The Legend of Hell House
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Movie Reviews of The Legend of Hell House
Movie Review: The Legendary Legend of Hell House
Summary: 5 Stars
The Legend of Hell House This is a movie with a screenplay by Richard Matheson based on a novel by Richard Matheson. Richard's novel I AM LEGEND has been made into a movie three times now. Twice it was called "The Last Man on Earth" (one starring Vincent Price and one starring Will Smith) and once it was called "The Omega Man" and starred Charlton Heston. He also authored the screenplay that gave Spielberg his first unforgettable hit "Duel". And Dick Matheson is the guy who turned Jeff Rice's poorly written novel about a vampire in Las Vegas into the hit TV movie THE NIGHT STALKER (he also wrote the sequel THE NIGHT STRANGLER).
In other words, Matheson is da bomb!
Now, if you look this movie up on IMDB you will read a lot of confused comments by a lot of people. People who think it has something to do with a movie called THE HAUNTING. THAT was based on a novel by Shirley Jackson. And except for the fact that accounts of things that go on in haunted houses are fairly similar there is no relation between the books or the movies.
The cast in this film---Roddy McDowell (CLEOPATRA, FRIGHT NIGHT, etc) Pamela Franklin (SATAN'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, THE INNOCENTS, A TIGER WALKS---the last was Sabu's last film) Clive Revill (DRACULA, DEAD AND LOVING IT, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, A FINE MADNESS) and Gayle Hunnicutt (who is most familiar as Irene Adler in the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes TV series) all bring Matheson's characters to life most faithfully.
Is it scary? Yes, it is---in the old-fashioned way. "REAL" scares, not graphic gross-outs. No CGI around when this one was made and may the God of Hollywoood grant that they never try to re-make it just to insert those. This story is character-driven---the characters of the people researching this haunted house as well as the character of Emeric Belasco---the ghost with the most.
Belasco's name is the true last name of Bela Lugosi, btw.
Oh yes, get this movie.
Movie Review: One of the better haunted house movies.
Summary: 5 Stars
Made in 1973, this movie still packs a few frights and the story is quite good. Basically this is writer Richard Mathesons take on Shirley Jacksons "The Haunting of Hill House". So this movie is almost like a remake of Robert Wises "The Haunting" by default and it does have similar situations and characters. Basically the premise of both books and films are almost identical. Various paranormal investigators go visit the Mt. Everest of haunted houses to see if they can prove the existence of ghosts. Is it a rip-off of "The Haunting" then? The answer is - Yes, there are definite blatant attempts by Matheson to lift plot elements from Jacksons novel. This leaves "The Legend of Hell House" director John Hough in quite a predicament because he is making a film from a book which is not entirely original but the good news is that he does pull through with a crackerjack of a horror film. Instead of implying the horror, like in "The Haunting", Hough pretty much goes straight for graphic scares and frights. In most cases he succeeds and this film is certainly streaks and bounds ahead of most other horror films. The other reason to see this film is for Roddy McDowall in what is probably his finest performance. The film is also full of surprises and there are plenty of plot twists and turns. The ending is also quite satisfactory. An excellent addition for any horror collection. Just do not be surprised with some plot elements that you have seen a million times before and do watch Robert Wises "The Haunting" if you can. They are both very similar in nature, but ultimately different films.
Movie Review: The Mount Everest of Haunted House Films
Summary: 5 Stars
This film, from the genius-mind of Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, Twilight Zone, Duel), is the best of all haunted house films ever committed to celluloid. The screenplay and direction are spare and efficient, building a palpable sense of dread and atmosphere that has us frightened before we set foot in the Belasco Mansion - which we've been told is the "Mount Everest of Haunted Houses" (members of previous expeditionary teams have either died or gone mad while investigating it). The excellent screenplay presents us with a puzzle, true to the haunted house tradition. There is a secret behind the evil that saturates the atmosphere of the house, but can the team (comprised of psychics and a scientist) survive to reveal it? Find out if you dare.
Additional Observations: Notice how modern haunted house films disappoint with silly CGI effects (the remake of The Haunting, Rose Red (from Stephen King, who should know better - the monsters that are unseen, that play on our imaginations are scariest), and the remake of House on Haunted Hill). The Legend of Hell House uses great writing, acting (Roddy McDowell is brilliant), characterization, music, and extremely limited special effects (hardly worth counting), to build a sense of dread that has us coiled up with fear, wondering what's around the next corner. Plus there's an intangible chemistry to the way the film's elements combine that is pure magic. This one just works. Rare, indeed, in this sub-genre. Don't miss it.
Movie Review: eerie, moody, haunting- a very good movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
you begin to feel the evil permeating the atmosphere almost at once. Found myself afraid for them and angry at their naivety- the psychic/healer innocently thinking her modest ability able to thwart the evil literally embedded in the house. And the scarred, older, wiser, former gifted child medium that should have known better than to return to Hell House, having barely survived the trip the first time around.The book better details the debauchery the former guests of the house engaged in creating the basis for the evil that cannot be purged from the house.Sexual abandon is encouraged and so is the digression into paticipation in any and every taboo act conceivable-of course, this is somewhat glossed over in the movie, (ok,I was a little disappointed,...just joking if you're reading this, Mom)but it's more than made up for with the creepy outside shots of the house, the top-notch performances of Roddy McDowell and Pamela Harriman and the very welcome "not your usual all's well that ends well" outcome. Disturbing and unforgettable- my favorite kind of movie.Movie Review: The "Mt. Everest" of haunted houses
Summary: 5 Stars
The Legend of Hell House, though dated somewhatby Hollywood's special-effect-heavy horror movies,
is still something too scary for the kids and a terrific
version of Richard Matheson's book "Hell House."
This primarily because Matheson insisted on writing
the screenplay himself after being so improperly
adapted to the screen in the past. Leading a small but
stellar cast, Pamela Franklin rises to the occasion with
her usual, solid performance in what I feel was her best film,
following "Necromancy" in 1972 where she pulled a not-so-great
movie along simply by the power of her credibility. Roddy
McDowall is no slouch by any means, and Clive Revill is great
as the doubting-Thomas physicist who refuses to accept the
haunting at face value. True, the "killer cat" part won't
scare you much, but before this movie is over you will surely
believe a house can be haunted!