The Haunting (1999)

Director:

Jan de Bont

Writers (WGA):

Shirley Jackson (novel)
David Self (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 July 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

Some Houses Are Born Bad.

Plot:

When Eleanor, Theo, and Luke decide to take part in a sleep study at a huge mansion they get more than they bargained for when Dr. Marrow tells them of the house's ghostly past.

Plot Keywords:

Accusation | Psychologist | Seductive | Apparition | Greenhouse

Awards:

2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Lili Taylor	...	Eleanor 'Nell' Vance
Liam Neeson	...	Dr. David Marrow
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Theo
Owen Wilson	...	Luke Sanderson
Bruce Dern	...	Mr. Dudley
Marian Seldes	...	Mrs. Dudley
Alix Koromzay	...	Mary Lambetta
Todd Field	...	Todd Hackett
Virginia Madsen	...	Jane
Michael Cavanaugh	...	Dr. Malcolm Keogh
Tom Irwin	...	Lou
Charles Gunning	...	Hugh Crain
Saul Priever	...	Ritchie
M.C. Gainey	...	Large Man
Hadley Eure	...	Carolyn Crain

Also Known As:

Maldición, La (USA: Spanish title)
The Haunting of Hill House (USA) (trailer title)
The Legend of Hill House (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense horror sequences.

Runtime:

113 min | Switzerland:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:14 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36806) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Belvoir Castle, Belvoir, Leicestershire, England, UK

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The title of the movie was changed from "The Haunting of Hill House" (another film, House on Haunted Hill (1999) was to be released later that year).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the oval from the gate falls on Nell's Gremlin, Dr. Marrow and Theo struggle to get lift it from the car, but as Theo jiggles the door, one can see that the oval is obviously rubber, as it bounces off of the door.

Quotes:

Eleanor "Nell" Vance: You know all my life, I have been waiting for an adventure. I thought it would never happen to me. I mean adventures are for Soldiers, or for bullfighters, the women fall in love with. Now, here I am. Paintings are moving and strange voices are calling for me at night, and all it cost me was FIVE GALLONS OF GAS.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Scary Movie 2 (2001)

Soundtrack:

The Carousel

Subtle chills....what's that???

Well, my goodness, am I disappointed. When I first heard news of a remake of Robert Wise's 1963 film, "The Haunting", I had a fear that it would be ruined by an abundance of summer-movie sized visual effects. But, deep down, I had faith. Surely, with such a talented cast intact...De Bont and company will not ruin a film, who's original was a fantastic and frightening movie that understood the delicate art of subtlety. Well, subtlety, where are you now!!?? My fears have manifested...a promising movie has gone wrong. Yes, Eugenio Zannetti's production design is jaw-dropping; the movie is wonderfully photographed; and composer Jerry Goldsmith can never EVER do wrong. But, the script puts it's fine actors to the test..asking them to deliver the kind of stilted dialogue that is only spoken in movies. In the end, the always wonderful Lili Taylor is the only performer to escape with some dignity...and that's just barely. But, the crime of all crimes is that the horror is shown to us. We can no longer use our imaginations, feel that horrible dread of fear of the unknown. No, we get some visual effects to SHOW US what we're supposed to be afraid of...and you know what? As wonderfully realized as they are...the visual effects come off as sort of silly. And the climax is a phantasmogoric mess...but things had gone terribly wrong long before that.

Everything in The Haunting is overdone and overblown. I'm afraid there are no real thrills or creaks in this old haunted house monstrosity...only groans. Check out the original instead.