Exposé (also known as House on Straw Hill and Trauma) is that one film where you find yourself wondering how the plot managed to look so much better on paper. Directed by James Kenelm Clarke, this British psychological horror thriller tries really hard to be edgy and provocative. Spoiler alert: It’s not. Instead, it’s an awkward blend of pretentious nonsense, violence that feels more like a tantrum than terror, and performances so wooden they could be used as firewood for the impending boredom that this film will deliver.
Plot: A Tale of Lost Plotlines and Questionable Choices
Paul Martin (Udo Kier), a novelist with a really pretentious book to write, rents a secluded cottage in the British countryside. His goal? Finish a sex romp, obviously. If you’re wondering whether his novel is the only thing that’s a mess in his life, you’re in for a treat, because Paul is a walking disaster. He’s plagued by paranoid nightmares, has split from his girlfriend Suzanne (Fiona Richmond), and is a magnet for bad decisions. After hiring Linda (Linda Hayden) as his secretary, his only real accomplishment is to make you wonder why anyone would willingly employ him in the first place.
As for the rest of the plot, it reads like a fever dream where violence and sex are randomly tossed in like confetti at a very confused parade. Linda gets attacked by some thugs—she shoots them with a shotgun in self-defense—and, for reasons that defy logic, proceeds to weave herself into the very fabric of Paul’s increasingly deranged life. Meanwhile, Paul seems more interested in wandering through his own nightmarish thoughts than actually making anything happen in this film.
And then there’s the plot twist—Paul’s ex, Suzanne, shows up, and things get predictably messy. Linda, the secretary who is about as emotionally stable as a glass of water on a roller coaster, seduces Suzanne and then… well, let’s just say chaos erupts. Someone dies in the shower, someone else crashes a car, and you sit there wondering if any of this has an actual purpose beyond the director’s attempt at stringing together random shocks. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
Characters: Are They Supposed to Be People?
Let’s talk about the performances. Udo Kier as Paul Martin—honestly, I could’ve done with someone who looked more interested in being there. He’s supposed to be this tortured artist with deep problems, but instead, he’s just a guy who’s in the wrong film. His character is so flat you could use him as a table. He doesn’t scream “protagonist” as much as he screams “I’d rather be in a different movie.”
Linda Hayden as Linda Hindstatt, on the other hand, is way too invested in a role that requires her to be both a victim and a manipulative seductress. She’s clearly the real actress in the cast (according to Kier, anyway), but her emotional range is as broad as the width of a cardboard box. Meanwhile, Fiona Richmond, playing Suzanne, just seems like a famous person trying to be naked in a movie—which, honestly, could be the tagline for the film.
The Horror: As Scary as Watching Paint Dry
When Exposé promises you psychological horror, what it really delivers is the kind of dread that only comes from watching someone dig their own grave for an hour and a half. The violence is played out in such an exaggerated, almost ridiculous way, you find yourself rolling your eyes more than gasping in shock. The film’s attempt at a “twist”—like a slow-motion trainwreck in a field of wheat—isn’t thrilling so much as it’s a long, drawn-out sigh of “really?”
The infamous “shower death” scene—meant to be a shocking display of gore—turns out to be about as threatening as a rubber knife in a kiddie pool. It’s almost like the film keeps trying to convince you that it’s going to get disturbing, but never follows through on the promise. Maybe that’s why it was so easily labeled a video nasty. It’s nasty, but in the way a soggy napkin is nasty, not in a way that actually makes you care.
Conclusion: Not the Trauma You Were Looking For
Exposé might be memorable for some (mostly because it has that one shower scene and a truly bizarre plot) but it’s not for the reasons it thinks it is. The film is more laughable than frightening, more confusing than compelling, and more annoying than titillating. Watching it feels like being forced to attend a party where everyone’s pretending to be edgy, but you’re really just waiting for the host to stop over-compensating. Udo Kier’s character spends most of his time moping around, while Linda Hayden’s psycho secretary spends more time setting up elaborate emotional traps than actually doing something of substance. If you’re into films that try (and fail) to push boundaries, Exposé might be a curious watch. But for anyone who enjoys a well-paced plot or actual horror, you might find this film more of an ordeal than an experience. It’s not a house on a hill—it’s a house made of confusion, bad choices, and a lot of wasted potential.
