The Haunting (1963)
Average Rating: 7.9/10
Reviews Counted: 35
Fresh: 30 | Rotten: 5
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 4.8/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 3
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.7/5
User Ratings: 18,324
My Rating
Movie Info
One of the most highly regarded haunted house films ever produced, Robert Wise's The Haunting (based on Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House) weaves the dark tale of a questionably sane young woman and a sinister house which holds a terrifying past. Invited to join anthropologist Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson), ESP expert Theodora (Claire Bloom), and probable heir to the estate Luke Sanderson (Russ Tamblyn) in order to dispel the near mythical tales that surround the house, unstable
Sep 18, 1963 Wide
Aug 5, 2003
Paramount Pictures
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Cast
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Julie Harris
Eleanor Vance -
Claire Bloom
Theodora -
Richard Johnson
Dr. John Markway -
Russ Tamblyn
Luke Sanderson -
Lois Maxwell
Grace Markway -
Fay Compton
Mrs. Sanderson -
Ronald Adam
Eldridge Harper -
Diane Clare
Carrie Fredericks -
Rosalie Crutchley
Mrs. Dudley -
Amy Dalby
Abigail at 80 -
Valentine Dyall
Mr. Dudley -
Verina Greenlaw
Dora -
Howard Lang
Hugh Crain -
Mavis Villiers
Landlady -
Paul Maxwell
Bud -
Susan Richards
Nurse -
Rosemary Dorken
Companion -
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All Critics (35) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (5) | DVD (16)
People stare about in terror and squeak: 'The house, it's alive!' The picture, it's dead.
Top CriticThe artful cinematic strokes of director Robert Wise and staff are not quite enough to override the major shortcomings of Nelson Gidding's screenplay.
Pretty effective when it came out; it may be a little stiff in the joints by now, but it's still a much better scare show than the recent stinker remake.
What makes the film so effective is not so much the slightly sinister characterisation of the generally neurotic group, but the fact that [director] Wise makes the house itself the central character, a beautifully designed and highly atmospheric entity.
Makes more goose pimples than sense.
Borderline perfect... Strip away all of its frightening elements, and the film remains a sophisticated, complex, and tremendously subtle character study.
One of the handful of truly great haunted-house films ever made. (TCM Greatest Classic Films: Horror)
The horror remains admirably attuned to the sense of solitude in a premature spinster
A dark brooding atmosphere, disturbing psychological insights and a handful of suddenly executed surprises make this old horror as fresh and vital as the day it was made.
Properly creepy, unlike like the dodgy remake.
An undeniably effective adaptation of the Shirley Jackson novel and remains one of the best haunted-house movies.
Knows how to draw fright from its haunted house story.
...easily ranks among the finest supernatural suspense films ever made.
The good news is that the disc presents the film in its original 2.35:1 (anamorphic) widescreen, and Wise's striking compositions put every square inch to use.
few filmmakers have drawn fright from nothingness as adeptly as Robert Wise did
Ghosts! And they are unseen, frightening things in this creepy classic.
The scariest movie of its day
Audience Reviews for The Haunting
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Dr. John Markway: That proves it: one of you is a witch!
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- Eleanor Vance: Hill House has stood for ninety years and will probably stand for ninety more. And we who walk at Hill House, walk alone.
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- Dr. John Markway: You're liable to have that shut door ripped right off it's hinges.
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- Eleanor Vance: And whatever walks there walks alone.
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- Eleanor Vance: Whose hand was I holding?
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- Dr. John Markway: That's very good, Eleanor. You catch on quickly.
- Theodora: (gets jealous and stands up) - I'm hungry. Let's go.
Discussion Forum
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Latest News on The Haunting
September 15, 2005:
Hollywood Giant Robert Wise Passes Away at 91Master filmmaker and 4-time Oscar winner Robert Wise has died at the age of 91. Probably best known...
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Foreign Titles
- The Haunting (1963) (DE)
- The Haunting (1963) (UK)
