We’re deep into Supertobertacular, our all-month run of not-so-scary movies, arranged from the not-so-scary to the mostly not-so-scary. This week we’re knocking on the very breathy door of Robert Wise’s classic haunted house film, The Haunting (1963).
Dr. Markway wants proof of the supernatural, so he gathers a few guests with brushes with the paranormal at Hill House. The house quickly decides it only cares about Eleanor, a shy, lonely woman who spent her adult life caring for her mother. Julie Harris leads the cast as Eleanor, alongside Claire Bloom as the cool and perceptive Theodora, with Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, and a very tuned-in house.
Beth first saw this at around seven years old, peeking around a corner while her mom watched, and it has stuck with her ever since. We talk about why it still works with no CGI at all: the door that breathes, the chalk writing on the wall, and a score so loud it’s practically a character. We get into how doors and statues do their scary work while the camera politely looks away, the wallpaper face, and why Eleanor’s inner monologue never stops. We also compare Shirley Jackson’s novel The Haunting of Hill House with the 1999 remake and Mike Flanagan’s series, and talk about the shy, lonely caretaker at the center of it all. Plus a very cozy discussion of fear, adrenaline, and why autumn is the perfect time to get a little spooked from the safety of the blanket fort.