The Haunting1963
The Haunting (1963)
The Haunting Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Eleanor Lance
as Theodora
as Dr. John Markway
as Luke Sanderson
as Mrs. Sanderson
as Mrs. Dudley
as Grace Markway
as Mr. Dudley
as Carrie Fredericks
as Eldridge Harper
as Second Mrs. Crain
as Abigail at 6
as First Mrs. Crain
as Hugh Crain
as Landlady
as Dora
as Bud
as Fat Man
as Nurse
as Abigail at 80
as Companion
News & Interviews for The Haunting
Critic Reviews for The Haunting
All Critics (38) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (5) | DVD (8)
People stare about in terror and squeak: 'The house, it's alive!' The picture, it's dead.
The 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.
For the possible overuse of internal monologues and Julie Harris' overwrought but riveting performance as Eleanor, The Haunting still stands up as a relevant and effective study of both the psychology and parapsychology of its themes.
Audience Reviews for The Haunting
One of the best ever and perhaps the template for the haunted house genre. A scientist wants a team of "experts" to verify if a celebrated haunted house is the real deal or what. Robert Wise gets his scares with sound and weird camera angles, shadows and music. There's no buckets of red corn syrup, no chopping of body parts, no unkillable killing machine with a fetish for William Shatner facemasks, only the hint of something out of reach in the dark. And it has stood the test of time. Richard Johnson's English scientist whispering his lines does some considerable spooky damage as well. Julie Harris' voiceover is only a tad annoying, but bearable in the overall scheme of things.
Super Reviewer
Julie Harris' narration gets a little excessive at times but otherwise, great classic horror film that sports a great brooding atmosphere, mesmerizing cinematography, and a great ensemble cast.
Super Reviewer
A sophisticated Gothic tale that doesn't show us anything that would actually frighten us to death but still manages to create an eerie sense of dread as it probes into the psychological and emotional unbalance faced by its protagonist and blurs the line between reality and illusion.
Super Reviewer
The Haunting Quotes
| Dr. John Markway: | That proves it: one of you is a witch! |
| 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. |
| Dr. John Markway: | You're liable to have that shut door ripped right off it's hinges |
| Dr. John Markway: | You're liable to have that shut door ripped right off it's hinges. |
| Eleanor Vance: | And whatever walks there walks alone |
| Eleanor Vance: | And whatever walks there walks alone. |