The Horror Show

The Horror Show is a 1989 horror film.

The story centers around police detective Lucas McCarthy (Lance Henriksen), who becomes target of an otherworldly revenge from an executed Serial Killer "Meat Cleaver" Max Jenke (Brion James).

One interesting aspect of the film is how it ended up as a Dolled-Up Installment for House films, as it was released as House III outside the US, thanks to having some of the same creative forces behind it. The title stuck, and the official third House film had to be released as House IV. As if that wasn't enough, it was also released as a sixth sequel to The Evil Dead in Italy.

Tropes used in The Horror Show include:

• Chairman of the Brawl: When burinng Jenke approaches Lucas after freeing himself from the electric chair, Lucas readies himself with a chair.
• Couldn't Find a Pen: After killing one cop in the flashback, Jenke puts his severed head on a table and writes "blue platter special" with blood next to it.
• Evil Laugh: Jenke's ratty "hehehehe".
• Flashback Nightmare: The arrest of Jenke by Lucas is shown through his nightmares.
• Knife Nut: Jenke is so fond of his meat cleaver that he asks to be buried with it.
• Made of Iron: It takes a lot of voltage to kill Jenke on the electric chair.

Jenke: All that did was give me a hard on!

• Off with His Head: Jenke's preferred form of murder.
• Peek-a-Boo Corpse: Vinnie's corpse in the basement.
• Rape as Drama: When Jenke captures Bonnie, it's implied that he raped her.
• Serial Killer
• Shower Scene: Completely gratuitous one provided by Bonnie.
• This Is for Emphasis, Bitch: Jenke starts adding "bitch" to his sentences during the climactic confrontation.
• Would Hurt a Child: Jenke slices off a girl's head right on front of Lucas.
• Your Head Asplode: After Prof. Campbell's severed head in the other side reminds Lucas on how to defeat Jenke, he explodes.