The strength of this film (and many other classic horror movies) is you get hints, you might even catch a quick glimpse, but the vast majority of the horror is what you imagine in your own mind.
"America isn't ready for a gay, mexican chicken sandwich" - Poultrygeist
[deleted]
@Grayseph - your top films all have a common thread (of superb quality) running through them and, except for The Innocents' position (which was during the same period as the Haunting in release), each could be seen as directly responsible for the next. I would wedge in The Others (2001), which definitely owes its existence to the other films in the list and does a fairly good job of creating its own set of chills (without giving any spoilers, a scene with a painting had people shrieking in the theater.)
"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II
[deleted]
I endorse the sentiments for "The Others" : a relatively contemporary ghost story, built on the foundations from most of the other films from your excellent list. Although I must admit I'm still unsure if Kidman was best suited for that particular role. But she did a fine job, ably supported by the actors playing her children.
But even though I do love these physchological horror/ghost flics over the more modern-day in-your-face gore & visuals, I will admit to the odd indulgence for some blood & guts - "Saw" and "The Descent" being particular favourites.
The only problem with those kinds of films is that they barely leave an impression on my mind because you just know what goes on in those films is wildly exaggerated. Whereas simply going to bed late at night after watching something like "The Haunting", always unsettles me because every shadow in the corner of the room, every groan & creak from the house itself, every shape & impression on a wall will always play merry hell with my mind as I try to sleep.
And I always ALWAYS keep my hands safely tucked under the blankets!! :)
"One must first get behind someone, in order to stab them in the back!"
And I always ALWAYS keep my hands safely tucked under the blankets!! :)
[deleted]
[deleted]
I mostly agree, but not about The Uninvited... it has a good story, but the actors belt out their lines as if they were in a radio drama about gangsters...only the girl gets it right.
The Woman in Black I mostly know from the original, I didn't realize there had been a remake.
[deleted]
The acting techniques (and techniques of film) definitely inform the films, making them a record of the time from which they came as well as a record of the storyline. The Uninvited is often called a 'melodrama' instead of a 'horror film'. Lady in Black, 70 years later, definitely has a different feel to it - but an unnerving similarity in content and texture.
"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II
[deleted]
@Grayseph:
That intrigued me, as I'd never heard of it! Can't find any trace of it though. Did you mean The Woman in Black by any chance? If so, I agree the 2012 version of that is excellent!
[deleted]
I'm a major horror film fan, so YES, I've seen it.
"No fate but what we make." -Terminator II
[deleted]
I agree. I think horror movies are scariest when they put most of their effort into atmosphere, without too much visual stuff. Not saying that there can't be any visual stuff at all, but it's scariest when the movie leaves most of the work to your imagination. It's the unknown that scares us more than almost anything we could possibly see.
The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of history.
-Mao Zedong
Absolutely. Some of the most terrifying parts of a film are either anticipating or getting a glimpse just before the screen goes black.
In The Sixth Sense, I was far more disturbed by the unseen whatever that was in that closet with Cole than if I had seen it. The same goes with the 'pounder', and whatever was trying to open the door in The Haunting. My imagination provided something far worse than anything the director could throw at me.
No fate but what we make. -Terminator II
The same goes with the 'pounder', and whatever was trying to open the door in The Haunting. My imagination provided something far worse than anything the director could throw at me.
I think putting a face on it might deplete its fear-factor for me. Faceless and gigantic and dark is enough to get the chills going. There's a giant black dog in the book (mentioned in the film) that distracts away from 'whatever' is wandering around banging on the walls at about the nine-foot level.
We have a physical therapy office in our building and I can sometimes hear the sliding machine pounding away on their floor in the stairwell. It definitely has that "Haunting" feel to it, extremely echoey and not exactly easy to place. When I've said that the movie scarred me for life, that's what I'm talking about. For others in the building it's just an annoyance - for me it's a creepylifelong connection.
No fate but what we make. -Terminator II