The Haunting
“Silence lies steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House. And we who walk here, walk alone.”
Many modern viewers are likely more familiar with Mike Flanagan’s excellent reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s (The Lottery) classic novel than with its original film adaptation. While understandable, the Netflix show was a critically lauded sensation and it has now been nearly 58 years since the release of the film, I do hope that fans of the show will check out the original novel and the film (the 1999 remake you can skip).
The Haunting was written by Nelson Gidding (I Want to Live!) and directed by Robert Wise (West Side Story) and based on The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. The Haunting was made on a budget of $1.05 million, but only grossed $1.02 million at the Box Office. The Haunting received mixed reviews at the time of release, but has gone on to be more highly regarded in the years since it’s release.
The Haunting features a group of paranormal investigators staying at the infamous Hill House. Over the course of the few days they spend at the manor, the impressionable Eleanor “Nell” Lance (Julie Harris, East of Eden) begins to become more and more obsessed with the house and her desire to stay there forever.
I first saw this film about nine years ago when I got the DVD on a whim from Netflix and was completely blown away. The script is relatively simple; things go bump in the night, doors close on their own, mysterious writings appear on the wall. It’s all pretty standard haunted house stuff, but that’s not a bad thing. Wise positions his camera at odd angles to create maximum tension with each shot.
The set design here is excellent. As Dr. Markaway (Richard Johnson, Cairo) explains, Hill House is built at odd angles which causes disorientation in the visitors. In addition to this, the set is crowded, there’s too much furniture and decor in the house. All of this makes it difficult for both the characters and the audience to get a feel for the geography of the house. All of these combine to create an intensely uncomfortable setting.
Julie Harris’ performance is the lifeblood of the film. Harris presents Nell as a deeply likeable and insecure woman, and her fall into the sway of Hill House is tragically inevitable. Right beside her for most of the film is Claire Bloom’s (A Doll’s House) as Theo, a psychic with a thinly veiled crush on Eleanor. Theo’s cool and calm demeanor is a nice contrast to Nell’s more neurotic behavior. While the whole cast is good, it’s these two who carry the film.
The Haunting is a perfect marriage of script, direction, and performances. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 4 bulging doors out of 5
Other Observations:
Does the Dog Die? No animals are harmed in the film.
Harrison’s Favorite Scare: The infamous “who’s hand was I holding?” moment. It’s absolutely chilling (and the 1999 remake completely botched that iconic moment).
It struck me during this viewing that McKenna Grace (the actor who plays young Theo in the Netflix adaptation) has a striking resemblance to Claire Bloom.
Comments
Post a Comment