The House by the Cemetery

Ann arrives as the appointed babysitter for Oak Mansion and becomes entangled in the house’s danger. She works to unblock the cellar door, but is ultimately decapitated by Freudstein, marking the peril that awaits those who intrude. Her fate signals the lethal reach of the mansion’s secret.

Dr. Norman Boyle is a physician researching old houses and Freudstein’s dark history. He travels to New York to study records, driven by curiosity and a desire to uncover the house’s secrets. His pursuit of knowledge places his family at increasing risk as the supernatural threat closes in.

Lucy is Norman’s wife and Bob’s mother, trying to keep her family safe as the horror unfolds. She engages in the investigation and faces the brutal consequences of Freudstein’s return. Her protective instinct underscores the human cost of confronting a house’s deadly past.

Bob is Norman and Lucy’s son who sees Mae Freudstein and warns his parents about the danger. He becomes a focal point of the confrontation in the cellar and, with Mae’s aid, begins a journey toward safety beyond the mortal peril.

Mae Freudstein appears as a childlike figure who warns Bob and leads him toward safety, ultimately guiding him toward a spectral realm. Her presence signifies the house’s persistent memory and its influence on the living.

Mary Freudstein is Mae’s mother and part of the spectral Freudstein lineage. She embodies the haunting’s history and participates in the climactic moments that reveal the family’s fate within the house.

A 150-year-old Victorian surgeon who is revealed as a living corpse, sustaining himself by using victims’ parts. He attacks Norman and drags Lucy into the horror, symbolizing the morbid revival of the past. His grotesque regeneration and predatory nature drive the film’s terror.

Laura is the real estate agent who presents the Freudstein keys and becomes a victim of the ensuing carnage. Her attempt to facilitate the sale collides with the house’s deadly secret, underscoring the house as an agent of doom.

Mr. Wheatley is the chief librarian who recognizes Peterson’s private research and its link to the Freudstein mystery. He serves as a bridge between Norman’s investigation and the broader lore surrounding the house.

Norman’s ex-colleague who murdered his mistress and later suicided, having conducted private research into the house. His work is documented through an audio cassette that Norman eventually destroys, exposing the researcher’s madness and the house’s dark legacy.