The Haunting [1963]

Consumed by guilt and grief over her mother's recent death and driven to adventure by her belief in the supernatural, Eleanor Vance (Julie Harris) is the most unstable--and therefore the most vulnerable--visitor to Hill House. She's invited there by anthropologist Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson), along with the bohemian lesbian Theodora (Claire Bloom), who has acute extra-sensory abilities, and glib playboy Luke Sanderson (Russ Tamblyn, from Wise's West Side Story), who will gladly inherit Hill House if it proves to be hospitable. Of course, the shadowy mansion is anything but welcoming to its unwanted intruders. Strange noises, from muffled wails to deafening pounding, set the stage for even scarier occurrences, including a door that appears to breathe (with a slowly turning doorknob that's almost unbearably suspenseful), unexplained writing on walls, and a delicate spiral staircase that seems to have a life of its own.

The genius of The Haunting lies in the restraint of Wise and screenwriter Nelson Gidding, who elicit almost all of the film's mounting terror from the psychology of its characters--particularly Eleanor, whose grip on sanity grows increasingly tenuous. The presence of lurking spirits relies heavily on the power of suggestion (likewise the cautious handling of Theodora's attraction to Eleanor) and the film's use of sound is more terrifying than anything Wise could have shown with his camera. Like Jack Clayton's 1961 chiller, The Innocents, The Haunting knows the value of planting the seeds of terror in the mind, as opposed to letting them blossom graphically on the screen. What you don't see is infinitely more frightening than what you do, and with nary a severed head or bloody corpse in sight, The Haunting is guaranteed to chill you to the bone. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.co.uk Review
Made in 1963 The Haunting is one of the best-ever movie ghost stories and was adapted from Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House. Suave ghost-hunter Richard Johnson takes a couple of psychic women--neurotic spinster Julie Harris and elegant lesbian Claire Bloom--to stay in Hill House, which has unsettling architecture (the spiral staircase is especially unnerving) and a bad reputation. Russ Tamblyn is along as a jive-talking sceptic, but he soon shuts up as the eerie phenomena mount up. The scene with a breathing door is a wonderful terror highlight, and the business about whose hand Harris is holding in the dark (she thinks it's Bloom, but Bloom is on the other side of the room) provides a moment of unmatched creepiness. Perhaps director Robert Wise allows too much psychology into the picture, letting you off the hook with the possibility that the twitchy Harris is behind all the spookery, but he fills the widescreen frame with really scary stuff and the cast are perfect. Lois Maxwell, of Miss Moneypenny fame, makes a marvellously chilling sudden appearance from the dark. Forget the remake, this is the real deal.

On the DVD: The Haunting comes to DVD with a trailer narrated in character by Johnson, a satisfyingly packed file of stills and an interesting commentary featuring input recorded separately from Wise, screenwriter Nelson Gidding and all four principal cast members. --Kim Newman

The Ghosts are never seen. This really heightens the fear factor and makes you wait for the next chilling moment. One truly chilling moment is when the disturbed woman is lying asleep suddenly awoken by a noise. As she mulls over about what had happened during the day she grows more tense about her surroundings. The camera moves toward a very strange position, it points at the wall with moonlight shining from the right. In the background a monk-like chanting begins to grow in intensity and volume while a small childs crying can be heard under the chanting. As the moonlight begins to heighten in the sky small holes in the wall begin to shadow resembling a statanic looking face. This is *the* most evil, dark, disturbing image and sound you or anyone on this planet will *EVER* see. I assure you, this film sets precedents that will never be bettered. I'm surprised that this film did'nt win an Oscar, well actually I'm not surprised, because this film is far greater than the trash that has fouled such a impressive awards ceremony.
You must buy this film.


Among the greats   April 25, 2006
 21 out of 24 found this review helpful

This has to be my favourite haunted house movie of all time. The abysmal 1999 remake only made the craftwork and subtelty of this 1963 classic even more apparent. The story seems simple enough, but it has many intricate undercurrents. Basically, a doctor with an interest in haunted houses recruits a group of people to join him in staying at Hill House - a place with the most notorious reputation for supernatural activity he has ever discovered . The small group arrive at the house with the intent of monitoring any unusual phenomena, but the events that take place affect them in ways far beyond their expectations.

The pleasure that comes from watching the film is two-fold. Firstly and most obviously, the scary thrills as the group is assailed by various ghostly manifestations are tremendously well implemented. But secondly, the more subtle effects on the minds of the four main characters is equally as skillfully woven into the proceedings, and the viewer can clearly see the ways that all four of them handle the situation, with their friendships and allegiances to each other being severely tested, culminating in some emotionally charged arguments, and one particularly tragic final outcome.

The central cast handle their characters very well, The stunning Claire Bloom effortlessy brings to life the stylish psychic Theo, and both Russ Tamblyn and Richard Johnson also acquit themsleves well. But as in the novel, it is the character of Eleanor who really carries the action of the film, and Julie Harris makes a memorable impression as this disturbed and vunerable woman. The character sketch starts with her lonely home life being pictured in the early scenes, and the film then charts her initial delight in arriving at the house and meeting people who actually take an interest in her, then her unfolding bewilderment as Hill House seemingly singles her out for attention, followed by a whole range of emotions as she struggles to understand why fate seems to have brought her to the place. The other three characters often seem at a loss to understand Eleanor, and watching them all on screen closely, you can pick out various significant signs and habits, see their distrust starting to grow, and finally watch them accusing each other of either making things up or even faking some of the supernatural events that are happening. You also have to listen closely, as several scenes have characters speaking very quickly and over the top of each other, especially during arguments, which is a realistic depiction and one that is rarely attempted in the movies, but it is pulled off superbly here.

But the beauty of this film's power is that all the supernatural activity actually happens off screen, by which I mean that 90% of the scares are produced entirely on the soundtrack. The scenes in which episodes of the "haunting" are actually happening are superbly played out, and more than make up for the lack of any visible phantoms. The other dynamic element of the film is Hill House itself. Thanks to the superb art direction and sumptuous wide-screen photography, the exterior shots show it as one of the most menacing and eerie "haunted mansions" ever seen in the cinema. Equally effective is the interior design ,with every room and angle dripping with threatening looking statues and creepy ornamentation. The house itself is really the fifth star of the movie.

To get the most out of the experience, I would advise any potential viewer to put aside expectations of "The Haunting" as being a horror movie, and approach it instead as a psychological drama. It's actually a very thought provoking film that rewards your full attention so it's not one for fans of flashy action or in-your-face effects. It's also recommended for an adult audience simply because of the sheer subtlety of it, but being quite talky in places and long on mood between actual events, to my mind makes the action set pieces even more potent. Scenes like Eleanor climbing the dangerous spiral staircase, or the most famous sequence of the film, in which Eleanor and Theo are terrorised in bed by an unseen "something" making a racket in the corridor outside, are gripping and memorable, and probably work all the better after the time taken to establish the various dynamics of the four lead characters. There is so much between the lines in the script, I can't address many of the subtler issues, but having read the book as well, it's easy to read the events of the film on more than just one level, and it succeeds as both a very frightening haunted house thriller, and as a psychological character study. Definitely worth buying, because anyone prepared to put in the effort will find they reap rich rewards from watching this one more than just the once.



Simply the best   May 16, 2006
 11 out of 14 found this review helpful

The original version of The Haunting... what needs to be said has already been said. I watched this film aged 8 years old on the BBC on a late saturday night in the 1970's, and it is a film that has stayed with me for years as the best 'horror' film ever made. The inferred ghostly activity through sound and cinematography is unparalleled. The scene in The Haunting where a central character is standing in a doorway looking up at the ceiling and a 'creaking wood' sound with visual distortion was used as an effect by Sam Raimi in Evil Dead 2 (which is another great film, although for different reasons). As a lad, I didn't quite pick up on the lesbian undertones of The Haunting, but hey, this is a masterpiece. Definitely recommended. They don't make 'em like this anymore (shame).


Greatest performance from Julie Harris!   June 2, 2006
 13 out of 17 found this review helpful


This film undoubtedly belongs to the fabulous actress Ms. Julie Harris! Probably her greatest screen performance ever - she leads the movie from start to finish! It is difficult to highlight the highs to this film, as there are so many, and nigh on impossible to name the lows, since it doesn't really have any - gripping from the opening flashbacks to this creepy place called 'Hill House' - to the closing scenes of the car crash! Unknown to many, this film was made and shot in the United Kingdom, though many believe mistakenly that it is American in origin. This is probably due to the very convincing American accents used by two Great British actresses; Claire Bloom and Diane Clare.

The absolute highest point of the movie for me, is the unmerciful 'banging' that can be heard in the hallway; faintly to begin with, in the dead of night, growing louder and louder, until it starts to make the ornaments vibrate on the top of your TV set! Much of this is lost since its release; for some reason it is not as predominant since its transfer to shop-bought videos or DVD. This film is best watched as it is aired on TV. Much of the film's magic and creepiness, sadly, is also reduced somewhat, due to its release only in the wide screen format.

There is an added bonus to this movie, in that even the character roles such as the late, great Rosalie Crutchley's 'Mrs. Dudley' and the ageing 'Abigail' played by Amy Dalby (undeservedly uncredited) are so important to the general success of this great film. Nobody's contribution is too small or unimportant. Diane Clare gives a super performance as the spiteful 'Carrie Fredricks'- the married sister of Eleanor Lance.

If you ever get the opportunity to visit the house, or indeed the location (i.e. outdoor shots, and the roads used) where this film was made, then it's an unforgettable experience!

Un-missable!!



Watch Your Step In Here, It's Dark   September 25, 2005
 9 out of 12 found this review helpful

Man, what can I say that hasn't already been said. This was a great horror experience. And this is truly the only version on film that represents Shirley Jackson's original novel. It is a dark and frightening place these unsuspecting people step into, and it only gets worse.

Hill House is haunted, and a parapsychologist (Richard Johnson) chooses three other "researchers" to help him investigate what exactly is going on in this house. However, none of them are prepared for what will unfold.

The cast is superb, with Julie Harris playing a vulnerable "runaway" adult trying to gain respect and freedom for herself. Richard Johnson is the brave, level-headed researcher, hoping to find proof of life-after-death. Claire Bloom, sexy and unpredictable, plays the self-reliant psychic with a secret of her own. Russ Tamblyn as the synic turned believer. And watch for a surprising appearance of Louise Maxwell, Bond's Miss Moneypenny.

The film is a black-and-white masterpiece of gathering darkness and horror. Robert Wise fought Warner Brothers to keep the movie in black-and-white at a time when all major studios were insisting on color. The DVD presents the film in its original widescreen aspect ratio. The camera work here is tricky and masterful, catching you with odd angles and directions that cause a vague, and growing sense of angst, very much like the narrative in Shirley Jackson frightening novel. The sound quality is excellent. And the extras on this DVD are exceptional, with a full-length commentary including Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, Director Robert Wise and screenwriter Nelson Gidding.

Turn out the lights kids, it's the only way to meet this thing; in the dark.