The Haunting
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Movie Reviews of The Haunting
Movie Review: "The Haunting" (1963) = The Best Haunted-House Film Ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
The original 1963 "The Haunting" is a masterpiece of suspense. The opening narration, when we learn of the evil history of "Hill House", sets the tone for the whole picture ("It's a house that was BORN bad!"). It's nearly impossible NOT to get the shivers when listening to the opening act of the film.
We don't see any floating spirits, and we don't get to see a dozen or so teenagers chopped into mince meat either. And that's the beauty of it! Our imaginations are brought to the forefront throughout this whole movie.
Excellent black-and-white photography and some chilling music add to the eerie proceedings, plus some fine acting is on tap as well. Julie Harris, Richard Johnson, Claire Bloom, and Russ Tamblyn are the four principal actors, portraying the "researchers" who invade "Hill House", the very intimidating dwelling that dominates "The Haunting".
A fine, subtle acting performance is also turned in by Rosalie Crutchley (as Mrs. Dudley, the housekeeper who refuses to stay in the house after dark -- "I leave before the dark comes ... in the night ... in the dark"). Mrs. Dudley conveys a feeling of dread and fear of the very house she oversees during the daylight hours. The scene where she first meets "Eleanor" and smiles at her briefly is a truly creepy moment. The film is replete with such subtle moments of understated foreboding.
I've not been able to figure out, however, just WHO (or WHAT) Mrs. Dudley has been keeping house for (and serving meals to) during all those days and months prior to the visit of Eleanor and company. Because if nobody lives in Hill House, then why is there even a need for a housekeeper and her caretaker husband? Has she been serving only...ghosts...all this time? Supernatural food for thought?
The Warner DVD version of 1963's "The Haunting" (which was released on August 5, 2003) contains a very nice-looking Anamorphic Widescreen transfer of the movie, in its original "scope" aspect ratio of 2.35:1. It's great being able to see the film in its intended screen shape. I'm guessing that many fans of this flick have never seen it in Widescreen. That fact alone makes the DVD worthy of purchase.
Special Features on the DVD are a tad thin, being limited to: a multi-participant Audio Commentary Track, the Theatrical Trailer, a "Stills Gallery", and a brief text-only "essay" that focuses on the history of Hollywood horror flicks (entitled "Things That Go Bump In The Night").
The Audio Commentary features six people, including all four main actors from the film, plus the nearly 90-year-old Producer-Director, Robert Wise. You don't very often get a Commentary Track which sports ALL of the main characters (plus the Director) of a particular film -- especially a film that was made so long ago, like this one.
The Stills Gallery is broken into two sections, with one segment consisting of images of pages from Director Robert Wise's Original Screenplay (including some handwritten notations in the margins). A pretty nice Photo Gallery is also featured here, with a few behind-the-camera shots included as well.
The trailer for "The Haunting" survives here in quite good condition after lo these many years since the picture's initial release on September 18, 1963. The picture quality for the trailer isn't as blemish-free as the feature film itself, but it still looks nice. And the trailer, which runs for approx. 2.5 minutes, is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen as well. It's an effective and well-done trailer too, IMO. Nice and creepy.
A final piece of "Haunting" advice......
Sidestep the 1999 remake, and stick to the original 1963 version of "The Haunting". No better haunted-house movie has ever been produced, in my opinion. I'd highly recommend snapping up a copy of this DVD. .... And be prepared for that whopper of a beginning.
Movie Review: One of the best horror films ever made
Summary: 5 Stars
Many horror movies of today rely heavily on cheap thrills, unnecessary gore, and loud noises to "scare" us, the moviegoers. Apparently, good storytelling--and character development--is something that is no longer important and discard it by the producers. More gore, senseless violence and half-naked girls are slowly degrading this potentially important movie genre.
We have to go back as far as 1963 to find one of the best horror films ever made. "The Haunting" is a supernatural thriller that does exactly the opposite of today's movies--you get scared of things that you do not see--and succeeds in every level.
Story:
Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson) is a scientist who wants to conduct a "paranormal experiment" in the so called haunted Hill House--a place where previous residents died under stranger circumstances. The experiment is about people's reactions to the paranormal. He convinces the owners to rent the empty house for his research, but he won't be alone. He has a list of potential candidates who are going to help his research.
Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris) is the first subject to come to the old house. She is tired of living with her relatives. Since the death of her mother, she has been thinking about running away, and decides to accept Markways's invitation to come to Hill House. She leaves everything behind to come to the new adventure. Now in the house, she meets Theodora (Claire Bloom), Dr. Markway and the future owner of the house Luke Sanderson (Russ Tamblyn). They don't know that staying in this house will bring serious consequences.
Review:
The story begins with some background information on Hill House. We see some flashbacks of how its residents died. It is just a glimpse of what we are expecting to see in this unpredictable place. The House appears as an untamed monster. It looks dark and hostile, but beautiful and interesting. The characters are just as fascinating as the house.
The movie revolves around Eleanor Lance who is a curious character. She is someone who has suffered humiliations her whole life. She always feels like an outsider and wants to get away from the memories of her dead mother. Once in Hill House--even though she is afraid of the house--she finally feels that she is part of something important. There is a strange connection between the house and Eleanor. She hangs out with Theo, but they are not very good friends. A friendship is something that she wants, but the house is her guilty pleasure. Oddly enough, Hill House is now her sanctuary. She wants to stay in it.
Another interesting character is the charismatic Dr Markway--a man who knows very well the history of Hill House. He gives many explanations throughout the film of how people deal with the fear of the unknown. Supernatural theories are subjects that he loves to explain--especially to Eleanor. Luke laughs at his remarks and prefers to be just a "spectator" during the experiment. Finally Theo is more like a worldly-wise character who believes there is something in the house also, but she can't put a finger on it. Apparently, she is just there for the money.
What scares you about "The Haunting" is what you don't see. There are no silly special effects or apparitions. The black & white cinematography and storytelling do most of the work to create a mystical mood to the film. The mystery of Hill House exists due to the assumptions and imaginations of its residents.
The Verdict:
We will never know if Hill House was haunted, but one thing is for sure, you won't be disappointed. The Haunting is an excellent film that doesn't need cheesy CGI graphics or mindless violence to create horror. Filmmakers of today--especially those who make those "Saw" movies--could learn a lot from this film. The 1999 remake doesn't even come close to the 1963 original.
Movie Review: 40 years and still haunting.
Summary: 5 Stars
It's a mark of a good ghost story when the rational explanation of the strange events depicted seems unacceptable. Such is the case of Robert Wise's *The Haunting*, in which the burden of proof is laid upon the skeptics. The movie is exceedingly well-adapted from Shirley Jackson's classic novel: somehow, in the process of shifting the emphasis from the reality of a malignant ghost to the probability of the main character's dementia, the supernatural element gains more credence. This is what adaptation is all about -- finding one's OWN vision in the source material without betraying that material. But Robert Wise has been doing this sort of thing ever since he was asked to salvage Welles' *Magnificent Ambersons* from utter destruction by RKO. (Along those lines, isn't it time this guy was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by those ditzes in the Academy? Or does Wise's achievement simply pale in comparison to the brilliance of, oh, say, Warren Beatty?) In any case, ghost stories were taken rather more seriously in the Sixties than they are today. The Sixties were a literally heady time when ESP and the paranormal were investigated -- with straight faces -- by the CIA and KGB. The idea of the human mind having limitless power, and the possibility of even tapping into the World Beyond with that power, seemed no more irrational than conceiving that man would walk on the moon someday. Therefore, *The Haunting* takes its haunting pretty seriously. Claire Bloom's Theodora, for instance, is introduced as a respected, well-nigh infallible psychic who has proven her abilities at Ivy League universities. The scientist (Richard Johnson) who is trying to prove once and for all whether or not supernatural forces like ghosts really exist, comes across as a completely rational person who seems willing to go along with the idea that it's all rubbish, if shown enough evidence. Russ Tamblyn provides the thoroughly skeptical anchor as the decadent playboy who stands to inherit Hill House. And then there's poor Eleanor, the main character, played by Julie Harris in a sort of Method haze that contrasts nicely with the more traditional acting styles of Bloom, Johnson, and Tamblyn. Harris does what she can with the part of the flighty spinster with a guilty conscience: there's a lot of Sixties-era inner turmoil that must be laboriously worked through (usually through voice-over interior self-questioning, e.g., "Am I going mad? No! I'm not mad; THEY'RE mad!", etc.). On the whole, though, Claire Bloom takes the acting honors as the aggressive lesbian -- dressed in icy black haute couture -- who's immediately smitten by her otherwise total opposite in Harris. This little side relationship is delineated with more sharp truth than you'd expect from films of this period: the catty sparring, followed by the tender solicitude, is priceless stuff. But when all is said and done, it's the scares that count in a movie like this, and -- rather amazingly -- *The Haunting* STILL scores in this category, particularly with the scenes where the main characters gaze in rapt horror at a closed door, from behind which thunders a deafening, ceaseless knocking. (The F/X involving the bulging door remains a nice touch, 40 years later.) My advice? Turn out the lights, pour a stiff drink, and watch this movie in all its newly-available widescreen glory -- I guarantee a good time. Just don't confuse this *Haunting* with the wretched remake that came out a couple of years ago, or you'll ruin your buzz.Movie Review: Penultimate Horror film! The original NOT the 90's remake!
Summary: 5 Stars
Too many film viewers have been raised to equate horror with gore. They are not the same. Websters defines horror as, "painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay." No where in that definition do I see "severed heads", "entrails", "disembowelments", "slaughter", etc. There are few, very few, real horror films out there. That is because it is much easier to shock people than it is to frighten them. It is far easier to keep the camera tracking the stupid blonde woman who's just sprained her ankle as she runs from the killer only to (and we get to see all of this) have her pretty little head severed from her very sexy, scantily clad body.
Frankenstein (1931), Dracula (1931), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Psycho (1960)(Although this one borders on a gore film and is often thought of as the first slasher film), The Haunting (1963), The Exorcist (1973) (and not for the gory scenes), Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), and M (1931) are some of the ultimate horror films.
I'm a big guy - 6'2" tall and I'll take on any comers and will likely dispense with them without much problem. That said, I love a good scare. I'm brave as anything when others are in danger and I'm around. But let me be alone and I get just as scared as the next guy - and not from some big beefy bully, but from unexplained noises in the attic; a face that appears but only for a second in the window while I'm home alone; a door knob turning when I know I'm home alone.
The Haunting is based on Shirley Jackson's novel, " The Haunting of Hill House," which itself is based on her play of the same name. I've directed this play and I can tell you that the success or failure of this play or film rests solely on the ability of the cast/crew to transport the audience to a different reality.
Robert Wise's interpretation and delivery of the material is beyond reproach.
A psychic researcher gathers several purported psychics together to confirm or dispel the existence of "ghosts" in a house that has known nothing but tragedy. Unfortunately, many of those he recruits back out (we are left to assume that they are charlatains and don't want to be found out). He is left with a tactile lesbian psychic who can read minds (Claire Bloom) and a shy, shut-in, who has caused stones to rain from the sky (Julie Harris) and the nephew of the woman who owns the house (he's there to protect his investment, as he expects to inherit the house one day).
The house is very much haunted it turns out. It is the hauntings that cause the viewer to experience some of the most horrific happenings ever put to film. And why? Because Mr. Wise was thoughtful enough to realize that the viewer's imagination is far more horrific than anything he could put on film. Therefore, we are left to create the horrors for ourselves: just what IS on the other side of the door turning the knob? What is it that is scraping on the woodwork? Is there really a child trapped in the house?
I won't drag this on any further. However, suffice it to say that I think this film is one of the finest horror films ever to grace the screen.
Even at 40, I find I have difficulty sleeping after watching this film. As a child I forced my parents to let me sleep with them after watching this film. That very same year I'd seen the Exorcist and I'd had nary a nightmare. Not so with The Haunting.
This one is truly frightening.
You may not want to let your kids watch this film, because you'll be left to stay up with them at night.
Movie Review: One of the great haunted house movies of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
Robert Wise's THE HAUNTING (1963), the original version of Shirley Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, is one of the greatest haunted house movies in Hollywood's history. It scares the hell out of you with simple, but very effective things, like a pounding on a wall that gets louder and louder, a wall that moves in and out, cold spots in a hallway, and voices from the dead heard through a wall. This is definitely NOT the dreadful 1999 Jan De Bont remake with its terrible cast, awful writing, and gory special effects. What Wise does with sound effects is extraordinary, much more effective than any gore.
We have four key actors: Julie Harris as the scared and vulnerable Eleanor, Claire Bloom as the cynical and manipulative Theodora, Richard Johnson as the scholarly Dr. John Markway, and Russ Tamblyn as the playful Luke. Dr. Markway is coordinating a weekend seminar of sorts to investigate ghostly phenomena and all manners of the occult in a large haunted house in the most remote part of New England. Hill House has a history of suicide, insanity, and murder, centered in a library with a large circular metal staircase where a woman hung herself. Eleanor is the most responsive to messages from the great beyond, including her name written in a chalky substance on a hall wall. For her, the giant staircase is the center of the house. By contrast, Luke just has a drink and laughs it off-until voices start talking through the wall and door knobs move by themselves. The brilliant screenplay is by Nelson Gidding.
I have no idea who the technical people here are, but imagine the house exteriors are a miniature model, while the interiors are magnificent full-scale sets by a master production designer. The visuals, in ghostly B&W and Panavision on DVD, are extraordinarily scary and elaborate, with room after room-dining room, hallways, bedrooms, an outdoor sculpture garden, and the library with the metal winding staircase that has loose bolts. This is a masterpiece of a ghost chiller. Is it ghost or ghoul, Dr. Markway wants to know? Is the house haunted or a deranged "bad house", a house born bad? Three generations of the Crane family have lived and died mysteriously in Hill House. And Eleanor, in particular, feels close to them, especially when she climbs the frightening metal staircase. She is living the terrors of a house that the three others are merely observing and noting on notepads every night. Who of this quartet will actually survive their expedition inside this insane house?
THE HAUNTING is up there with THE UNINVITED (1944) and Hitchcock's original PSYCHO (1960) as one of the great, terrifying haunted house movies of all time. It takes itself very seriously and thus invites us to intelligently ponder its subtle horrors. I watched it in my dimly lit bedroom of my parents' house on Halloween Night, an ideal time to be fully receptive to its glorious terrors. Forget there ever was a remake to this Robert Wise masterpiece of the occult that returns a master filmmaker to his roots with producer Val Lewton at RKO in the 1940's. THE HAUNTING (1963-accept no updated color substitutes! It doesn't have a drop of blood, but still be warned to not watch this alone! (REVIEWED FROM LETTERBOXED DVD)