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Read Thread: The Haunting (1963)

Re: The Haunting (1963)
Board: Movie Moments
Reply to: #964799 by Captain Slick Kitty
Sep 3, 2018 5:00am
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I think I’m from the same generation but I was raised to watch and critique movies by a member of the previous. I’m getting ready to show this to my 13 year old. She is frightened of the dark outside and a few years ago made me turn off a low grade version of Jane Eyre because of spooky laughter. However, now that she can stay home alone she has been watching Stranger Things and Jaws without batting an eye. I’m afraid the moment to scare this member of the next generation with The Haunting may have passed!

(PS- I’m glad you liked the wall scene!!)
Re: The Haunting (1963)
Board: Movie Moments
Reply to: #964799 by Captain Slick Kitty
Sep 3, 2018 6:52am
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I think some things translate well to film and some don't. The trouble is the source material. The Haunting of Hill House is a book that hinges on things being creepy and unsettling, off-kilter and that feeling of dread you can't voice. It's a masterful work, but then, how are you supposed to show dread for an hour and a half on screen? The audience gets bored and the popcorn runs out. It makes me sad they go for cheap jump scares instead. If you haven't read the book, it's worth a read, but I definitely agree that the movie is lackluster.
Re: The Haunting (1963)
Board: Movie Moments
Reply to: #964807 by PiggyJaunt
Sep 3, 2018 4:25pm
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Did you see the original Haunting? From your description I thought you’d be describing a remake. I think the original is all about conveying the evil atmosphere by being off-kilter. I picked it for CSK’s LTC tracker because I thought it was creepy without resorting to the cheap thrills of more recent movies. I must admit I haven’t seen it in s few years though I just read the book this summer. Well, listened to an audio book in the car! But with the exception of the bloody walls, the walk outside, and changing Mrs Markham’s character around, I thought it was as a pretty faithful adaptation of the story AND it’s dread. I’m very sympathetic to problems of poor adaptations. 99% of the time the movie can not compare to the book. For me, this is one of the times when I feel it comes close. I wonder what Jackson thought of it?