This is 1963?? - The Haunting (1963) Discussion

[–] PrometheusTree64 10 years ago

You're silly. This "really look like a bad William Castle's movie" ??

Ha!

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Non-sequiturs are delicious.

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[–] jv-181-346883 10 years ago

Thanks for the insult. I guess you're pretty smart and very open mind.

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[–] PrometheusTree64 10 years ago

Thanks for the insult. I guess you're pretty smart and very open mind.

Finally -- you said something clever!

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Non-sequiturs are delicious.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 10 years ago

There are probably people who walk into the Sistine Chapel and 'tsk', saying, "I don't see what's the big deal about this ceiling. It's overdone, dim, looks like it was painted a hundred years ago and it's TACKY."

Tastes differ, times change, (poor) imitation makes things overly-familiar, what's considered 'perfect' changes.
That doesn't make it any less a masterpiece.

"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Walt-Most 10 years ago

I wish I'd written that.

*****
It is over.

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[–] MrBanBan 9 years ago

People want instant gratification instead of trying to think what the big deal actually is (historical context, implication about society then and now, legacy, source materials)

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[–] DreTam2000 9 years ago

You're silly. This "really look like a bad William Castle's movie" ??

Ha! []

Funny...

Thanks for the insult.

...I saw no insult.

I'm not a control freak, I just like things my way

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[–] BeOneOfUs 8 years ago

Awwwww, are you sad because the stranger doesn't like the same film you do?
That's.......Quite sad actually.

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[–] tkip19 10 years ago

Methinks the OP is trolling. Not sure how the performances were bad considering the excellent story, script and caliber of the actors involved and that this film is regarded by many as a timeless classic where showing less, is better.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] crombles 10 years ago

this film is regarded by many as a timeless classic

Many many more people regard Twilight as a timeless classic....but is it??

Never assume that popularity and quality go hand in hand. Being part of the general consensus doesn't make people right.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 10 years ago

Twilight is popular, The Haunting is a classic.
MacDonald's is popular - but no classic.
There's a difference.
Sometimes you just want a Big Mac...
other times you want real food that's actually worth remembering.

"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] bonidea 10 years ago

The same people who think McDonald's is good food.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 10 years ago

repeat: "If it bleats like a troll..."

-One of the irritating fanbase. *

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[–] eweland 10 years ago

Ah, the self-proclaimed final critic of all non-scary films. Boo.

The Kubrick film IS far superior, in every way.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 10 years ago

*(...who can tell a horror film from a Loony-Tunes cartoon)

"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II

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[–] eweland 10 years ago

Psychological drama - not a horror film.

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[–] teethgrrrinder 10 years ago

that's why I believe the OP isn't trolling just a bit out of touch with history. after all, they did recognise this as a 'terror' film and not a horror

as insufferable and annoying as Nell is in a this film, it's one of the two things* the 1999 remake did right was make her slightly less annoying (and if you just hate Lili Taylor she redeemed herself in Six Feet Under and the Conjuring) but you're unlikely to get randy lesbians in a major studio from the 1940s

*the second thing was having amazing art direction to distract you from the mutual embarrassment you feel for all involved

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[–] chip92114 8 years ago

The remake of The Haunting is the worst movie ever. To take a piece of cinematic art like The Haunting and turn it into the garbage that was the remake is truly disappointing.

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[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

The only thing spooky about that dreadful 1999 "remake" was that Lili Taylor looks like the second face of the woman in the bed from the aging montage in the original!

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LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA

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[–] BeOneOfUs 8 years ago

You hate this film so much you saw it 10 times? lol

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[–] Flight_of_Fantasy 8 years ago

STILL IS BORING AS HELL

Interesting, as you just described The Shining, aka one of the most overrated and least-scary horror movies ever made, which you for some reason seem to like.

The Haunting is superior in every way.

Peter, is your social worker in that horse?

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[–] ElectricWarlock 10 years ago

I used to find the film rather boring as well, but I think it's one of those you have to watch multiple times to really appreciate. Every time I watched it, I liked it more and more and now I think it's a great ghost movie and not boring at all.

Death lives in the Vault of Horror!

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[–] modica (4169) 2 years ago

I first saw it as a teen, all alone, in a rural area of northern Vermont. It was on the CBS late movie back in the 70's. It scared me so much I couldn't sleep until my parents got home from a party. I will never forget how this movie made me feel.

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[–] ms_tripsalot 10 years ago

I am not sure if you are trolling, just don't like the movie, or both... in any case, as someone else said, tastes change and everyone's opinions are different. Personally, I loved it because it DID remind me of Hitchcock (the pounding/knocking, the strange noises, Julie Harris' character, and the eerie lack of music at parts). It kept my on the edge of my seat, even though NOTHING actually happens. No ghosts, no apparitions, nothing. Just alot of strange noise. In my book, that's a pretty good "scary" movie.

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[–] bayardhiler 10 years ago

Finally someone says what I've been thinking for a long time! Like you, I can appreciate old horror flicks, like 1942's "Cat People" or "Frankenstein" (1931). But yet I was never that impressed with "The Haunting". Something about it prevented me from getting into it.

To be honest a part of it may have been the main character, the woman who was played by Julie Harris. No offense to Ms. Harris's performance but the character just annoyed me when she kept saying in her head that the house is evil, blah, blah, blah but then she's like I can't leave because I'll never be happy or something like that. Yeah I get she wasn't happy with her sister but it's not like she couldn't have gone somewhere else for crying out loud. All in all, the film was some what decent in some parts but ultimately overrated. Sorry, I ranted a bit but I had to say my peace.

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[–] psychocosmic-1 9 years ago

Julie Harris plays a character who has been occupied with taking care of her sick mother. No freedom. After her mother dies, partly to her blame, she has her first vacation from the house she has been more or less inprisoned within. At last, Hill House offers something special, something that relates to her personally. Something that is able to write her name on the wall. In her vulnerability, she slowly is pulled in to a trancelike state by the forces of the house, sometimes she is social with the other tenants, but more and more she is "trapped" in her own mind to stay. That is what we see and hear during her monologues. "Why didnt she just leave" is an oversimplification of the plot and its obvious you forget her character. Its part of it...

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 9 years ago

Eleanor repeats (often) in the book, "Journeys end in lovers meeting." If ever there were two kindred entities, it's the twisted spirit(s) of Hill House and the repressed spirit of Eleanor Vance. In fact, as she drives up the road towards Hill House, a woman she meets (who insists there are no houses like the one she describes in the area) tells her, "I hope you find your house!"

It looks like they found each other.

No fate but what we make. -Terminator II

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[–] bayardhiler 9 years ago

I can understand what the filmmakers' intentions were and what the mindset of the character was. It's just that, I don't know, something about the character's rational always frustrated me and overall I've never been impressed with this film. I know that other people love and praise it and to each his own. Myself, I think there's other ghost films that far surpass this one, like "The Shining" or "The Changeling", both of 1980. But it's one man's opinion. Thanks for the comment.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Trax-3 9 years ago

When I watched it I thought it was a film from the 40's.

The fact that the film is in anamorphic widescreen is a big hint that it was not made in the 40s. 

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[–] KobiyashiMauru 9 years ago

The film was designed to be timeless. It's a Horror Classic and Martin Scorsese even calls it his favourite horror movie. I love this film and it scared the crap out of me when I saw it as a child. Now that I'm older I can appreciate the effects and details that I couldn't have then. The absolute brilliance of never showing ghosts and goblins and the psychology of the mind as pure horror. I'm sorry that you don't like it but it just leaves more for the rest of US!
👻😨

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[–] tbonesays 9 years ago

Today TCM is showing both House on Haunted Hill and The Haunting for those of us who had trouble telling them apart.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 9 years ago

...and want to have trouble sleeping for a few days.

No fate but what we make. -Terminator II

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[–] leader-7 9 years ago

Both terrific movies -- esp if you saw them as I did, as an impressionable child.

Vincent Price in "House... Hill" was stupendous, as was the entire supporting cast. "Hill House" great in a different way.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 9 years ago

House on Haunted Hill has that scene in the basement. That kept me awake for years.

No fate but what we make. -Terminator II

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[–] leader-7 9 years ago

yes yes!!! no details here -- but just the scariest thing ever. When I was a kid, my dad would take off a couple of school holidays a year and take me to any movie at my request. Of course I saw 101 dalmatians... but I was always on the lookout for the scary/monster/horror show, too. It was with him that I saw Psycho.

Yes. the scene in the basement -- nothing short of spectacular.

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[–] catbookss 9 years ago

I want the details, please. You can put a spoiler on it. I've seen House on Haunted Hill a few times, but not for many years and barely remember the plot, never mind any specific scenes. What happened in the basement?

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 9 years ago

Something to do with the old, blind, caretaker.

No fate but what we make. -Terminator II

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[–] catbookss 9 years ago

It rings a bell, but the bell's been covered with cotton wool.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 9 years ago

Somebody sneaking up on someone.

No fate but what we make. -Terminator II

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[–] catbookss 9 years ago

Boy, I got nothin' here. But thanks for trying to jog my memory anyway.

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[–] AStrangeOldMan 9 years ago

While they are investigating, the leads go into the basement, where the female lead, carrying a candle backs into... well, you remember that!

No fate but what we make. -Terminator II

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] ferjy 9 years ago

Ha ha, even knowing something was coming, I nearly hit the ceiling. I gotta say, she (the lead) recovered pretty quickly after all that wailing and swooning.

Catbookss, the scene is 25 minutes into the movie if you want to have a quick look.

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[–] catbookss 9 years ago

Sheesh, I just don't remember it at all, even with both of your prompting me. All I remember is Boris Karloff being the owner/host of the house, and a number of other people were invited to stay … over a weekend? Something like that.

If I can find it on YouTube, I'll take a look at it 25 minutes in. Thank you both :)

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[–] ferjy 9 years ago

Poor Cat. But don't despair, you're not going nuts. No Boris in this one. Vincent Price is the host. You might be thinking of the wrong movie!

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[–] catbookss 9 years ago

You know, right before I went to sleep I suddenly realized it was Vincent Price, not Karloff!

I found it on YouTube and have been watching :). Hey, it's Halloween, what better day? Now I remember the scene, but unlike you two, what scared me, or creeped me out, most about the basement scene was the vat of acid and the rat thrown into it. I'd forgotten about the other part.

I'd also forgotten that it was filmed at Ennis House! The exterior anyway. Most of the interiors look like sets.

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[–] Flight_of_Fantasy 8 years ago

Something to do with the old, blind, caretaker.

That old *beep* lady makes me jump out of my skin EVERY. TIME.

Peter, is your social worker in that horse?

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[–] BeOneOfUs 8 years ago

I have to agree with the OP.
I have no problem with older films, usually. Rosemary's Baby is one of my favorite films but to me, this film was bad.
Like the OP said, it seemed even older than it was.
The acting was bad and it was completely ineffective.

I have no idea how anyone could possibly find this film scary.

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