I Loved the book and found it very scary and atmospheric. The description of the gradual dilapidation of the house and the increasingly disturbing events was paced very well as was the the shocking ending.
However in the film many crucial bits are missing or have been totally altered. The vital precursor to the main plot, regarding Ash's sister was changed completely, as she was portrayed in the film as kind and benevolent whereas in the book she was viciously cruel to Ash whilst alive and dead. The whole point being that his dead sister and the ghostly family gang up on Ash to a prove him wrong and drive him mad. This aspect is mainly omitted.
I can't see why the the film was reset to the twenties. Again in the book Ash is a flawed character - seedy, alcoholic and guilt ridden not a dashing professional. As eluded to elsewhere the incest angle between brother and sister was quite an invention of the film and may have been included as an excuse to portray much female nudity both real and canvas born. Many of the details of the book that show Ash's increasing horror that the family are phantoms, such as a one sided conversation on a tape recorder and the bed he shared with Christina obviously having been slept in by only him are brushed over.
A whole episode in the book where Ash does debunk some hoaxers in a supposedly haunted church is missed out too.
Admittedly as a stand alone ghost movie it is not bad but it cannot be called a close adaption of the book.
However in the film many crucial bits are missing or have been totally altered. The vital precursor to the main plot, regarding Ash's sister was changed completely, as she was portrayed in the film as kind and benevolent whereas in the book she was viciously cruel to Ash whilst alive and dead. The whole point being that his dead sister and the ghostly family gang up on Ash to a prove him wrong and drive him mad. This aspect is mainly omitted.
I can't see why the the film was reset to the twenties. Again in the book Ash is a flawed character - seedy, alcoholic and guilt ridden not a dashing professional. As eluded to elsewhere the incest angle between brother and sister was quite an invention of the film and may have been included as an excuse to portray much female nudity both real and canvas born. Many of the details of the book that show Ash's increasing horror that the family are phantoms, such as a one sided conversation on a tape recorder and the bed he shared with Christina obviously having been slept in by only him are brushed over.
A whole episode in the book where Ash does debunk some hoaxers in a supposedly haunted church is missed out too.
Admittedly as a stand alone ghost movie it is not bad but it cannot be called a close adaption of the book.