories. Plot-wise, "House of Wax" is an obvious mixture of the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) and the 1953 film of the same name, along with elements of more modern flicks like “Wrong Turn” (2003) and torture porn. Although the first 12 minutes or so are unimpressive with too much annoying shaky cam, the story starts to capture your attention at the camp-out sequence. From there their encounter with a horrible stench, a local hick, and the mystery of the isolated town & wax museum gradually pulls you in. The fairly slow initial 50-minutes are a crucial character-building and mystery-developing foundation to the final horrific hour. The major protagonist of the story is Carly, played by Elisha Cuthbert, who was only 22 during filming and never looked better with her curvy cuteness. The glamorous and infamous Paris Hilton also stars and does a commendable job, but Elisha basically blows her out of the water as far as all-around beauty goes. Speaking of Ms. Hilton, in light of the ads to “Come see Paris Hilton die,” it’s no secret that her character does indeed buy the farm and, the way it happens, is pretty amusing. The film's worth checking out for this scene alone, especially if you despise her. The picture was shot in Queensland, Australia, of all places, but it works alright as a stand-in for the Deep South, although I don’t recall any hills along I-10, as depicted in the background of the town. Speaking of the town, it doesn’t look like a Deep South town, but rather a contrived set. Nevertheless, the filmmaking is top-notch in all categories with the rest of the no-name cast doing a fine job. As a matter of fact, the six college kids are all rather likable; even Nick (Chad Michael Murray), Carly’s supposedly 'black sheep' twin, once he shows his true colors. "House of Wax" works fabulously for what it IS, a mystery/slasher flick. The unlikely story is played straight and serious by all involved; there's no silly "comedic relief" or camp to be seen. Everyone knows going in that this isn't going to be "Gandhi." But if you're in the mood for an entertaining and imaginative mystery/horror picture, look no further. "House of Wax" has practically everything you’d want in such a film. Why do I describe it as imaginative? See the conclusion's spectacular melting wax museum and you'll understand; this is F/X at its finest. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 48 minutes. WRITERS: Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes. GRADE: B+
JPV8522021-07-11
★ 7/10
Better than expected remake from 2005 with some decent gore and the effects during the finale looks pretty good. The cast was alright, reminder Elisha Cuthbert's time starring in movies (courtesy of 24) but she was fine and even Paris Hilton wasn't... awful I suppose. Nothing I'd really revisit anytime soon but all in all found it to be entertaining. 3.5/5
Dr Nostromo2026-05-23
★ 7/10
73/100 On a trip to a big sporting event, 6 friends get stuck near a small town named Ambrose where practically everyone is nothing more than wax figures. I love this movie and I don't think it gets nearly the ratings it deserves. Except for a few elements from the Vincent Price version, this is not a remake but rather a whole new spin on the idea. Although the story and acting isn't much more than what you'd expect in a film like this, the gags are priceless and the practical effects are awesome. Brilliantly well made film. -- DrNostromo.com