The Haunting (1963 film)
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| The Haunting | |
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 The Haunting DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Robert Wise |
| Produced by | Robert Wise |
| Written by | Novel: Shirley Jackson Screenplay: Nelson Gidding |
| Starring | Julie Harris Richard Johnson Claire Bloom |
| Distributed by | MGM |
| Release date(s) | September 18, 1963 (USA) |
| Running time | 112 min. |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Haunting is a 1963 horror film directed by Robert Wise and adapted by Nelson Gidding from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It stars Julie Harris as Eleanor, Richard Johnson as Dr. Markway, Russ Tamblyn as Luke, Claire Bloom as Theo, Valentine Dyall and Rosalie Crutchley as Mr and Mrs Dudley, and Lois Maxwell as Mrs Markway. The film centers around the conflict between a team of paranormal investigators and the house they spend the night in.
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[edit] Plot
Generally considered to be the finest "ghost movie" in filmdom, a picture relying on light and shadow and suggestion instead of gore and overt physicality, this first, 1963 filming of The Haunting remains as one of the most respected and influential entries in the annals of macabre cinema.
The original film version of The Haunting follows the plot of Shirley Jackson's novel very closely for most of the film. The basic plot and cast remains the same, though some minor details (Dr. Montague of the novel becomes Dr. Markway) are changed. Eleanor Lance (Vance in the novel), Theodora ("Just Theo," she says in the film), and Luke Sanderson accompany Dr. John Markway during an investigation into the paranormal. Markway believes that an old mansion with a sinister past called Hill House will provide him with the proof he seeks of the existence of the supernatural. Luke is the next in line to inherit the house, and is volunteered by the current owner to join Markway both as a skeptic and overseer. Eleanor and Theodora are the only responders to an invitation Markway sent out to various people who had come in contact with the supernatural at some point in their lives. After the four meet up in Hill House, strange things begin to happen, most of which seems centered on Eleanor. Eleanor finds that she enjoys the attention the house affords her, and becomes drawn deeper and deeper in by the forces within the house. The film follows the novel so closely that The Haunting of Hill House article contains all the necessary information on the general events of the story aside from the differences noted in the following section.
[edit] Film versus Novel
Though the central story of The Haunting remains the same as the novel, there are two main elements that were changed for the film. The first is the nature of Eleanor's relationship with Dr. Markway. In the book, Eleanor develops a bit of a crush on Luke, though he appears to favor the company of Theodora. The film version finds Dr. Markway carelessly forgetting to mention that he's married, and consequently Eleanor mistakes his academic interest in her, coupled with his kindness and charm, for genuine affection. Also, in regard to Mrs. Markway, she shows up later in the film as well, though her companion Arthur is not in the film. However, instead of being a flighty mystic as she is in the book, she is rather a hard-nosed skeptic who wants to convince her husband to give up his research and return home. While her character does not get much screen time, it is apparent that she feels somewhat differently by the end of the film. Director Robert Wise found an interesting way to portray Eleanor as the central character, as he gives her sole rights to internal monologues. The viewer sees more of Eleanor than any of the other characters, and since so much of the story revolves around her, this method is quite effective.
[edit] Cast
- Julie Harris - Eleanor Vance
- Claire Bloom - Theodora
- Richard Johnson - Dr. John Markway
- Russ Tamblyn - Luke Sanderson
- Lois Maxwell - Grace Markway
[edit] Production
Production of the film began on 1 October 1962 at MGM Borehamwood, England with a budget of $1.5 million. The external shots of the house are of Ettington Hall, near Stratford-upon-Avon (now the Ettington Park Hotel, which has been in the Shirley family since before the Norman Conquest). Wise used an infra-red camera to emphasise the "striations of the stone" and make it look "more of a monster house".
The film was remade in 1999, also titled The Haunting, but with little critical appreciation.
[edit] Trivia
- This film was #18 on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments.
[edit] References
- Rigby, Jonathan, (2000). English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema. Reynolds & Hearn Ltd. ISBN 1-903111-01-3.
