SteNottingham22

The Haunting on DVD in the UK: 29th:Sep:2003

The Haunting [1963] is coming to England, where it belongs, finally on DVD. The suspense may be too
much for me to take until the 29th of this very month. The greatest, if not of all time horror film. Timeless,
with an energy like the spirits themselves. This film is too creepy for words.

"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."

Robert Wise relies on the old adage of what you don't see is more scary, ala, Night Of The Demon style.
Richard Johnson's performance brings with it the credibility and believability to make the audience believe
the impossible. It's one of those perfect films that gets the blend of fear, suspense and terror. The result is
a horror film that is guaranteed to chill. Filmed in crisp Black & White and using infra-red film emulsion and
cameras for the ghost scenes [would someone please explain this to me, it looks like a scope lense to me!?]

Some might laugh at the film as not being scary, but I recently watched this on my old video version at night
and it still managed to creep me out. My favouruite scene is the banging at the door. If I ever heard those sounds
I think I'd faint there and then.

Although the film is set in America in New England, there wasn't a house as hellish as Hill House for filming.
So where did they find such a demonic mansion, England of course. The gothic architectural concoction is
The Ettington Park Hotel in Stratford Upon Avon. I don't know whether it's still a hotel, if it is, I imagine they
make a fortune from Japanese tourists wanting to stay in Hill House.

Another favourite scene is with the house servant maid woman, where she continually repeats her implicit
style of "I serve breakfast at 8, I leave after 11. There'll be no one else in the house after that. You'll be alone
in the house. I'm the only one they can get, no one else will come closer that that, they stay away from Hill
House from town. You'll be all alone." Everything in this film is effective, the set-up in Act 1 is ingenious with
it's character establishment and the narration of Julie Harris.

The DVD is in WIDESCREEN 2.35:1 which should look beautiful on DVD.
DVD features are:

Commentary by Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn, director Robert Wise, and screenwriter Nelson Gidding.
Theatrical trailer(s).
Stills gallery.
'Things That Go Bump in the Night' essay.

Not the best DVD in the world, a documentary would have been good. The sound is in mono , which I find hard
to believe as a good Digital 5.1 Surround mix was made for films like this, the film is pure sound almost. I'll just
have to turn the volume up extreme and annoy the neighbours.

I'll let everyone else speak about their favourite moments from this BRITISH! horror masterpiece. I really want to
know whether people find this film scary. This year celebrates 40 years of The Haunting.

STE, Nottingham

SteNottingham22

*coughs*
is it my imagination or has no one taken any interest in this post . Am I the only person that likes this film?

*coughs*..."scary film" [English]

STE, Nottingham

smudge

Hi again Ste -

No, you are not alone. I think the original is a cracker. FAR better than the remake. It can still send a chill along your spine...

I think the place in Stratford IS still a hotel ; never tried to find the place though.

Favourite moment ? I don't know, but like you said, it's about what you DON'T see ! It's the overall atmosphere I enjoy.

Scared the beggars out of me when I was a lad though ; a few nights later we had an airlock in the pipes and all I could hear in the wall behind my bed was this awful booming knock, knock, knock...

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

DB7

Watched it again recently and frankly wish I hadn't as I was disappointed; it wasn't the film I remembered as a kid. Problem is that it builds up the tension (as Hitchcock would have done) - then fails to deliver on it (same goes for The Innocents). Julie Harris is also so annoying that I muttered "good" at the end. wink

The remake was unspeakably bad.

The DVD has low sound volume like most prints I've seen.

Obviously I suppose I've become desensitized (tho The Ring gripped me) so I may never venture to revisiting Albert Finney in The Green Man for fear it's not as I remember it.