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IMDbPro

House on Haunted Hill

  • 19591959
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
28K
YOUR RATING
Vincent Price and Carolyn Craig in House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer1:40
1 Video
99+ Photos
CrimeHorrorMystery
A millionaire offers $10,000 to five people who agree to be locked in a large, spooky, rented house overnight with him and his wife.A millionaire offers $10,000 to five people who agree to be locked in a large, spooky, rented house overnight with him and his wife.A millionaire offers $10,000 to five people who agree to be locked in a large, spooky, rented house overnight with him and his wife.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
28K
YOUR RATING
    • William Castle
    • Robb White
  • Stars
    • Vincent Price
    • Carol Ohmart
    • Richard Long
    • William Castle
    • Robb White
  • Stars
    • Vincent Price
    • Carol Ohmart
    • Richard Long
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 298User reviews
    • 111Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:40
    Watch Trailer

    Photos582

    Elisha Cook Jr. in House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    Vincent Price in House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    Elisha Cook Jr., Carolyn Craig, Richard Long, and Julie Mitchum in House on Haunted Hill (1959)
    Vincent Price in House on Haunted Hill (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Vincent Price
    Vincent Price
    • Frederick Loren
    Carol Ohmart
    Carol Ohmart
    • Annabelle Loren
    Richard Long
    Richard Long
    • Lance Schroeder
    Alan Marshal
    Alan Marshal
    • Dr. David Trent
    Carolyn Craig
    Carolyn Craig
    • Nora Manning
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    • Watson Pritchard
    • (as Elisha Cook)
    Julie Mitchum
    Julie Mitchum
    • Ruth Bridges
    Leona Anderson
    Leona Anderson
    • Mrs. Slydes
    Howard Hoffman
    Howard Hoffman
    • Jonas
    Skeleton
    Skeleton
    • Skeleton
      • William Castle
      • Robb White
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      William Castle: [gimmick] Used a gimmick called "Emergo" in theaters. When the skeleton rises from the acid vat in the film, a lighted plastic skeleton on a wire appeared from a black box next to the screen to swoop over the heads of the audience. The skeleton would then be pulled back into the box as the skeleton in the film is "reeled in". Many theaters soon stopped using this "effect" because when the local boys heard about it, they would bring slingshots to the theater; when the skeleton started its journey, they would pull out their slingshots and fire at it with stones, BBs, ball bearings and whatever else they could find.
    • Goofs
      Lance locks his door from the inside with a deadbolt, after the Doctor calls everybody to the meeting, and leaves through Nora's door. When they return from the meeting, he opens his unlocked door from the outside.
    • Quotes

      Frederick Loren: Don't stay up thinking of ways to get rid of me, it makes wrinkles.

    • Crazy credits
      The end title credits list "Skeleton - By Himself".
    • Alternate versions
      When shown in "Emergo", there was a short scene showing brick wall for the skeleton to "emerge".
    • Connections
      Edited into FrightMare Theater: House on Haunted Hill (2022)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme 'House on Haunted Hill'
      by Richard Kayne and Richard Loring

    User reviews298

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Darling, The Only Ghoul In The House Is You!
    William Castle liked to promote his films with gimmicks, and the gimmick for THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL was Emerg-O: at the peak of the action, a glowing skeleton "emerged from the screen" and flew out over the audience on a wire. By most accounts Emerg-O caused more laughter than chills, but fortunately Castle never relied on gimmicks alone: he also liked bona fide stars, and for HAUNTED HILL his star of choice was none other than the legendary horror star Vincent Price.

    Like most Castle films, HAUNTED HILL's plot reworks a well-worn theme. Millionaire Price and his wife Carol Ohmart give a "haunted house party" for five strangers chosen at random and promised ten thousand dollars if they last the night. The catch: the doors lock at midnight, after which there is no escape until the caretakers return in the morning. While the story itself doesn't hold many surprises, the script is unexpectedly witty, and Price plays it in a slightly prissy, very high-camp manner with a tremendous dose of the black humor for which he was so famous--and the little-known Carol Ohmart is every bit his match, snapping out memorable lines ("Darling, the only ghoul in the house is you!") in every scene. Together they elevate the film well above what you might otherwise expect, and when combined with the largely wooden supporting cast and some of the silliest this-is-supposed-to-scare-you effects imaginable the result is a cult classic with plenty of camp appeal.

    In addition to Price and Ohmart, the film is also surprisingly atmospheric. Shot in and around one of Frank Lloyd Wright's more famous structures, the grainy "late show" look of the film (due more to accident and age than deliberate intent) is very entertaining, the cinematic devices (everything from disembodied heads, irises, and jump-cuts) are very appealing, and the sound track (which sounds like a mix of piano bass keyes, synthesizer, and soprano vocals) is exactly what you'd want for this obvious but extremely entertaining flick. Of all the Castle films, THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL is my personal favorite, and it should rate very high with fans of cult, camp, and Vincent Price. And I'll go further than that: of all his memorable appearances, I do believe this was among Price's best. A great choice for both family movie night or a sophisticated Halloween howl--very recommended! Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
    helpful•48
    9
    • gftbiloxi
    • May 20, 2005

    FAQ8

    • What is 'House on Haunted Hill' about?
    • Is "House on Haunted Hill" based on a book?
    • What house was used for the opening scenes of the guests arriving?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 17, 1959 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Ennis House - 2607 Glendower Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Allied Artists Pictures
      • William Castle Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 15 minutes
      • Black and White

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