Richard Matheson's scripting of his novel Hell House builds into an exceptionally realistic and suspenseful tale of psychic phenomena.
70
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Visually, by today's standards, The Legend of Hell House is pretty tame, but what it may lack in visual acuity is more than made up for in atmosphere and sheer creepiness. [29 Oct 1992, p.30]
63
Slant MagazineChuck Bowen
Slant MagazineChuck Bowen
The Legend of Hell House is a regrettably just-competent adaptation of a great American horror novel.
50
TV Guide Magazine
TV Guide Magazine
While director John Hough (Twins of Evil) does a fine job with the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night aspects of the material, he fails to breathe any life into Richard Matheson's woefully underdeveloped screenplay, which he adapted from his own novel.
If John Hough, the director, and his small, willing cast maintain mild tension during their harried visit to this haunted "hell house," the few chills they provide are of little help.
40
Time Out
Time Out
Trivialising the theme, saddled with some terrible dialogue, needlessly tricked out with a lot of countdown-style dates, it founders into innocuous routine.