The Legend of Hell House (1973)

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

Writers:

Richard Matheson (novel), Richard Matheson (screenplay)

Stars:

Roddy McDowall, Gayle Hunnicutt, Pamela Franklin

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Pamela Franklin	...	Florence Tanner
Roddy McDowall	...	Benjamin Franklin Fischer
Clive Revill	...	Dr. Lionel Barrett
Gayle Hunnicutt	...	Ann Barrett
Roland Culver	...	Mr. (Rudolph) Deutsch
Peter Bowles	...	Hanley

Storyline

A team consisting of a physicist, his wife, a young female psychic and the only survivor of the previous visit are sent to the notorious Hell House to prove/disprove survival after death. Previous visitors have either been killed or gone mad, and it is up to the team to survive a full week in isolation, and solve the mystery of the Hell House.

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Plot Keywords:

physicist | medium | psychic | gothic | sex with a ghost | 

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Taglines:

For the sake of your sanity, pray it isn't true!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 June 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

La leyenda de la casa infernal

Filming Locations:

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Academy Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard Matheson wanted Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to star in this film.

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Goofs

When the ghost runs out of Florence Tanner's room, you can clearly see a 2x4 board that was part of the mechanism to make the door open and close by itself.

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Quotes

Ann Barrett: Well, this house certainly hasn't lived up to its reputation so far.
Benjamin Franklin Fischer: It hasn't taken our measure yet.

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Alternate Versions

"SPOILER ALERT" When Dr. Barrett meets his demise towards the end of the film, most video releases depict one of his instruments exploding, then cut to the scene in which Mr. Fischer & Mrs. Barrett return to the laboratory and find his dead body under a fallen chandelier. However, in at least one edited for television version the scene continues as Dr. Barraett recoils from the explosion, then begins staggering through his laboratory as a supernatural wind picks up and his instruments are exploding around him. He then stumbles to the ground, and the chandelier falls on his head.

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Connections

Featured in The Story of Hell House (2014)

User Reviews

Excellent Haunting Story

I have heard this movie be described as menacing and that is a great way to describe it. This has to be one of the darkest of the haunted house movies out there. With an extremely creepy soundtrack and an equally creepy storyline, throw in actors that can play there parts well, and you have a classic film.

Four people must go to a house known as "Hell House" and must exorcise the ghosts that torment and murder all that have gone in prior. Roddy McDowell plays as the one surviving group members from an earlier trip.

A simple storyline, yes, but the way it holds itself up is amazing. The acting is just excellent and convincing. Also, this movie has virtually no special effects at all. This actually works to the movies advantage as we, the audience, must rely on the atmosphere to terrorize us. And it works very well.

One of the all time best haunted house movies ever, this one is definitely worth buying. 8/10