Classic Film Friday (Special Halloween Edition): The Haunting

Ok boys and girls, this is (to me anyway) the mother of all haunted house movies.

Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson) aspires to scientifically prove the existence of paranormal activity. To accomplish this he enlists the aid of people who have had prior experience with the supernatural to explore what is regarded to be the VERY haunted Hill House. Only 2 applicants are brave/dumb enough to meet him there, Eleanor (Julie Harris) a socially repressed loaner that has spent her entire adult life caring for her bed ridden mother and outspoken clairvoyant Theo (Claire Bloom). They are joined by devil may care, silver spoon progeny, Luke (Russ Tamblyn), who is next in line to inherit the Hill House.

And the ghosts show up almost immediately thereafter.

It doesn’t use special effects or gore or much of anything really, except a voracious appetite for the fear of the unknown. And it is incredibly effective. In The Haunting, it’s what you don’t see that’s really scary.





The Haunting is playing on TCM tonight at 6pm.