Detective Lucas McCarthy finally catches serial killer "Meat Cleaver Max" Jenke and watches his execution.

The furnace turns on and the door flings open; apparently Max's spirit is inside the house and focused on the basement.

The next night, Bonnie tells Scott to come with her to look for Vinnie, while Lucas goes to the basement and angrily calls for Max to stay away from his family.

Max kills Scott with the meat cleaver, transforms into Bonnie and decapitates Campbell before holding Donna hostage.

[9] The film was released as House III in Europe and other foreign markets, but as part of the La Casa series in Italy.

[13] Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote, "The Horror Show builds up a good head of suspense, then squanders it in mechanical, poorly staged splatter.

"[14] AllMovie's reviewer stated, "this film consists of long periods of tedium punctuated by outbursts of graphic gore and surreal effects,"[8] while John Kenneth Muir opined that it was "one of those horror movies where the missed potential just cannot escape notice," and that it was also too similar to Wes Craven's Shocker, which was released later that same year.