House on Haunted Hill
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Movie Reviews of House on Haunted Hill
Movie Review: Schlocky yet creepy
Summary: 5 Stars
Vincent Price. A haunted mansion house. Spooky caretakers. And a giant pile of money to any of the guests who lives through the night. What's not to love?
"The House on Haunted Hill" is one of those rare horror movies that seems as fresh as if it were made yesterday. The script is clever, the acting is solid, and while the direction is a bit on the hammy side, the plot is clever enough to keep viewers riveted until the final twist. It's horror, myster and dark comedy all in one.
Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) decides to host a macabre birthday party for his devious wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), in the "House on Haunted Hill." He invites a test pilot, a columnist, a secretary and the house's unbalanced owner, and offers each one ten thousand dollars if they stay all night. Chandeliers fall, doors slam shut, and they get to see the wine vat full of acid.
But as the night goes on, poor Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig) begins to see specters and rotted heads. The others think she's hysterical -- until Annabelle is found hanging in the hallway, dead. The unfortunate guests start to suspect that Loren brought them there to murder them (except for the owner, who blames ghosts). But the truth is far more complex and sinister....
William Castle made a lot of slightly kitschy horror movies like "13 Ghosts" and "The Tingler," but this clever twist on haunted-house movies is probably his best work ever. Okay, that dancing skeleton is unintentionally funny, as is the gliding crone. But most of the time, it provides some in-your-face chills and great work from Price.
This movie has solid dialogue ("Do you remember the fun we had when you poisoned me?") and some truly wicked exchanges between Price and Ohmart, as spouses who completely loathe one another. Castle's weird sense of humor shows up in the coffin-shaped boxes, the vat of acid, and the organ playing itself.
But the most impressive aspect of "House" is that it's not just another ghosts-terrify-screaming-idiots movie. It's more of a mystery, before the crime is committed. We're never quite sure if there really are ghosts haunting the place, or if the humans are the ones who are really causing all this trouble. What's really scary is that the humans are more frightening.
Vincent Price is definitely the star here -- creepy, intelligent, debonair, and he has an acid comment for every occasion ("Don't stay up thinking of ways to get rid of me. It makes wrinkles"). Ohmart runs a close second with her seductive, devious trophy wife; the other actors do solid jobs as well, although Craig doesn't do much except shriek periodically.
It's should be noted that the Alpha Video version of this is a good inexpensive version to buy. Many public domain movies are in rotten condition, but the print for this is clear, sharp and unmarred. There's only one problem: everything is tinted slightly purple. I'm not sure why, but if you can ignore it, it's worth getting.
"House on Haunted Hill" is a deserving vintage horror movie -- a twisty plot, and Price doing his best creepy-might-be-villain act. A must-see.
Movie Review: Greed And Ambition Are The True Horrors
Summary: 5 Stars
I used to feel that "House of Wax" was Vincent Price's finest moment. After seeing "House on Haunted Hill" though, I feel that award must now go to this outstanding masterpiece of horror. Vincent Price (loaded with millions of dollars) invites 5 very different people (a typist, a doctor, a drunk, an elderly journalist, and a good hearted young woman short of money), to spend one night in his 'haunted mansion.' If they stay the night, he will give them each $10,000. And we have no reason to doubt he will keep his word. As Jet Pilot Lance puts it: "Oh, sure he'll give it to us. $10,000. to him is no more than a nickel is to us." (On a side note, Lance seems to be a forerunner of the Adam West Batman.) One is at least entitled to wonder if this movie was the foundation for Scooby Doo. (Think about it! Scooby Doo episodes and movies usually involve mysteries that APPEAR to be related to ghosts, but turn out to be investigations of some REAL AND HUMAN criminal activity.) We later learn that Vincent Price and his wife have HAD IT with each other. He offers her a tax free $1,000,000. to just go away, but she wants ALL his money. Neither is safe while the other is alive. There are some scenes that make us think that perhaps ghosts are involved, but somehow, we never quite forget that the true horror is that Vincent Price and his wife are having their final war that will have to end in the death of the other. While some of the parties like the young Nora, the Jet Pilot Lance, and the elderly Journalist Ruth are likable and try to remain innocent bystanders, a certain party consents to join Vincent's wife in plotting to kill him. Interestingly, the drunk may APPEAR to be an idiot, but there is usually some ironic truth to what he says. Vincent of course also offers his usual horror laced with scary comedy: "Take the gun darling. You might want to use it on me before the night's out." I could go on and on, but the scenery is phenomenal for its time; the characters are well developed and convincing; the suspense is there; the horror is CERTAINLY there; and the climax DEFINES horror. Throughout the story we are expecting ghosts, and then we realize that it is our own greed and ambitions that are the true horrors in this world. As if I needed another great thing to say about this movie, at the end, the drunk beautifully steps out of the movie and delivers a haunting line to us (the audience). Ever since a friend gave this to me as a gift, I have watched it MANY, MANY times trying to find ONE thing wrong with it. I STILL CAN'T! Thank you Mr. Price for this masterpiece, and enjoy your everlasting peace. Your movie deserves a place right up there with Edgar Allen Poe's "Tell tale Heart" and the writings of John Webster.Movie Review: Camp Classic, Vincent Price Vehicle
Summary: 5 Stars
Released in 1958, "House on Haunted Hill" was one of those great vehicle films for Vincent Price. Vincent Price. Now there was a truly great actor. Although he is most credited for being a horror, suspense or mystery film star with his spooky presence and his menacing voice, he has been able to portray various roles- from an average working man, nobility to even an Egyptian task master in "The Ten Commandments" starring Charlton Heston. Primarily doing films in the 50's and 60's, Vincent Price makes a good performance in this film. If anything, you should watch this film for Vincent Price's character.Price plays an eccentric, murderous millionaire who is hosting a party upon the suggestion of his conniving wife. She is in fact plotting with one of the participants to kill her husband and to get his fortune. Nevertheless, crazy old Vincent Price is also plotting to murder his wife, as he has done his other three wives before. Gathering guests (all who are in need of money) he welcomes them to a "party" in which they must spend the night in the large, haunted mansion to get ten thousand dollars. The house was never really haunted. The gimmicks - from a woman being hanged, to ghostly apparitions to an organ playing and walking skeletonwas all the crafty inventions of Vincent Price. The movie contains dark humor, much suspense and mood. In a time before blood and gore became the norm for horro films, this film relied on building up atmosphere and suspense. The film can be a bit dull at times, and frankly, not very frightening, but for the sake of watching Vincent Price or a classic horror film, it's a good buy. Some unforgettable lines in the film are Vincent Price saying such sordid remarks as "Every husband wishes to kill his wife but the problem is how to go about doing it so that no one would ever suspect he did it" and "It was my wife's idea to have the guests arrive in funeral cars." Loads of horrific fun.
Movie Review: An influential and essential horror movie, spend a night at this house!
Summary: 5 Stars
Starring the unforgettable Vincent Price, "House on Haunted Hill" is a classic haunted-house story, and at only 75 minutes, is short but sweet. The fact that this was also in black and white makes it even better for the atmosphere of the movie, which itself is already well-done here. Also, I'd like to mention that "House on Haunted Hill" seems to play a pretty huge influence on the slasher films that were to follow. Let's take a look at it:
In "House on Haunted Hill":
-There are a fairly large group of people, that....
-Are in a certain amount of space together...
-Are being picked off one by one...
-It's at night...I know that sounds irrelevant and pointless to throw it, but I figured it fits the cliches of most slasher films.
Having both described some of the aspects of the film and showing it's importance in horror movie history, the review is almost done. However, I would like to add that on the DVD I got as a present, there were many extras such as trailers and a DVD play-a-long game. I'm not sure if all versions of the DVD include these bonuses, but if not, look for the DVD with the cover that's painted and features one of the ladies staring at you.
Well, that about wraps up this review. In short, "House on Haunted Hill" is a highly fun and entertaining haunted-house movie that features some great shocking moments, and should be a fun way to spend your rainy night. Here's to the month of Halloween! Thanks for the time, and peace.
Movie Review: Great fun, yep, but----
Summary: 5 Stars
it scared the heck out of me when my Mom took me to see it when I was just six years old. At the first (and maybe the only) really "jump out of your seat" scene, my Mom landed on my lap. I was so freaked out and scared by that time, from what had come before, that I bolted from my seat and started pulling her down the aisle of the Jeffrey theater on Chicago's South Side yelling, "I want to go home!" My Mom quieted me down and said, "OK, I'll take you home now but tonight I'll have to come back here to see how this movie ends and I'll have to leave you all alone in our dark, spooky house." I decided, right then and there, to make it through the flick. As I watched this movie, I formulated a plan to someday host a reunion for a select group of my elementary school friends, that would incorporate a haunted house. Forty-four years later, I pulled off that reunion, minus the haunted house, unfortunately. It was a great reunion, however.
This movie is still scary, to me. I saw it last night for the first time in many years, and it still gave me a creepy feeling. I was glad my girlfriend was here to snuggle up to afterwards. Any noises in the night seemed a little more intense last night. Woooooo, oooooooh, ooooooh,