Robert Wise’s The Haunting is a cerebral, slow-burn adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, “The Haunting of Hill House.”
| The Haunting | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
Grade: B+ (**** out of *****)
In this ghost story, a group of strangers participate in a paranormal experiment at a diabolical New England estate of Gothic tinges.
the trailer:
The film, set for the most part indoors, depicts the experiences of a small group of people invited by a paranormal investigator to investigate a purportedly haunted house.
Wise’s restrained direction lacks cheap jump scares, but instead relied on a dazzling visual style, sounds of creaky doors and sinister whispers, and dexterous use of shadow and light.
Led by anxiety-ridden Julie Harris as the mentally frail Eleanor, it was ahead of its time in featuring a queer character, played by Claire Bloom.
The film was shot in the UK, at the MGM-British Studios near London[7] on a budget of US$1.05 million, with exteriors and the grounds shot at Ettington Park in the village of Ettington, Warwickshire.
Julie Harris was cast by Wise, who found her ideal for the psychologically fragile Eleanor. Though she suffered from depression during then production, Harris gives a commanding performance, re;ying on her distinctive voice and angst-ridden face.
The elegant interior sets were by Elliot Scott, credited by Wise as instrumental in the making of The Haunting. They were designed to be brightly lit, with no dark corners or recesses; all the rooms had ceilings to create claustrophobic effect on film.
Wise used a 30mm anamorphic, wide-angle lens Panavision camera that was not technically ready and thus caused distortions. Wise and cinematographer Davis Boulton planned sequences that kept the camera moving, utilising low-angle takes, and incorporating unusual pans and tracking shots.
Released on September 18, 1963, the fim received mixed reviews and initially was not popular at the box office.
Over the years, it has regained in statuire after praise from major Hollywood directors, such as Spielberg and Scorsese, who placed The Haunting first on his list of the 11 scariest horror films of all time.
Remake:
The film was poorly remade in 1999 by director Jan de Bont, starring Liam Neeson, Lili Taylor, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson, but that version received generally negative reviews from critics.
Screenplay by Nelson Gidding, based on The Haunting of Hill House
1959 novel by Shirley JacksonCinematography Davis Boulton
Edited by Ernest Walter
Music by Humphrey Searle
Production company: Argyle Enterprises
Distributed by MGM
Release dates: 18 Sept 18, 1963 (U.S.); Jan 9, 1964 (U.K.)
Running time: 114 minutes
Budget $1.05 million
Box office $1.02 million
