The Haunting

(1963) **** 1/2

The Haunting begins with a brief history of all who lived in Hill House and their terrible fates. Rather than fearing the house’s gruesome history, Dr. John Markway is obsessed with it. As a paranormal scientist, Markway leases Hill House in order to conduct research to prove the existence of the supernatural. He invites three others to participate, later noting that they were chosen because they had all had paranormal experiences at some point in their lives. Eleanor is the fragile (and a bit paranoid) one of the bunch and the house ultimately exploits her vulnerabilities. Lacking a strong sense of self, Eleanor believes that Hill House will provide meaning to her life. Theodora is Eleanor’s strong-willed, arrogant opposite, and Luke is the guy who played Dr. Jacoby on Twin Peaks (you’d never recognize him!). Once the three arrive, Hill House quickly lives up to its reputation.

Eleanor appears to be targeted by the house and she slowly unravels in a fantastic performance. Theodora thinks Eleanor is a nut job and treats her accordingly. Dr. Jacoby doesn’t do a whole lot and is there mainly as an overseer and skeptic given that he is next in line to inherit the house. Over the course of a few days strange things begin to happen. Statues appear to move, cold spots appear where no draft would be possible, things go thump in the night, and doorknobs turn on their own. When Markway’s angry wife arrives and insists on staying until the end of her husband’s research, all hell breaks loose.

Wow, what a discovery! Beautiful rich cinematography and sharp, angular sets make The Haunting one remarkable looking film. The house is fantastic and very likely the coolest house ever used for a haunted house setting. The interior is replete with endless hallways, towering walls that appear as if they are caving in on you, and creepy staircases, that all serve to engender a sense of drowning. The house, the physical embodiment of evil, is really the star of The Haunting.

Come on baby, someday I’ll be Laura Palmer’s shrink.

Essays on The Haunting suggest that it is the prototype for all haunted house movies that have followed, which I believe is accurate. Rather than inundate us with images of CG ghosts and gore, director Robert Wise uses subtly in the form of shadows and lighting along with incredibly creepy “haunted house” sounds such as footsteps from some far off place, a weeping child, or creaking wood. At one point a door appears to be breathing. The creep factor is 100% here. I would suggest that The Haunting most closely resembles the tone and feel of Psycho. Character development is excellent and the tension never lets up. The Haunting is a true achievement and my favorite film so far in Horrorthon 2007. A disappointing ending that fails to answer any questions knocks The Haunting down ½ star for me. Despite this shortcoming, the Haunting is a sumptuous delight.