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.
Director:
Jan de Bont
Stars:
Liam Neeson,
Catherine Zeta-Jones,
Owen Wilson
Physicist Lionel Barrett and his wife lead a team of mediums into the Belasco House, which is supposedly haunted by the victims of its late owner, a six-foot-five serial killer.
Director:
John Hough
Stars:
Roddy McDowall,
Gayle Hunnicutt,
Pamela Franklin
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.Written by
Doug Sederberg <vornoff@sonic.net>
Robert Wise was in post-production on West Side Story (1961) when he read a review in Time magazine of Shirley Jackson's novel, The Haunting of Hill House. Wise read the book and found it frightening. He passed it to screenwriter friend Nelson Gidding, whom he had worked with on I Want to Live! (1958). Gidding did a full story treatment for Wise before proceeding to work on the adaptation See more »
Goofs
When the shaking mirror falls, you can clearly see the string through the hole in the wall that had been holding it up. See more »
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.
See more »
Alternate Versions
Original cut of movie (shown 24/9/03 at Filmhouse, Edinburgh) has several differences from the general release print -
Alternate opening with voice-over by the Mrs Sannerson character in place of the Markway monologue.The titles prior to this scene are slightly different. The 'History of Hill house' scene continues into the meeting with Mrs Sannerson and Markway but in this version, it is Sannerson who is doing most of talking.
The following scene from the general release print of Markway listing his subjects on a blackboard is missing. In it's place is a scene where Theo throws her lover out her appartment and, next to a photo of her lover, writes "I Hate You!" on a mirror in lipstick, looks at her reflection and mutters "I hate you too...". She then receives her invitation from Markway. This is delivered to her by her landlady how requires the excess postage to be paid. Theo already knows this is to be paid and there is humourous exchange concerning her ESP or her 'gift'.
There are several extened scenes involving Eleanor's 'inner thoughts' - most of which tie into her thoughts on her possible relationship with Markway. The scene showing her travelling to Hill house is extended with more 'inner monlogue' material including a couple of shots of her turning onto 'route 238' and commenting on "Journey's end in lovers meeting...".
The Morning/Harp scene runs longer and contains more dialogue from both Eleanor and Markway. This print had a title card prior to the MGM logo - "This print is on loan from the National Film and Television Archive"
This is one of the best haunted house movies where you actually don't see the ghosts, you just hear them, and you wonder whether they're really there or just the people's imigination. The movie is about four people who go to spend a weekend at a well known haunted house and experience some real bumps in the night! Excellent acting and direction not to mention the creepy music. Highly recommended. they should make more movies like this! Hopefully the remake will good as well
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This is one of the best haunted house movies where you actually don't see the ghosts, you just hear them, and you wonder whether they're really there or just the people's imigination. The movie is about four people who go to spend a weekend at a well known haunted house and experience some real bumps in the night! Excellent acting and direction not to mention the creepy music. Highly recommended. they should make more movies like this! Hopefully the remake will good as well