THE HAUNTING (1963) is a haunted house classic based on the novel by Shirley Jackson and one that plays out very differently from what you might expect. It's a subtle, internal, highly psychological drama that's more interested in the characters, particularly Eleanor, than on traditional spooks-and-chains ghostliness. It's a slow burner for sure, but I found myself fully immersed in its offbeat and fragile world.
Robert Wise's black and white direction is the stand-out here, bringing to life the weirdness of hill house in a uniquely-crafted way. Julie Harris gives the stand-out performance with a layered and nuanced turn, but the others shine too, from Richard Johnson's no-nonsense parapsychologist to Russ Tamblyn's comic relief and Claire Bloom's ahead-of-her-time lesbian character. A couple of sequences rank among the scariest in all cinema and the ending a real gut punch too.
Robert Wise's black and white direction is the stand-out here, bringing to life the weirdness of hill house in a uniquely-crafted way. Julie Harris gives the stand-out performance with a layered and nuanced turn, but the others shine too, from Richard Johnson's no-nonsense parapsychologist to Russ Tamblyn's comic relief and Claire Bloom's ahead-of-her-time lesbian character. A couple of sequences rank among the scariest in all cinema and the ending a real gut punch too.