The Haunting, 1963

[Monkeysmasher]

The Haunting (1963)
Black and White
Director: Robert Wise (I)
Writer: Shirley Jackson (I) | Nelson Gidding
Web Link: http://imdb.com/Title?0057129

Plot:
Dr. Markway, doing research to prove the existence of ghosts, investigates Hill House, a large, eerie mansion with a lurid history of violent death and insanity. With him are the skeptical young Luke, who stands to inherit the house, the mysterious and clairvoyant Theodora and the insecure Eleanor, whose psychic abilities make her feel somehow attuned to whatever spirits inhabit the old mansion. As time goes by it becomes obvious that they have gotten more than they bargained for as the ghostly presence in the house manifests itself in horrific and deadly ways.




A classic. Atmospheric. Very little resemblance to the 1999 re-make.
I had been anxious to see this film for years before finally getting a copy. Having heard so much about it, I was surprised how hard it was to obtain a copy. I actually had to have it ordered online.
Was it worth the wait?
Yes.
Its an excellent film. Any fan of ghosts/haunted houses should see it at least once. If your like me (and i know i am), you'll see this as one of the greatest haunted house movies ever made. It does something that most recent ones dont, it relies on your own imagination* to fill in the conclusions that modern cgi effects rather bluntly throw into your face. Only one 'special' effect is of a door. Not exactly 'special', but does fit in nicely as one of the only visual occurance of the supernatural.





*After waiting so long to see this, my own imagination had filled in what this movie was going to be about. I had imagined it very close to how it actually was, though I was a little disapointed to see that there was no talking wheel barrel, nor any tribes of prehistoric cave-mice (as i had imagined).

One last thing. For years i thought that the person on the cover looked suspiciously like MacGuyver. Its not. Its actually the actress Julie Harris (Eleanor Lance).

[JohnnyAlucard]

I've always been a fan of this film. Definatley one of my 'big two' haunted house films along with 'The Legend of Hell House'. What I like about it is that as with Hell House, it doesn't rely on visual shocks to succeed. Proves' that haunted house movies don't have to have hoards of zombies parading around to be effective!

From what I have read, the remake is meant to be utter crap and I certainly have no intention of ever watching it! :D

[Monkeysmasher]

Ah,
The remake isnt that bad (in my opinion). As long as its not taken to be anything like the original. The only similarities are the character's names. Beyond that it is an entirely different movie. I think its worth seeing, but i used to mess with a girl who looked like Lily Taylor so i may be biased.

I have 'the legend of hell house' on, re-watching it right now. First time i saw it in the late 70's i didnt understand much of it, then seeing it again in the late 80's, i understood it but still didn't 'get' it. In the late 90's, again i watched it.mental mediums, angry midgets- i guess i get it. It has a few good parts, but i'm not a fan. May be watching it now i'll see something remarkable i've missed. I think Roddy McDowall (Benjamin Franklin Fischer) glasses bug the hell out of me for some reason. Or just his character.

Haunted house movies are my favorite.

[JohnnyAlucard]

I always thought It was supposed to be a faithful re-make of the original film! If it's not them I might give it a go :)

Regarding Hell House, I absolutley love the ending to the film! I guess alot of people see that as an anti-climax, i.e "Ahhh, there was nothing haunted about the house after all! ".....

*SPOILER**

But there was a ghost, Belasco had encaged his body in a lead room to preserve his spirit. It was Belasco's spirit which was causing all the ghostly goings on. You never actually see the ghost, but the film doesn't need this to work.

This along with 'The Haunting' are two of my fav horror movies. I love the haunted house setting. Mind you, the house has to be OLD. That's the whole point. An old house will have lots of history, lots of people will have died in it. That's why "Thirteen Ghost's" did nothing for me. The ghosts were visually impressive, but the fact that that it was a modern house with lots of glass rooms just took away any atmosphere for me B)

[Guest_Monkeysmasher]

Old houses, i quite agree. Thats what makes a classic haunted house film a classic haunted house film. I thought the house in 'Rose Red' had a lot going for it(except for the script). An old house like that had quite a lot of potential.

Speaking of endings, the ending of the movie 'dark water' would be my favorite regarding freaky little ghosts. Not really a haunted house, but its about the people who live in the apartment under a haunted place.

[JohnShaft]

A lot going on in this thread. I've lasted long enough before I poke my nose in. B)

The original Haunting I somehow have, well, um, *avoided* would be the word. Despite a few people pimping it's magnificence, like a Dope Dealer to a schoolkid, *every* time I turn off at about the 15 minute mark. Seeing the plain looking woman walking around the house in black and white is way too much excitement for me to take. :P
On yet one more recommendation I *may* force myself to sit through it next time it's on. Think I'll have to be glued to the seat though. God I'm a horror Philistine, huh?

I have seen the remake and thought it was pretty mundane. It didn't do anything I didn't expect it to do, and what it did do it didn't do effectively.

Dark Water I liked, I just expected more, after seeing The Eye. The ghost was effectively used, and the ending wasn't what I expected, so it wasn't all dissapointment.

I must also get round to getting my hands on Matheson's novel 'Hell House' also. I'd really like to compare it to the movie which I do have a lot of time for. It's held up really well for a film as 'old' as it is. Roddy McDowall is always a pleasure to watch.

[Monkeysmasher]

I can see were 'the haunting' could be consider damn boring. Its slow pace wont appeal to people used to seeing the guy in the rubber monster suit or the cgi crapstravaganza. Too bad you didnt watch till 32min mark when the pirate ghosts show up, and then there is the orgy scene.
My only suggestion for being able to sit thru it is to drink a bottle of Nyquil.
I've had 'the eye' for about a year now, and i still havent gotten around to watching it. Its hideing somewere in my piles of movies and i'm too lazy to find it. I havent even finished watching 'Battle Royale' yet. I did manage to watch the ringu trilogy in one sitting, and after that i was hooked on japanese/asian horror. and nyquil.


I've given up on reading. I dont even like reading subtitles. And as you can probably tell by my posts, i dont proof read nor rarely even read what is posted before giving an opinion.

[Scott W. Davis]

The original HAUNTING is one of the greatest haunted house movies ever. In fact, it may use the power of suggestion better than any other horror film. It's able to illicit absolute terror out of thin air.

The remake, I'm afraid, really upset me. It's like they took everything that was good from the original and just threw it out. What they kept was anything that could easily be exploited and sullied. It was a visually stunning film, as most of Jan De Bont's films are. But story has never been his strong suit and this was no exception. It easily made my Ten Worst list of that year.

Thanks for the forum review Monkeysmasher.

[Monkeysmasher]

Thanks.
Your forum seemed a bit dead. I can usually troll up activity in forums, but i'm a bit off my mark lately.
If you want to use any of it in a 'real' review, no problem with me. You can edit/pad/take my name off/remove racial slurs or delete it. I'd just like to encourage people to see the movie if they are a fan of haunted houses.


As for the re-make, of course they had to dumb it down for the MTV mass market audience. Average Joe moviegoer doesnt want to use thier imagination because most have none thanks in part to long hours of television. Movie makers target the widest audiences, and according to the bell curve it's pretty mild/lame/C student/dull/just plain sad, with the same mono-clone idea's that suck inspiration up and blow out- hell, they just blow.


ah,
<set Me.Bitching.Mode to off>
<Move My.Sig to Output>
<Print> That about covers it.
<end>

[Hern]

I love this film!

[42nd Street Freak]

Set a place for me at the '"The Haunting" is superb' table. Along with parts of "The Changeling" this is the only film still to creep me out.

Just a text book example of subtle horror (And i am not normally a big fan of 'all left to the imagination' films...I have no time at all for the tedium of stuff like the original "Cat People" for an oft quoted example of 'subtle' horror) that is just brilliantly crafted.

**SPOILERS**

The 'booming' noise sequence, the opening look back at the history of the house, the strange 'faces' in the wallpaper, the face at the top of the winding steps and the superb 'Who was holding my hand then' sequence are the chill highlights for me...real shivers down the spine, goose bump moments.

[MystMoonstruck]

Count me in as a truly lifelong fan of this film, which was released when I was about 12 years old. I've long ago passed 100 viewings and can never resist watching it nearly every month. At Yahoo!Answers Movies, it goes on practically all of my suggestion lists if it will fit at all. Yes, for those spoiled by CGI, grossouts, and especially color, it might seem a film to pass up. But, I hope I'll never be so jaded that I won't get chills from the "breathing" door and "Who's hand was I holding?!" I love the novel and was pleased with the film.

However, all the remake has going for it is that fantastic house. I'd rather see a guided tour of the place instead of the dreadful mess they made of the story. Lili Taylor's dull "Oh." (not even an exclamation) as Owen Wilson is beheaded is particularly awful, as is the notion of linking her to the house. Noooooo!

"The Legend of Hell House" is a good one though not as high up there as "The Haunting". I saw that one at the drive-in and was relieved that they had tamed down the novel for the screen. I'm a Roddy McDowall fan, so I will tune in every time this airs for another look. I can recall recognizing Michael Gough as Belasco~quite a surprise! Of course, my friends didn't have a clue who he was. Oh well...

"The Changeling": Now, that one zooms up close to "The Haunting" (1963). I found it on YouTube, then it showed up on one of the movie channels, much to my delight. I really feel that it held up after 30 years.

It's quiet horror, but I still favor "The Innocents" for its atmospheric, very subtle touches. I've watched numerous versions of "The Turn of the Screw", including the recent one with Leelee Sobieski (Yeesh!), but "The Innocents" remains the best. However, I seem to recall liking Dan Curtis' TV version though I might change my mind if I saw it after all these years.

[ZARCULA]

I also liked the original version of The Haunting.....The remake was awful garbage...But I myself found The Legend Of Hell House a superiour film...I thought it created more atmosphere...more unrest...