The Haunting (1963)

A scientist doing research on the paranormal invites two women to a haunted mansion. One of the participants soon starts losing her mind.

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Nelson Gidding (screenplay), Shirley Jackson (based on the novel: "The Haunting of Hill House")

Stars:

Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Julie Harris	...	Eleanor Lance
Claire Bloom	...	Theodora
Richard Johnson	...	Dr. John Markway
Russ Tamblyn	...	Luke Sanderson
Fay Compton	...	Mrs. Sanderson
Rosalie Crutchley	...	Mrs. Dudley
Lois Maxwell	...	Grace Markway
Valentine Dyall	...	Mr. Dudley
Diane Clare	...	Carrie Fredericks
Ronald Adam	...	Eldridge Harper

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

haunted house | house | mansion | research | psychic | 

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Taglines:

You may not believe in ghosts but you cannot deny terror

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 January 1964 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

A Casa Maldita

Filming Locations:

Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argyle Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For some of the scenes in which characters are tormented by loud ghostly sounds coming from the house, Robert Wise had the sounds on playback so that the actors could react to them authentically. It was a technique that they found very useful and effective for creating just the right mood of terror.

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Goofs

Look closely at Dr. Markway as he folds his paper at the breakfast table and you can see he is holding a cigarette in his left hand. In the very next shot, Markway is holding the cigarette in his right hand instead.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dr. John Markway: [voice-over] An evil old house, the kind some people call haunted, is like an undiscovered country waiting to be explored. Hill House had stood for 90 years and might stand for 90 more. Silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there... walked alone.

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Connections

Version of Das Geisterschloß (1999)

User Reviews

A scary, masterfully crafted ghost story

The Haunting is the best haunted house movie of all time. It is creepy as hell, packs a real sense of dread, and always leaves the shocks to the imagination.

It starts with an extremely effective prologue detailing the sinister history of Hill House over it's 90 year presence, and this prologue includes some really excellently done scenes.

Flash forward 90 years, and four guests are invited to stay the night at Hill House, and experience the house's hypnotic power. The main character is Eleanor (Julie Harris) who is starting to believe the house wants something from her.

The Haunting is a teriffically crafted, genuinely creepy story from Robert Wise, and many elements have been used in recent films (The freezing breath in The Sixth Sense, and the ghosts only implied by strange sounds and giggles in The Blair Witch Project).

Overall, this is an excellent horror movie proving you don't need special effects and gore blah blah blah... Just see the movie. 9/10.