THE HAUNTING

		Review by E.C. McMullen Jr.
THE HAUNTING 1999 MOVIE REVIEW THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE NOVEL REVIEW THE HAUNTING - 1963 USA Release: AUG! 22, 1963 Argyle Enterprises, MGM Rating: USA: N/A

Years after publication when Producer and Director, Robert Wise, bought the option to turn Shirley Jackson's book, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, into a movie, he asked her if she'd ever considered any other titles. Shirley told him she originally considered simply calling it, THE HAUNTING, and he loved it.

It begins with voice-over narration which is rarely done well and arguably never done well, but there it is.

In this case, I argue it is done well. It's the voice of Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson: THE WITCH [1966], BEYOND THE DOOR, THE COMEBACK, ZOMBIE, THE ISLAND OF FISHMEN, THE GREAT ALLIGATOR, THE MONSTER CLUB, WHAT WAITS BELOW, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER) as he tries to convince Mrs. Sannerson (Fay Compton) that he is not only qualified to carry out his highly questionable, and dubious research on her property, but that he has knowledgeable, scientific reasons why he chose this specific property, her property, and why he would be respectful of it and her family's shadowy past.

Mrs. Sannerson owns the infamous and purportedly haunted Hill House, which is a magnet for crackpots.

Mrs. Sannerson is doubtful of Dr. Markway, but she had him investigated, believes his reasons are trustworthy if unsound, and because she's old and her time is short, is curious about any proof of an afterlife that Dr. Markway could glean from his research.

She has a condition, however. Her disreputable nephew, Luke Sannerson (Russ Tamblyn: THE BOY WITH THE GREEN HAIR, REIGN OF TERROR, THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, SATAN'S SADISTS, DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE [1987], NECROMANCER, THE BLOODY MONKS, B.O.R.N., TWIN PEAKS [1989], AFTERSHOCK, TWIN PEAKS [TV - 1990s], WIZARDS OF THE DEMON SWORD, LITTLE DEVILS: THE BIRTH, TWIN PEAKS: THE MISSING PIECES, TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN [TV - 2017]), is set to inherit the house. Whether he chooses to sell it or live in it is his concern, but she wants him there. Luke can charm nearly anyone into doing anything he wants and as such, doesn't have to lie to get his way. He can be a trusted witness to the research Dr. Markway wants to conduct and, because Luke has a personal interest in the value of the property, he'll protect it.

We turn our attention to the contained life of Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris: ANNIHILATOR, THE DARK HALF). She's spent all of her adult life caring for a sickly, ungrateful Mother who finally died only two months before. Because of this, she has no job skills, no love in her life, nothing at all, and her younger sister, Carrie Fredricks (Diane Clare: WITCHCRAFT [1964], THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES), wants to keep her that way for no other reason but that controlling Eleanor's life, and denying her any happiness, pleases her.

To her great and self-righteous delight, Carrie has happily stolen all respect Eleanor could have. Eleanor is forced to sleep on the couch and even her young niece, Carrie's daughter, is given a vote over what Eleanor is and isn't allowed to do.

Eleanor's one chance for freedom is a letter she received from a Dr. Markway. For reasons of his own he would like her to take part in his research on Hill House. Because it is science research and the property doesn't belong to him, she must not tell others what she is doing.

Carrie and her husband Bud (Paul Maxwell: BLOOD OF DRACULA, HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS [TV], FIREBALL XL5 [TV], THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO, IT! [1967], CAPTAIN SCARLETT AND THE MYSTERONS [TV], UFO: CONTATTO RADAR - STANDO ATTERRANDO, ALIENS) won't allow her to leave, let alone use the car that Eleanor helped pay for with her meager inheritance.

As her family revels in their total oppression of her life, Eleanor shouts at them all to leave her alone, which they do, but only after reminding her that though she pays to live with them, its not her apartment.

The next day, feeling like a thief, Eleanor sneaks out early with all of her worldly belongings packed into a single suitcase. She meets the guard at the car park where the family car - that she paid half the price for - is kept. Convincing him that she has the right to take the car out, and it being much too early for the guard to call Carrie, he gives her the keys and she makes her escape.

A sizeable chunk of the movie dwells in Eleanor's head as we listen to her thoughts. Her character and personality is in pieces as she's only ever known being a child and, as an adult, being both a servant and an endless burden to the people who are supposed to love her. All she has learned so far is that she can't be free to live her own life unless she is willing to take it. No one, not even the people she should be able to trust the most, will give it to her. Further they'll take everything they can from her just to enjoy the misery they cause her.

With every person Eleanor meets on her long road trip, she has to demand what she wants. It rubs her raw, she's not used to it, and feels like she's becoming her Mother and sister, which she doesn't want. Eleanor can't let her guard down for a moment, but what a glorious moment of relief it would be if she could.

When she finally arrives at the gates to Hill House, the grounds keeper Mr. Dudley (Valentine Dyall: FRENZY [1945], CORRIDOR OF MIRRORS, THE MAN IN BLACK, THE CITY OF THE DEAD, FIRST MEN IN THE MOON, THE HORROR OF IT ALL, BIZARRE, LUST FOR A VAMPIRE, THE BEAST MUST DIE, DOCTOR WHO [TV - 1963 - 1989]), refuses to let her in. He knows who she is and knows all about Dr. Markway and his research, but she should come back later, blah, blah, and Eleanor is sick of seemingly every single person on earth thinking they're entitled to deciding what she'll be allowed to do. Eleanor barks at him to let her in at once or Dr. Markway will hear of this personally. Dudley backs down.

Once again she had to behave like her ungrateful Mother, or her vile little sister, for any scrap of respect. Good lord! Is this how the world is?

In the house she meets Mrs. Dudley (Rosalie Crutchley: FLAME AND THE FLESH, THE GAMMA PEOPLE, CREATURES THE WORLD FORGOT, BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB, WHO SLEW AUNTIE ROO?, THE HOUSE IN NIGHTMARE PARK, AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS, THE KEEP), who readily informs her that she won't be there come nightfall. Mrs. Dudley has a whole list of things she won't do and insists on Eleanor listening to every one.

Eleanor, however, was invited by someone with more authority than the housekeeper and though she feels a bit guilty over it, is learning who to ignore.

Soon another participant in the research arrives in the form of Theodora (Claire Bloom: THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, CLASH OF THE TITANS [1981]). Like Eleanor, Theodora has no idea why she was chose for this research and wasn't sure she'd follow through until, on a lark, she did.

While the two talk and become friends, Mrs. Dudley tries to interrupt, repeating her litany of things she won't do for Theodora, who blithely ignores her. Eleanor is captivated at how Theodora effortlessly compartmentalizes rude people like Mrs. Dudley. It's a life tool she never knew existed. Theodora isn't being rude, she simply refuses to give attention to someone who is.

However, almost from the moment Eleanor entered, there is the subtle notice that the house is doing... something.

While people are talking and moving about in the foreground, things are happening just out of focus in the background.

The door to Eleanor's room closes on its own.

At one point, while Eleanor and Theodora are trying to find their way back to the dining room, they become trapped in the hall, the doors either locked or leading to other bedrooms.

Did they come the wrong way? Did they get lost in the huge place?

Just as it seems that panic is about to set in, a door opens and Dr. Markway introduces himself. As he leads them to the dining room where Luke waits, he explains about the doors. Nothing is squared in the house. Each doorway was intentionally built off-kilter so that the doors will be unbalanced and close themselves. He goes to demonstrate to all, but it doesn't work, the door stays open. Within moments after everyone is busy conversing about something else, the door closes by itself.

So far, everything about the house is odd but not upsetting. They're all new to the place and all old houses have their own quirks.

Markway explains that he'd originally had more people in mind but for whatever reason, only Eleanor and Theodora came. Both want to know why he chose them and his reasons make sense. They'd make more sense if only more people, with their various backgrounds, had showed up, but he has to make do. His time with the house is limited and will not come again.

Luke while charming and nice enough, also has no interest in Markway's research or the two women, and goes about openly assaying the value of the various parts of the house and what they may be worth.

Everyone eventually goes to their own rooms to rest for the night, but they won't.

The house was preparing itself for them this entire time. The Dudleys are gone, the gate is locked, and they are miles from help.

The night will belong to Hill House.

Director Robert Wise (THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE, THE BODY SNATCHER, A GAME OF DEATH, THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL [1951], THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, AUDREY ROSE, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE) happened upon a magazine review of Shirley Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, decided to buy a copy of the book, and found it scared him enough to make him leap from his chair when someone unexpectedly came into his reading room.

He wanted to shoot his movie in black and white, which suited MGM and the budget they were willing to give him. However, there are parts of the movie he shot with special Infrared film to attain a level of black and white not usual to the standard silver format.

Wise felt that special effects imagery of ghosts and skeletons would cheapen the scary effect and instead chose visual subtlety and audio SFX: a wide range of sound from loud banging and knocking to only just audible whispers. The cumulative effect, and the terror that overwhelms the characters, carries the day.

That is why, after 60 years, THE HAUNTING remains in print, in the current disc format, and at a premium price. The cgi Special Effects laden 1999 remake can't claim the same.

THE HAUNTING has aged, but it has aged well and no amount of star power and bloated budget has enabled anyone to top it.

Four Shriek Girls.

This review copyright 2023 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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