House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Director:

William Malone

Writers (WGA):

Robb White (story)
Dick Beebe (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Six strangers have the chance to make $1,000,000 EACH. All they have to do is make it through the night alive.

Plot:

A millionaire offers a group of diverse people $1,000,000 to spend the night in a haunted house with a horrifying past.

Plot Keywords:

Haunted House | Money | Doctor | Stranger | Ghost

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Geoffrey Rush	...	Stephen H. Price
Famke Janssen	...	Evelyn Stockard-Price
Taye Diggs	...	Eddie Baker
Peter Gallagher	...	Donald W. Blackburn, M.D.
Chris Kattan	...	Watson Pritchett
Ali Larter	...	Sara Wolfe
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras	...	Melissa Margaret Marr (as Bridgette Wilson)
Max Perlich	...	Carl Schecter
Jeffrey Combs	...	Dr. Richard Benjamin Vannacutt
Dick Beebe	...	Male Nurse
Slavitza Jovan	...	Twisted Nurse
Lisa Loeb	...	Channel 3 Reporter
James Marsters	...	Channel 3 Cameraman
Jeannette Lewis	...	Price's Secretary
Janet Tracy Keijser	...	Girl on Wires
Peter Graves	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marc Blucas	...	Period Film Actor (scenes deleted)
Ivana Milicevic	...	Period Film Actress (scenes deleted)
Geneieve Leilyn	...	Park Attendant (uncredited)
Sheila Lussier	...	Ghost / Tree (uncredited)
Debi Mazar	...	Jennifer Jenzen (deleted character, DVD only) (uncredited)
Frank Murgia	...	Zombie (uncredited)
Gregory Nicotero	...	Rollercoaster Technician (uncredited)

Directed by
William Malone

Writing credits (WGA)
Robb White		(story)
Dick Beebe		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gilbert Adler	....	producer
Terry Castle	....	co-producer
Dan Cracchiolo	....	executive producer
Steve Richards	....	executive producer
Joel Silver	....	producer
Ed Tapia	....	associate producer
Robert Zemeckis	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Davis

Cinematography by
Rick Bota		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Anthony Adler

Casting by
Lora Kennedy

Production Design by
David F. Klassen

Art Direction by
Richard F. Mays

Set Decoration by
Lauri Gaffin

Costume Design by
Ha Nguyen

Makeup Department
David Abbott	....	makeup artist
Howard Berger	....	makeup artist
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects artist
Norman Cabrera	....	special makeup department sculptor: Kutzman, Nicotero & Berger EFX.
Bill Corso	....	makeup artist (as William Corso)
Brian Demski	....	lab technician: KNB Effects Group
Brian Demski	....	special makeup effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group Inc
Joyce Etheridge	....	key makeup artist
Garrett Immel	....	special makeup effects artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects
Douglas Noe	....	assistant makeup artist
Diane Pepper	....	hair stylist (as Dianne Pepper)
Shannon Shea	....	special makeup effects artist
Dick Smith	....	special makeup effects design
Faith Vecchio	....	hair stylist
Patricia Vecchio	....	key hair stylist
Alan Tuskes	....	key special makeup effects studio technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Bill Draper	....	executive in charge of production
F.A. Miller	....	unit production manager
Mark L. Mitchell	....	post-production supervisor
Barbara Russo	....	post-production executive (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maria K. Battle	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Maria K. Battle-Campbell)
Gregg Brazzel	....	second unit director (as Gregory Brazzel)
Scott Cameron	....	first assistant director
Simone Farber	....	second assistant director
Dinah LeHoven	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Joe Lotito	....	second second assistant director (as Joseph E. Lotito)

Art Department
Christopher Amy	....	property master
Janet Baxter-Nissen	....	construction medic
Amy Feldman	....	assistant set decorator
Steven Fidler	....	propmaker
Johnny Graham	....	props
Walt Hadfield	....	construction coordinator
Bill 'Kauhane' Hoyt	....	stand-by painter
Brandon L. Hull	....	art department production assistant
David Ladish	....	set dresser
Héctor López	....	assistant property master
Douglas McKay	....	set dresser
Kenny Minster	....	property master: second unit
Tomas Mulrooney	....	sculptor
J. Michael Riva	....	visual consultant
Steve Rodriguez	....	art department assistant
Clare Scarpulla	....	assistant art director
Tim Stadler	....	painter
Bart Sullivan	....	set dresser
Brian Walker	....	construction foreman
James F. Walker	....	construction foreman
Ben Woolverton	....	lead man

Sound Department
Thom Brennan	....	foley supervisor (as Tom Brennan)
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dane A. Davis	....	sound designer
Dane A. Davis	....	supervising sound editor
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Julia Evershade	....	co-supervising sound editor
George Flores	....	boom operator
Vince Garcia	....	production sound mixer
Hilda Hodges	....	foley artist
Eric Lindemann	....	additional sound designer
Eric Lindemann	....	sound effects editor
Frank Long	....	second assistant sound editor
David McRell	....	first assistant sound editor
Alyson Dee Moore	....	foley artist
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Jeremy Peirson	....	assistant sound designer
Charles W. Ritter	....	dialogue editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Gregory H. Watkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Markus Kmitta	....	intern: sound (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Belardinelli	....	special effects coordinator
Thomas L. Bellissimo	....	special effects supervisor (as T. Brooklyn Bellissimo)
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects technician
Rick Bongiovanni	....	effects crew: KNB effects
Tamara Carlson	....	fabricator: K.N.B Effects Group
Jason Collins	....	lab technician: KNB Effects Group
Chiz Hasegawa	....	project coordinator: KNB EFX Group
Frank Iudica	....	special effects technician
Scott Patton	....	sculptor
Christy Sumner	....	special effects technician
Malia Thompson	....	special effects technician
Wayne Toth	....	special effects makeup
Thomas Zell	....	special effects foreman
Brandon Kleyla	....	miniature effects team (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bill Black	....	visual effects editor
Steward Burris	....	3D artist
Richard J. Cook	....	digital effects producer: VisonArt
Rick Cortes	....	visual effects artist
Jim Davidson	....	model builder
Jim Davidson	....	visual effects rigger
Christina Drahos	....	visual effects compositor: VisionArt
Ted Fay	....	director of technology: VisionArt
Antony Hunt	....	executive Producer: Mill Film
Oded Yosef Kassirer	....	digital artist (as Oded Kassirer)
Marc Kolbe	....	visual effects supervisor: VisionArt
Daniel Kramer	....	senior technical director: VisionArt
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Jerry Macaluso	....	additional miniatures: miniature creature
Robert McInnis	....	visual effects supervisor: Modern VideoFilm
Mark L. Mitchell	....	post production visual effects supervisor
Craig A. Mumma	....	visual effects supervisor: VisionArt
Matthew Olivo	....	film record technician (as Matt Olivo)
Helena Packer	....	digital effects supervisor: WhoDoo EFX
Rocco Passionino	....	senior animator
Mark A. Shelton	....	visual effects director of photography
Michael Shelton	....	visual effects
Rick Shick	....	digital compositor
Robert Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor
Andy Stevens	....	visual effects camera assistant: Magic Camera Co
Paul Taglianetti	....	visual effects producer
Chris 'Willie' Williams	....	tracker
John Campuzano	....	tape operator (uncredited)
Brent Gilmartin	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)
Kate Neumann	....	executive assistant: VisionArt (uncredited)
Grant Niesner	....	digital art direction consultant (uncredited)
Alette Vernon	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Shane T. Anderson	....	stunts
Bruno Angelico	....	stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunts
Kevin Ball	....	stunts
Bob Bralver	....	stunts
Gregg Brazzel	....	stunt coordinator (as Gregory Brazzel)
Kimberly Cossette	....	stunts (as Kimberly Cassette)
Lori Crowder	....	stunts
Wally Crowder	....	stunts
Loren Dennis	....	stunts
Yannick Derrien	....	stunts
Danny Downey	....	stunts
John Edward	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Clay Donahue Fontenot	....	stunts (as Clay Fontenot)
Frankie 'G' Garbutt	....	stunts
Alisa Hensley	....	stunts
Scott Leva	....	stunts
April Littlejohn	....	stunts
Mark Lonsdale	....	stunts (as Mark Longsdale)
John Vitale	....	stunts
Clay Donahue Fontenot	....	stunt double: Taye Diggs/Eddie (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Austin	....	24 frame video operator
Nico Bally	....	key grip: insert unit
Garrett Benson	....	second assistant camera
Kirk Bloom	....	second assistant camera
A. Anthony Cappello	....	first assistant camera
Tom Farrar	....	still photographer
Joe Hicks	....	best boy grip (as Joe E. Hicks)
Robert Ikeda	....	grip (as Bobby Ikeda)
Peter Iovino	....	still photographer
Scott Kidner	....	lighting technician
Jordan Klein Jr.	....	underwater director of photography
Jay Laws	....	lighting technician
Michael Laws	....	gaffer
Steven C. Marshall	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Darren Michaels	....	unit still photographer
Darin Miller	....	film loader
Darin Miller	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Chris Moseley	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Bob Munoz	....	key grip (as Robert Munoz)
Brian S. Osmond	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Bryce Porter	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Christian Sebaldt	....	director of photography: second unit
William Skinner	....	lighting technician
Louis Smith	....	second assistant camera: Florida
Lonnie Stewart	....	dolly grip
Stephen J. Ullman	....	Steadicam operator
Stephen J. Ullman	....	camera operator: "b" camera

Animation Department
David B. Fain	....	animator: titles (as David Fain)

Casting Department
Joanne Martin Hinson	....	extras casting
Kristy Sager	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dominick De Rasmo	....	specialty costume manufacturer
Carol Demarti	....	head dyer and ager
Carol Demarti	....	milliner
Kimberly Guenther Durkin	....	costume supervisor (as Kimberly Guenther-Durkin)
Janet Sobel	....	set costumer
Randall Thropp	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Steven A. Calabro	....	second assistant editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
Dan Gutman	....	second assistant editor (as Daniel Gutman)
Tirsa Hackshaw	....	first assistant editor
Jason Hampton	....	assistant colorist
Barbara Riley	....	negative cutter
Eva Winkle	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Bruce Babcock	....	orchestrator
Don Davis	....	orchestrator
Ira Hearshen	....	orchestrator
Erik Lundborg	....	orchestrator (as Eric Lundborg)
Larry Mah	....	score mixer
Barbara McDermott	....	assistant music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music scoring engineer

Transportation Department
Don Haggerty	....	driver
Dan Henley	....	transportation coordinator
Timothy E. Henley	....	transportation captain
Thomas M. Krigbaum	....	transportation co-captain (as Tom Krigbaum)
Doug Wilson	....	driver

Other crew
Chamonix Bosch	....	key set production assistant
Kelsey Clark	....	assistant: Robert Zemeckis
Paul Croghan	....	production coordinator
Gina D'Orazio	....	assistant production coordinator
Iris Dubinsky	....	production secretary
Gloria M. Fujita	....	set medic
Peter Hollocker	....	production assistant
Leah Holmes	....	post production accountant
Douglas McKay	....	local gang boss
Rana Morrison	....	location assistance
Deborah J. Page	....	location manager
Jess Platt	....	dialect coach
Steve Rodriguez	....	production assistant
Alison Rothman	....	first assistant accountant
Taffy Schweickhardt	....	payroll accountant
Mary Anne Seward	....	script supervisor
Annemarie Sinagra	....	production assistant
Matt Story	....	production accountant (as Matthew G. Story)
Cheeba White	....	production assistant: Florida
Robert Polgar	....	assistant: Joel Silver (uncredited)

Production Companies

• J&M Entertainment (presents)
• CLT-UFA International (presents)
• Dark Castle Entertainment
• Helkon Media AG (in association with)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2000) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Amfiteatro Filmai (2000) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Amfiteatro Filmai (2000) (Non-USA) (theatrical) (Baltic states)
• Belga Films (2000) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Australia) (2000) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Austria) GmbH (2000) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2000) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors (2000) (Finland) (theatrical)
• DiFox (2000) (Venezuela) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (2000) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmax (2000) (Spain) (theatrical)
• GAGA Humax (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Helkon Filmverleih GmbH (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• SND (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Skífan (2000) (Iceland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment (1999) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (UK) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Blue Diamond Video (2000) (Venezuela) (VHS)
• Divisa Home Video (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (VHS) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2005) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• WB Television Network, The (2003) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Yorin (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• 4-Ward Productions (digital/visual effects)
• Bellissimo/Belardinelli Effects
• K.N.B. Effects Group (makeup effects)
• Magic Camera Company, The (Geoffrey Rush Greenscreens)
• Modern VideoFilm
• VisionArt

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Danetracks  sound post-production
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Picture Mill, The  title design
• Seattlemusic  music performed by
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence and gore, sexual images and language

Runtime:

93 min | Spain:99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | USA:R (certificate #37055) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:18A (Video rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | New Zealand:R16 | Philippines:R-18 | Mexico:B | Canada:18+ (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

J&M Entertainment

Trivia:

Famke Janssen performed her own stunt when the glass ceiling breaks. It was extremely important for Janssen to remain where she was and very still, yet even with her basically glued to the spot, the shard hit with so much impact that it bounced her head off the table as you can see on close inspection of the scene.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Some of the warnings in the basement are in very bad German - it seems somebody just used a dictionary and translated the English lines word-for-word. For example, one sign has the phrase "Steh zurück!" which means something like "Stay back!". A correct translation would be "Zurückbleiben" or in this context "Eintritt verboten" ("No admittance").

Quotes:

Watson Pritchett:I lied. The house is alive. We're all gonna die.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scream 4 (2011)

Soundtrack:

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Butcher us, mad doctor Combs!!

The similarities between William Castle's campy 1959 original and this typical Hollywood remake are kept to a minimum. We have the premise of 5 people who're offered a million $ if they survive spending a night in 'the house' and Rush who brings tribute to Vincent Price (who played the lead role in the original). Other than this, Malone just follows the routine remake-standards meaning bigger, louder and more spectacular. If you're not too harsh, this actually is a pretty enjoyable movie and – at times – a successful mixture between an old-fashioned 'haunted house' chiller and a modern special effects playground. Thanks to some sort of miracle, Malone managed to cast class actor Geoffrey Rush and a more than decent supportive cast. Rush is talented enough to make his performance of eccentric impresario Steven Price look like a homage to Vincent Price instead of doing a lame impersonation. To me, however, the absolute star of this film is Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator) who plays the small role of the demented Dr. Vannacutt. As usual, Combs' character is the cause of all horror and his grimaces are more diabolical then ever. He's an amazing horror icon and I simply can't get why he isn't enjoying an immortal success-status. Until about 5 minutes before the ending, the use of CGI is imaginative and not irritating at all. The finale is overly fake and kinda ruins the film. If you're not too demanding, The House on Haunted Hill guarantees a lot of fun and a few scares. Definitely a better remake than Jan De Bont's The Haunting and Steve Beck's 13 Ghosts.