The Haunting
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Movie Reviews of The Haunting
Movie Review: Thinking Man's Ghost Story
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the finest horror movies ever made, right up there with The Innocents. Based on Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, this film manages to chill the viewer to the bone with nary a slash or high-tech special effect--terror results from the unbeatable combination of great script, great performances, and great direction.
I remember having argued with my fiancé--another fan--some years back as to whether or not Eleanor was deranged (his contention) or was actually being drawn into the house by supernatural forces. Having read the book (which he hadn't), I knew I had the upper hand and was tempted to slug him with it for his intransigent hard-headedness. Interestingly enough, screenwriter Nelson Gidding recalls in the commentary that when he read the book, he also thought Eleanor was having a breakdown and went so far as to ask the author if this was indeed what she'd intended to convey. She replied that it hadn't but that it was a good idea. Gidding incorporates his interpretation of the original work to the extent that Eleanor's fragile state of mind is emphasized, somewhat blurring the distinction between the house's corruption and Eleanor's sanity. I still don't agree with my fiance's interpretation but he seems to have been exonerated.
I haven't read THoHH in almost 40 years but I seem to recall that the movie is faithful in spirit, if not to the exact letter of the text. I'm generally not in favor of "enhancing," i.e., sensationalizing characters but rewriting Theo as a lesbian really worked in The Haunting's favor, although I didn't pick up on it when I saw the movie as a teen (and to be honest, probably still wouldn't without having been informed; it's very subtle and I tend to be obtuse about such things). The commentary informs us that Jackson really liked the film and who, after all, can blame her?
Speaking of that commentary, it's very informative, albeit rather Richard Johnson-heavy. Claire Bloom and Julie Harris were the main attractions after all, and I really would have liked to hear more of their thoughts. The interactive menus are easy to navigate with numerous chapters, and there are a number of language/subtitle options. The theatrical trailer is included, as well as a few other non-essential goodies that are, nonetheless, nice to have.
I noticed quite a bit of shimmer at various times, making me wish that Warner had put a little more effort into the restoration of the print they used--perhaps it was taken directly from laser disk? Witness their stellar releases of such classics as Robin Hood and Citizen Kane--The Haunting also deserves star treatment. Not a bad print but not a pristine one either; the sound is fine.
I haven't bothered to see the remake and I'm given to understand that I haven't missed anything. I somehow doubt that, unlike this one, it will earn a following and recognition as time goes by. This film, on the other hand, will no doubt continue to earn new fans among those who love tales of the supernatural and who recognize cinematic excellence. Highest recommendation, even with the minor complaints.
Movie Review: Who was holding my hand?
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the best ghost stories ever. Taken from Shirley Jackson's short novel "the Haunting of Hill House", it is the story, really of Eleanor , a sad neurotic and lonely woman, and what happens to her when she encounters a place, a house that is alive....and evil. Jackson wrote this book in 1959.... long before Steven King plagiarized the idea twice [that I know of...."The Shining", and "Rose Red"]. The 1999 remake is crap and is not worth the time it takes to view it. The remake misses the point entirely. Avoid it at all costs!
In fact read the book, and see this film and you will see why the others fall way short. Like the supernatural, all is vague, uncertain, just out of the corner of your eye.... you scare yourself to death! You don't know if the danger is real...and that's what gives it its power over you.
In film and book, things are only half explained...or not at all. It has the feel of real life, even though it's ghosts and inner thoughts. That's what makes it stick with you long after you've seen [and read] it.
Hill House is a maze. The book spends much time with this, and the movie captures the confusion well. All the doors are hung so they close by themselves after you. Walls are not square, rooms not parallel so you end up not where you think, or it appears, you should be. It's part of the evil house's power over you. Those of weak heart beware.
The acting is great! Julie Harris is superb as the troubled Eleanor. [most of her lines are in her head] and Claire Bloom as Theo is beautifully stuck up, cold and manipulating.
At one point, the team assembled in the house to study it scientifically, find a message "Go Home Eleanor" scrawled on the hallway wall in chalk. "It knows my name....it knows my name!" cries the unstable Eleanor. "You wrote it yourself. You'll do anything for attention" accuses Theo. [Of course, not mentioned is the fact the letters are too big to be written by one woman without a ladder or something] The evil house plays with it's victims.
Later, after a chilling incident where the men are lured outside, the women are tormented by deafening banging going up and down the walls of the hallway. "Leave us alone" Eleanor cries in terror. All goes silent "It knows where we are now!" she thinks. "Is the door locked? "No!" The handle giggles. But the door never opens. The banging continues. The evil house again plays with it's victims.
The girls are sleeping together in one room. Eleanor hears the faint whimpering of a child. A face can just be made out in the shadows on the ornate wall paper. Theo is holding Eleanor's hand in the dark. "Can you hear that Theo? Don't hold my hand so tight. Do you hear the child? Theo, stop! You're breaking my HAND!" Theo cuts on a light...."What?".... She is on the other side of the room. Nowhere near Eleanor.
This is real suspense. No whoop-de-doo here. It's all suggestion, innuendo. The best thing for a ghost story, not colorful special effects!
Movie Review: Things that go bump in the night
Summary: 5 Stars
Before they were called horror movies they were called thrillers. Robert Wise's brilliant film version of Shirley Jackson's classic novel focuses on what we can't see in the shadows that frightens us. Before horror film directors abandoned all their skills and resorted to cheap shock tactics to scare audiences, Wise, Nelson Gidding (screenwriter)and his cast created a masterpiece that is just as creepy as it was 40 years ago. It seems like a distant era. The Cuban missile crisis had recently occurred, Kennedy's assasination and the Cold War had created a sense of paranoia that hadn't been experienced before. The weapons of mass destruction ruled the day to day consciousness of many school children and adults. It was a perfect time for the revival of scary movies. They always seem to crawl out of the woodwork when the psyche needs them most.There have been a number of pretenders to the throne of haunted house movies. Richard Matheson's fine homage The Haunting of Hell House (and his marvelous novel)are almost comparable to the classic that Wise helped create. Part of the power of this marvelous film is in the skillful performances by Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Russ Tambyn and Richard Johnson. Johnson plays Dr. Markway who invites three indivduals to a haunted house for an experiment. Hill House has a reputation as a place of evil. He wants to see if two of the three who have exhibited some degree of psyche abilities can sense anything as they stay in the house overnight. The third is a distant relative of the founder of Hill House. He's there to be the placebo if you will. Strange doings occur while they occupy the house. Most of them seem centered on poor Nell (Harris)who, somehow, seems to be in tune with the house. They're all in for one hell'va night.
Everything in the film is perfect from the production design to the interior monologue delivered by Harris as Nell. The transfer is crisp and fairly good although occasionally soft in spots. It appears that it is in the original aspect ratio for the first time on home video. The commentaries by the cast members and director Wise are interesting and informative. It was probably a good idea to have multiple commentaries as, despite Wise's considerable talents, he isn't always the best storyteller (as witnessed on the DVD of The Day the Earth Stood Still).
While the remake is interesting, has a number of compelling performances, it can't compare. The director of the remake resorts to too many CGI effects and explains everything too clearly. Without the mystery, there's no substance to the film. CGI effects are fine but they demystify and that can undermine a thriller or horror film. Purchase the original classic film and approach it with an open mind. It has atmosphere and enough creepy effects to make it perfect for viewing on a dark, stormy night.
Movie Review: One of the creepiest haunted houses.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not sure why Amazon deleted my previous review for this last year, anyway The Haunting is one of the best classic horror films of all time. The subtle way this film manages to creep its audience is just amazing not to mention the brilliant black and white cinematography were nicely shot from different angles to make the house seem more menacing and evil. The characters were also great especially Julie Harris as Eleanor it was one of her best roles ever. The film starts of with a prologue detailing the history of Hill House over its past 90 years where each occupant has mysteriously died by an accident in the house, then its the present where we meet Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson) A psychic and paranormal researcher invites three guests to document the events in Hill house to prove the existence of ghosts and paranormal phenomena, the three guests are Eleanor (Julie Harris) a lonely spinster who has spent all her life as a recluse caring for her ill mother shes also very neurotic and seems to have issues and had a paranormal experience when she was a child, it seems like the house is more interested in her as if it was forcing her not to leave or it might be all in her head as she likes to make things up, director Robert Wise did a great job of making this a complicated character.
The other guest is Cleo (Claire Bloom) a psychic who likes to torment Eleanor while at the same time has some sympathy for her but it seems like she might be attracted to her even though Eleanor avoids her advances. They are joined by Luke (Russ Tamblyn) a guy who likes to joke around does not believe in the paranormal and thinks that its total nonsense, hes just along for the ride since he is about to inherit the place but he soon won't be sure as some of the hauntings become more terrifying especially the scene where the door starts stretching as if it was breathing and the house was alive that scene was very creepy and was one of the best sequences in the film.
All the sound effects and creepy child noises were great and used to great effect in this film which makes this one of the greatest horror films of the 60's ever, the special fx are kept to a minimum and it does not rely on blood or violence to scare the audiance, the storyline was terrific and the plot made this one of the scariest films out there as well as concentrating on the psychological aspect of the characters especially Eleanor who looks like she might have completely lost her mind. I'm not going to describe anything else since the previous reviewers already did that but I will say one more thing you really need to watch this if your a horror fan and the ending will make you feel afraid of the dark (O.K. maybe I exaggereted a little).
Movie Review: Good Old Fashioned Haunted House Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an interesting movie for several reasons.
I guess one of the main ideas is the main character is trying to escape her miserable and empty life. So fate causes her to be invited to a strange paranormal investigation where people spend some time in this haunted house.
Hill House represents all of the hopes and dreams that never came true for her.
Unfortunately all of those lost dreams had turned her into a very angry and hopeless person. The house feeds on this and starts to pull her in more and more.
There are parrallels between her miserable life now where she failed to respond to her dying mother's call for help and another girl who also failed to respond to the old lady who originally lived in the house.
That other girl ended up hanging herself because of either guilt or just being overcome by the evil forces within the house.
Could this be hinting at reincarnation and these two people are really one and the same person ? I don't know.
It is probably a case where reading the book would help to understand what's going on.
The people who made this movie were knowledgeable about what happens during a real haunting.
Haunting activity occurs in the spirit world which is more real than this physical dimension.
That's why two people can be in the same room and only one experiences the horrible events.
That's also why people claim to have experienced things during a haunting but nobody believes them.
When people experience haunting activity a deep fear starts to take hold of them. This is a fear that goes beyond the physical because the spirit senses the danger.
In a situation like that confusion starts to arise as those dark forces begin to attack the people in the house.
This movie captures these things very well.
There are quite a few accounts of real hauntings such as The Ametyville Horror which is a true story.
This was a dysfunctional family where evil had already pervaded their lives. Then they moved into a house where evil had come alive.
Jeff Marzano
The Shining
Horror Hotel
Voodoo Island/The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (Midnite Movies Double Feature)