You can't deny terror...

Trailer for "The Haunting"---Happy Halloween!

The Haunting of Hill House

It's Halloween, so time to talk about one of my favorite scary tales--"the Haunting of Hill House." God, how I love this book and it's 1963 movie version "the Haunting." The book was written by Shirley Jackson, who's known for her famous Pulitzer short story "the Lottery." She had such a way of creating miserable characters trapped in bleak depressing situations, that are suddenly shaken up and taken in an even worse direction. With a hope that somehow they'll escape and be OK again. The story centers on a haunted house but it's all very psychological--is it ghosts or is it in their minds--are they losing their grip on reality? Or truly facing ghostly dangers? And it gets you lost as well in the character's doubts of what they're experiencing at this haunted mansion. It's all suspense, and being on edge, where simple moments become twisted and frightening. The movie "the Haunting" is a great black and white thriller, that always seems to make the list of top 50 horror movies and probably top 10 list for haunted house movies. And like any old black and white movie--it has everyone smoking like chimneys and drinking like fish :)

Not to be confused with the BAD 1990's remake staring Catherine Zeta Jones. It had better effects and production but horrible acting and rewritten story---they pissed all over the best selling book's original story. But I did like the movie's poster.

The GOOD original 1963 movie was directed by Robert Wise. He directed "Westside Story" right before it, and then "the Sound of Music" just after. Time magazine had given the book a good review so Wise started reading it. And while caught up in a chapter, he didn't hear someone walk into his room and when they spoke it scared the crap out of him. He thought if the book could keep him so intently interested, a movie version of it would too. The movie stars Richard Johnson (the original choice over Sean Connery to play James Bond--Richard didn't feel he had the toughness that the character needed so he turned it down--he was right--and Sean should be kissing his ass daily) he plays Dr. Markway. Russ Tamblyn, who had just finished working with Wise on Westside story, plays Luke. Julie Harris (so great with James Dean in "East of Eden") plays Eleanor the main character. And sexy Claire Bloom plays the cat like Theo.

The story of a ghost experiment inside a haunted house---A mansion built to be bad---With deceiving angles to lose your sense of direction, Victorian decor with faces built into everything. Once inside the house it's like a confusing maze of doors and halls, rooms within rooms, and the chilly breath of death all around. The house makes it almost impossible for anyone to feel comfortable, it keeps them on edge, jangling their nerves, causing them to jump at the slightest sound. It also, doesn't help that the ghosts who haunt the mansion want to kill again and add new ghosts to join them.

For myself, this story connected with me at a particularly dark time in my life. I was unhappy on all levels with my career, family, friends, love life---everything. And like the main character Eleanor, who after years of neglect and hard work for her family, she had nothing to show for it. She had no friends, no place of her own, no job----no life. And what little she had she could no longer stand. She was ready to take the chance to runaway from it all. Getting in her car, fantasizing about where she might stop and start her life over. She could stop anywhere, make up a new past for herself, become someone exciting. Her yearning for something more I related to but, the story shows how a yearning--following it blindly--can take you from a bad place to somewhere even worse. Luckily, my life got much better, in all areas--those miserable days are way behind me. And for anyone out there unhappy, you just have to keep busy to improve your life while waiting for the scenery around you to change. And it will change--it always does. Just be ready when it finally happens to take advantage of it.

The Haunting

Eleanor Lance has waited her entire life for something---anything---to happen to her. So, when she receives a letter asking her to take part in an experiment at a historic New England mansion--she jumps at the chance to leave her dull home and start living a new life. This is her chance to find excitement and romance. Instead, she finds a nightmare at Hill House, a mansion with a ghostly and murderous past. What she doesn't know is the experiment is to prove that ghosts are real, and Hill House is full of them. The original owners were a bit twisted and there were several deaths in and around the house. People had been driven mad who stayed there--some committing suicide.

Eleanor arrives at Hill House and before leaving her car realizes that she is in grave danger. The house is rotten and vile. The sense of evil and danger is all around and she quickly feels like she's been swallowed alive by the house. But her life is so bad at home and so boring, that feeling fear is better to her than feeling nothing and being alone. She makes friends with the others... Dr. Markway--the leader of the experiment to prove the existence of ghosts...Luke, a playboyish relative of the current house's owner and a skeptic of the supernatural...and Theodora, a holder of ESP psychic ability and a hint of lesbian interest towards Eleanor. They retire after dinner but, the house introduces itself to them, sending the men on a chase outside after a ghostly dog, and scaring the crap out of the ladies by trying to break down their bedroom door and scratching at the glass window above it.

They tour the rest of the rooms of the house by the safety of daylight. But the frights from the night before have taken hold. There is plenty of tension and bickering between them.

Along their tour, mishaps occur. Luke has a shakeup while on the spiral staircase. While Eleanor almost falls from a balcony. They find cold spots, odd art and learn more about the house's original owners. And more things go bump in the night.

Filled with tension and jealousy, the ladies start picking fights with one another. Theo's esp and reading into Eleanor's thoughts has reached a boiling point between the two. Theo has proved to be like a cat that toys with a mouse and angry that the group--in spite of Theo's charm, beauty and esp--prefers to give their attention to Eleanor. And that includes the house too---it wants Eleanor. That is, until the arrival of the Dr's wife Grace (played by Lois Maxwell--Miss. Moneypenny from several of the James Bond movies. Here playing opposite Richard Johnson who she would have acted repeatedly with had he accepted the role of James Bond) she doesn't believe in ghosts and thinks the whole experiment is stupid and a waste of time. She wants her husband to pack up and leave in the morning. But first they have to get through their final night in Hill House.

The house makes it's move, dividing the group. The Dr and Luke watch it bend doors making them "breathe" with life. While the house manipulates the others into rooms by crashing mirrors and destorying itself. Tricking them into a trap.

The story spirals like the library staircase into a spinning climax...

You'll have to watch the movie or read the book to find out how this classic ends. But you won't be disappointed. There's a reason this movie has stood the test of time and inspired a remake. And considering they manage to scare you and hold your attention for so long with little special effects---just good story telling and acting---and all within a "G" rating----SERIOUSLY it's rated "G" but it's good---you'll jump a few times, trust me :)