The Legend of Hell House (1973) User Reviews

Excellent Haunting Story

[CMRKeyboadist · 8/10 · 30 August 2006]

I have heard this movie be described as menacing and that is a great way to describe it. This has to be one of the darkest of the haunted house movies out there. With an extremely creepy soundtrack and an equally creepy storyline, throw in actors that can play there parts well, and you have a classic film.

Four people must go to a house known as "Hell House" and must exorcise the ghosts that torment and murder all that have gone in prior. Roddy McDowell plays as the one surviving group members from an earlier trip.

A simple storyline, yes, but the way it holds itself up is amazing. The acting is just excellent and convincing. Also, this movie has virtually no special effects at all. This actually works to the movies advantage as we, the audience, must rely on the atmosphere to terrorize us. And it works very well.

One of the all time best haunted house movies ever, this one is definitely worth buying. 8/10

First rate haunted house movie

[ODDBear · 8/10 · 30 November 2005]

Haunted house movies generally don't deliver the goods. There are a few exceptions; the original The Haunting (1963) is the best example. That was a truly terrifying film. The Legend of Hell House is one these exceptions 'cause it really serves up some decent scares and maintains a very creepy atmosphere throughout.

The plot is similar to The Haunting. Various people spend time in a supposedly haunted house, each of them with different background and experience, one of whom has already spent time there and was the only one to come out alive. Needless to say the house is indeed very haunted and pretty soon these people are fighting for their lives.

Featuring excellent performances by all, first rate direction and production values, a solid script; The Legend of Hell House is really a first rate horror film in most respects.

The haunting mood and setting is exceptional--the ending isn't.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 9 September 2012]

"The Legend of Hell House" does an exceptional job of setting a scary and haunting mood. However, while it is worth watching, the ending did very little for me--as if they'd created this wonderful mood but weren't exactly sure what to do about it.

The film begins with a very old rich guy meeting with a physicist and amateur parapsychologist. He offers the man 100,000 pounds to investigate the most haunted house in the world--a death house nicknamed 'Hell House'. It seems that of the last 9 people who investigated this place, only one came out alive! Now, the physicist/parapsychologist will take a team into the bricked out house to determine the secret of this god-forsaken house. Once inside, weird things start happening--and the malevolent spirits in the house begin to possess various members of the group. What happens next? Tune in and see.

Overall, this is worth seeing, as it's creepy as can be. The ending you might like--I wasn't all that impresses--especially since I don't know how lead would cause the least bit of difference. I would, however, say that this is among Michael Gough's best performances--far more subtle and less shrill than most.

if only for a couple of scenes ...

[chexmix · 17 December 2004]

For one or two reasons, this film (despite the flaws others have pointed out) stands as a perfect example of what is scary as opposed to what ... just isn't. At least for me, of course. Here's what I mean ...

When I first saw this film, I was working as a Security Dispatcher at a small college in Northeastern Ohio, making a few dollars over the very long (6 week) winter break. Because I worked for Security, I was allowed to remain in my single room in my usual dormitory rather than be herded into another dorm along with the foreign students and others who stayed on campus over the long break. So there I was, all alone in a very big building during a long, dark and very snowy winter ...

I saw THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE at a friend's place in town, and enjoyed it greatly. I found the brief scene where Florence sees the awful shadow of, well, something _dead_ sort of ... dancing in the shower stall particularly creepy. But then I went back uphill to the silent dorm ...

Since it was winter and there was no one (but me!) in the building, the Security guards would sort of wander through on autopilot and make sure all the lights were out. So I was returning, night after night, to a _dark_, deserted dormitory.

In a nutshell, let's just say that after seeing this film, I found committing to showering very, VERY difficult ... and I tried to do it very QUICKLY, all winter long! I was 20 years old, by the way. You may argue that this is all due to my peculiar living situation -- but it is THIS, for me, that is the essence of effective horror. This is what good horror DOES to you: it comes back into your head, makes you look over your shoulder and causes the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up when you remember it ... whether you remember it because of where you are, because it comes up in conversation, or what have you. No amount of liquid plastics, animated goo or CGI can replace -- or increase -- the shudder-power of one blasting, ghostly image. And THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE has at least one of those.

Creepy and Atmospheric

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 23 April 2015]

The wealthy Mr. Rudolph Deutsch (Roland Culver) promises a small fortune to the physicist Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill); to the mental medium Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin); and to the physical parapsychologist Benjamin Franklin Fischer (Roddy McDowall) to investigate survival after death in the notorious Belasco House, a.k.a. Hell House. The house belonged to "Roaring Giant" Emeric Belasco that promoted orgies in the house and had mysteriously disappeared after a massacre. Fischer is the only survival of a previous investigation and the Dr. Barrett goes with his wife Ann Barrett (Gayle Hunnicutt). Along the days, Florence believes that there are entities in the house, including Belasco's son Daniel; Fischer keeps his mind closed expecting only to earn the promised money, and the skeptical Dr. Barrett brings a machine to drain the energy in the house. Will they be successful in their intent?

"The Legend of Hell House" is a creepy and atmospheric horror movie with a good story of haunted house. The ghost story is supported in lighting, make-up and camera work and only few special effects and is effective. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Casa da Noite Eterna" ("The House of the Eternal Night")

horror mystery

[chelano · 7/10 · 8 October 2011]

A very creepy tale of a haunted house. Not only was the film creepy and scary it was also a mystery. You sit there and try to pay attention so you don't miss any clues, but then something creepy comes up and you get side tracked. This made the film a really good horror flick. The cast was pretty good. I am not too sure if I liked Gayle Hunnicutt in the film though. My favorite character was played by Roddy McDowall. He really brought out the feeling in his character. There were some interesting camera shots in this film which I think brought it more to life. The film was not that gory at all. It focuses on scaring the viewer mentally and I believe it does a pretty decent job. So see if you can figure out the mystery of Hell House.

First Rate Haunted House Thriller

[michaelasiclari · 9/10 · 26 April 2013]

I had the pleasure of seeing this film in the theater 40 years ago this summer, and I must say that it still packs a wallop! I won't go into the storyline much, but I will say this;" The Legend of Hell House " is a classic film of the genre, thats been rarely matched to date. The performances by Roddy McDowell, Clive Revill, Gayle Hunnicut and Pamela Franklin were flawless, and therefore a key to this films success.

The film drips with atmosphere and a sense of foreboding dread. The special effects, considered archaic by todays standards, hold up surprisingly well. It has everything a movie fan could ask for: sexually provocative scenes, an eerie setting, a thrilling séance sequence and lots of scary surprises along the way! The film is impeccably directed by John Hough, with a very mature perspective. It never succumbs to cheesy tactics. " The Legend of Hell House " is an intelligent and very satisfying haunted house thriller.

Suspenseful , frightening and ghastly classic about haunted mansions

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 11 September 2008]

This eerie movie starts when a multi-millionaire enlists a team of subjects formed by a medium (Pamela Franklyn) and parapsychologist scientists (Clive Revill , his wife Gayle Hunnicutt and Roddy McDowall) to stay for a study and resolve weird deeds into his newly acquired house . It seems which the eerie mansion has been the place of several killing deaths . 'Although the story of this film is fictitious , the events depicted involving psychic phenomenon are not only very much within the bounds of possibility but could well be true' , as explain on film prologue a clairvoyant and psychic consultant to European Royalty named Corbett .

This is a chilling adaptation from Richard Matheson's novel based on an assortment of ghouls and ghosts . Innovation theme about possession posteriorly taken by ¨The Exorcist¨ . Middling budget makes for big scary scream-feast and frights . Splendid Pamela Franklyn as a fragile youth who results to have unexpected ties to creepy ghost . Furthermore , it appears briefly Michael Gough . Magnificent cinematography by Alan Hume accompanied by an electronic and rare musical score . Writer Richard Matheson toned down the graphic violence and more intense sexual scenes of his novel to give the screenplay for the film a more brooding atmosphere . The original novel was set in New England, with an American team of psychic investigators . The storyline was changed, to fit the movie's production in England, with British actors playing the investigators . While the film was released in the US with a P.G. rating, in the UK it curiously received an X rating at first.

The picture was very well directed by John Hough . He often uses visual and sound recourses , echos , zooms and imaginative camera movements . He's a craftsman with eclectic and long directing career . Beginning in television series (Avengers, Protectors) , making Hammer films (Twins of Evil) , Adventures (Island treasure, Black arrow) , wholesome Disney fare (Return and escape to witch mountain) , regency romantic drama (Duel of hearts , Ghost in Montecarlo , Hazard of hearts , The lady and the highwayman) and Horror movies (Howling , American Gothic , Bad karma) and his best film , Legend of Hell House . Other movies about ¨haunted mansions¨ genre are the followings : The innocents (Jack Clayton , 1961), ¨Haunting¨ (Robert Wise , 1963) , ¨Amytiville Horror¨ (Stuart Rosemberg,1979), Changeling(Peter Medak,180), ¨House¨ (Steve Miner).. among others .

It's the Mount Everest of haunted houses...

[mister_pig · 9/10 · 17 June 2003]

You've just got to love this 70's classic. It has everything a haunted house tale should have. Unlike most of the haunted house tales, this one manages to keep things a little bit more believable. The time and date stamps are particularly effective here.

All the players do a great job with their roles, especially Roddy McDowall. I love Mrs. Barrett's erotic fixations. Unfortunately, they'll probably get the bright idea of remaking this into a horrible piece of crap.

This movie relies mostly on atmosphere, not on gore or other special effects. If thats what you are looking for, you'd better try somewhere else.

9 out of 10

Effective Haunted House Tale.

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 25 September 2013]

John Hough directed this adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel about four people; a physicist named Dr. Barrett(Clive Revill) his wife Ann(Gayle Hunnicutt) Florence Tanner(Pamela Franklin) and Benjamin Fischer(Roddy McDowall) sole survivor from the previous expedition. They are investigating the haunted home(nicknamed Hell House) of an evil man named Belasco, who conducted unspeakable and degenerate acts decades earlier. Dr. Barrett does not believe in the supernatural at all, and has brought with him scientific equipment to cleanse the home of the negative residual energy, but not everything is as he believes, and not all of them will leave the house alive...

Effective and scary film creates a real atmospheric mood of dread, with good direction and acting. Toned down a bit from the novel, and final reveal is a bit underwhelming, but otherwise a first-rate thriller.

Let's Clear The Air Around Here.

[rmax304823 · 5/10 · 6 October 2010]

There is a mansion that appears to be haunted. The owner sends a team to spend a week there and investigate. Is the fortress-like structure actually haunted? If so, by whom? And how do I get rid of it so I can use it as a time share? The team consists of a scientist (Clive Revill), his wife (Gayle Hunnicut), a spiritual medium (Pamela Franklin), and the only survivor of the previous investigative team (Roddy McDowell).

They aren't there long before strange things begin happening, and not little things either. The table jumps up and down, chandeliers fall, cats attack humans, Revill's electromagnetic sensors go ape, there is are constant moaning sounds sometimes coalescing into something resembling speech, people walk in their sleep, and who knows what all. Not that any of these potentially lethal goings on especially bother the team. When a poltergeist turns the dining room into a shambles, they treat it like a minor irritation, and blame each other.

There are arguments among the team members. Is it one restless spirit causing the commotion, or is it a case of multiple hauntings? Revill decides it's one power and that the electromagnetic radiation of the house is behind everything. It needs cleansing by having its polarity reversed by Revill's imported electronic junk.

The junk fails to dispel the spirit and Pamela Franklin is offed by a toppling crucifix. Revill himself is perforated by candles. Gayle Hunnicut and Roddy McDowall huddle together in fear but McDowall decides to face the power mano a mano, or pneuma a pneuma, in the chapel, the most profane room in the palace. The power belongs to just one man, known to history as "the roaring giant" because he was six and a half feet tall.

It's a brutal encounter. Hunnicut cowers against the chapel wall while McDowall is overwhelmed by shrieking noises and blasts of wind that slam him against the pillars. Still, McDowall wins. And here's how he wins -- he insults the spirit to death by screaming that the so-called roaring giant was really SHORT! The spirit departs in low dudgeon. I swear I'm not making that up.

Richard Matheson was a fine writer but serious stories of spooky mansions weren't his forte. This is Shirley Jackson territory. Her novel, "The Haunting of Hill House", was published in 1959 and several films were so closely modeled on it that it's no surprise Matheson followed the trend. Even a dog walks for salsa.

But, in truth, as much as I respect Matheson, and have always held this cast in high regard, the movie is spooky only in the most shallow way. Cliché follows cliché. And the logic behind the story is recondite, lost in the ominous shadows that lurk just beyond the range of the candelabras. (The lights go out early on.) The movie is relentlessly gloomy and weighty. Every single scene is underlighted -- and only a few minutes are spent outdoors under a lowering sky. Extensive use is made of the fish eye lens, turning human faces into gargoyles during the numerous close ups. When one of the ladies screams, a dentist would be interested in the revealed fillings in her lower left quadrant. McDowall throws a spastic fit in front of the fireplace at one point for no discernible reason except that nothing dramatic has happened for a while.

The film is in desperate need of comic relief -- maybe a drunken butler -- but there is none. On the plus side, at least for the males, there is Pamela Franklin, young and soft, with tender teen-aged breast, sensibly mauled by one of the spirits. Franklin also yields to the importunities of the spirit and allows him or it to become intimate with her after a brief nude scene. But don't get your spirits up. It's about as dignified as simulated intercourse and a fake orgasm with an invisible spirit can get.

Gayle Hunnicut isn't a teen ager. She doesn't have to be. Her wickedly thin nose alone compels veneration. At one point, possessed by whoever is doing all this nasty stuff, she reads a book on self eroticism, glides downstairs like a vampire, and puts moves on Roddy McDowall -- "You, me, and Florence; together, drunk, naked..." -- and what does McDowall do? He removes his hand from her breast, where she'd placed it, and slaps her into consciousness. It's not the house that needs treatment, if you ask me.

Anyway, it was a little disappointing. The fact is, there are too many movies out there about teams investigating haunted houses. "The Haunting" (1963) was one of the more successful. It doesn't overwhelm a viewer with special effects but it's scarier than this one.

"You Do Not Fight This House!"

[ferbs54 · 10/10 · 23 April 2012]

Although a certain Wiki site lists the existence of 135 haunted-house films--and I'm sure there must be more, with a new one being released, it seems, every few months--the Big 3, for this viewer, have long been 1958's "The House on Haunted Hill," 1963's "The Haunting" and 1973's "The Legend of Hell House." The first, a William Castle-directed picture that has long been a baby-boomer favorite, is undeniably scary, although much of the picture's ghoulish occurrences, as it turns out, are man-made machinations in the furtherance of a sinister scheme. Robert Wise's 1963 film is considered by many (including myself) the single most frightening film ever made, although nothing blatantly horrible is ever shown, and the film's ubercreepy happenings just might all be the product of Eleanor Vance's (Julie Harris') deranged mind. And then there is the '73 film, which, I get the feeling, is often dismissed as a poor cousin of its 1963 forebear, but which a recent viewing has once again demonstrated, to this viewer, to be the most harrowing, nerve-racking and possibly edgiest of the bunch. In "TLOHH," which Richard Matheson scripted and which was based on his 1971 novel "Hell House" (Matheson had already written a very scary haunted-house short story called "Slaughter House" in 1953, as a sort of warm-up), not only are the hauntings incontrovertibly genuine, but bloody, horrifying and murderous, as well. As it's referred to in the film, the Belasco House, aka Hell House, is "the Mt. Everest of haunted houses"...and for good reason, as it turns out!

In "TLOHH," as in "The Haunting," a quartet of investigators goes to an abode with a very bad reputation to investigate the paranormal. Here, dying millionaire Deutsch (Roland Culver) sends the team off to ascertain if there really is such a thing as "survival after death." The team consists of a physicist, Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill), who is accompanied by his beautiful wife, Anne (Gayle Hunnicutt); a mental medium, Florence Tanner (former child actress Pamela Franklin, top billed here); and a physical medium, Ben Fischer, the only survivor of a previous Hell House investigation (Roddy McDowall). Barrett believes that the house's spectral manifestations are the result of "mindless, directionless" energy forces that can be dissipated with a new scientific gizmo of his, whereas Tanner is very much a proponent of the theory of "multiple surviving personalities" being responsible for all the terror. But whose theory is correct?

I've got to tell you, "TLOHH" is, quite simply, everything I think a great horror movie should be. Director John Hough, who had already helmed "Twins of Evil" and would go on to create such "psychotronic" favorites as (the Disney horror films) "The Watcher in the Woods" and "Escape to Witch Mountain," here utilizes off-kilter camera angles, extreme close-ups and moody lighting to engender a decidedly menacing atmosphere, while the great lensing of DOP Alan Hume and the wonderfully eerie, mostly electronic score from Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire only add to the deliciously nasty feel. All four leads are just marvelous, and are given ample opportunities to shine. British actress Franklin, who had previously pleased viewers in such spooky films as "The Innocents," "The Nanny" and "Our Mother's House," is just terrific in her ectoplasmic scene, and when fighting a demon-possessed cat, and when having sex with an invisible spirit; just try to NOT feel chilled when you see her giggling face, postcoitus. New Zealander Clive Revill is fine throughout, and never better than when reacting to a particularly violent dinnertime poltergeist attack. Gorgeous Gayle Hunnicutt, the only American in the cast, gets to have a few lustfully possessed, somnambulent interludes that should just amaze you, and Brit Roddy McDowall...well, he just about steals the show, for this viewer. Just look at how excellent he is while chiding scientist Barrett from atop the staircase--"You do not fight this house!"--and while engaged in mortal combat with the Belasco spirit. This is some kind of Oscar-calibre work here, at least of the Supporting Actor category. Just remarkable, really. As for Matheson's screenplay, yes, it does excise much of the sex and violence from his horrifying novel, but even still, is grimly effective. And as for Hell House itself, it just might be the most convincingly scary, from an architectural standpoint, of any of the houses in my Big 3. "House on Haunted Hill"'s modernist abode (actually the Ennis House, in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles) was certainly striking, as was "The Haunting"'s Hill House (actually Ettington Hall, now the Ettington Park Hotel, in Stratford-upon-Avon), but Hell House, with its carved gates, gargoyled pillars and Gothic towers, really does look like the real deal (Hell House is actually Wykehurst Place, in Bolney, West Sussex). This is a house that tells you, at first glimpse, that all visitors will certainly be in for a rough ride!

Two words of advice for all prospective viewers of this splendid horror film, one of my all-time faves. First, turn up the volume, as there is a LOT of almost subliminal mishegas transpiring on the soundtrack. And second, have a nice, hot cup of herbal tea at your side, both to calm you down and to fight off the chills that will assuredly be coursing down your spine. Trust me, you're gonna need it!

Spooky Haunted House Film,With Quite A Few Scares, And Great Performances!, However The Ending Was Disappointing

[callanvass · 7/10 · 26 June 2005]

Spooky haunted house film, with quite a few scares and great performances!. Granted it is not your typical haunted house film, however, it hasn't dated a bit, and managed to shock and give me the creeps at certain times, plus Roddy McDowall is simply fantastic in this!. Although as usual, the characters refusing to believe the house is haunted got on my nerves, and the ending was pretty disappointing,plus it did take a little while to get going. It's extremely well made, and the film is constantly unpredictable, plus you never knew who was gonna die!. It has a couple of cool death scenes, and the film really keeps you guessing, plus the finale was very good!. This is a spooky haunted house flick, with quite a few scares and great performances, however the ending was disappointing!. The Direction is very good. John Hough does a very good job here, with good camera work, using creepy noises, adding tension to the film constantly and keeping it an engaging pace!. There is a tiny bit of blood. We get a gory dead cat, bloody corpses,impaling (ATF),bloody cut on hand, minor wounds, and random blood here and there. The Acting is excellent!. Roddy McDowall is fantastic here, he really added a lot of class, was very likable, creepy, had good chemistry with all involved and had some classic lines at the end!, he was simply fantastic!. Clive Revill annoyed me here, and was too stuck up for my tastes as the Doctor.Gayle Hunnicutt is beautiful and does great here, with what she had to do i liked her. Pamela Franklin gives a memorable performance as the Psychic, and did her job extremely well. Michael Gough shows up for a cameo. Overall highly recommended. ***1/2 out of 5

I agree with Marky Waters

[ceedee39 · 4/10 · 13 August 2005]

If you haven't yet read Marky Waters' review, it would serve you well to do so. He has outlined the problems with movies bearing similar titles and was rather hard on remakes. I read his review and I was amazed at how close his opinions are to mine. "The Legend of Hell House" is a dorky movie that unfortunately attached itself to "The Haunting" based on Shirley Jackson's novel, "Haunting of Hill House". To me, "The Haunting" was and still is, the best ghost movie made. There is nothing more frightening than the unseen. Anyway, "The Legend of Hell House" is worth an evening's viewing. Not particularly scary but it's entertaining in a dated way. However...if you have not had the pleasure of seeing "The Haunting", do yourself a favor. Find it and savor it with the lights out.

No Chicken Exits

[sampleman411-1 · 27 February 2002]

Under-rated, unduly over-shadowed, and quite rightly the most notoriously scary and deadly place (billed by American author, Richard Matheson, as "The Mt. Everest of all Haunted Houses" in his novel on which this British interpretation is based). The Author, in his attempt to write the be-all and get-all of all Gothic adventures, threw everything conceivable into the mix; cannibalism, sexual deviance, drug induced homicidal and suicidal tendencies, and a walloping ending which explains the mystery of this heretofore unsolved monster of a puzzle. Even in Hough's film, with a serviceable Matheson script, the basic formula remains intact; the smug para-psychologist, the traumatised evangelist, the cautionary medium and 'smug's' sexually frustrated wife, all come to the doorstep of Belasco House, and enter at their own risk. If you read the novel first, then the film will come to mean much more, and is better appreciated.

Sublime

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 16 October 2004]

I've always found THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE rather strange . I first saw it round about 1982 when it was broadcast on ITV and discussing it with my school mates the next day we all thought it was rubbish . However it still still stuck out in my mind for some reason and I still watch it when it's broadcast on television and my opinion is that it's still a very disappointing film even though I get the instinct to watch it again

The opening is very effective with scientist Barret being paid a massive amount of money ( In those days ) to spend a week in a haunted house . What makes the opening so effective is the way director John Hough shoots the pre title sequence - Moody and atmospheric are very understated adjectives and having one of the characters being collected from a train station does give the movie some credibility . A character hanging around a cold and dreary train station ! Cinema doesn't get more realistic than this . However as soon as the characters arrive at the house things start going awry , not only to the characters but for a critical audience .

First of all how many people do you know that are allowed to take their spouse to work ? I can't really get my head around this for some reason . I also couldn't take Florence Tanner seriously either , I mean she's so young I thought she'd need permission from her parents to stay out late never mind spend a week at a haunted house . It also doesn't help that Ms Tanner is known as a " Mental medium " since the word " Mental " means in British slang a violent looney . And isn't there something illogical about " Physical medium " Ben Fisher ? He survived the previous events at Hell House but has no qualms about going back . He must be insanely brave , or insanely greedy for 100 grand , or it could be that he's an obvious literary device used by the screenwriter for exposition purposes

That's probably my main gripe with the movie - the screenplay . I do know that writer Richard Matheson is a legend and I have the deepest respect for most of his output but THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE seems underdeveloped . The characters arrive at the house but with the exception of a dinner table scene nothing that can be described as really nasty takes place . This also ties in with internal continuity and logic . Eight people that Ben Fisher was with died previously at the house but apart from the dinner scene previously mentioned the characters never look like they're going to be in mortal peril from the ghostly spectre . It should also be pointed out that if a bunch of people had come to a sticky end in the house they'd be gangs of policemen , forensic scientists , newspaper hounds and ghoulish members of the public swarming all over the location but for plot convenience the house and grounds are completely deserted , too deserted to be taken seriously for a mass murder site

So for the most part THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE is slow , dull and full of plot holes . There are a small number of massive positives like the early scenes and Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson's bone chilling muzak ( Ms Derbyshire composed the DOCTOR WHO theme . Enough said ) which do linger in the mind and gives this movie a sublime reputation as a moody spine chiller when memory brings it up . But to be honest it's a disappointing film when re-watched

A Most Satisfying Bump in the Night

[prguy721 · 8/10 · 9 October 2014]

The Legend of Hell House was released the same year as the grand-daddy of horror films, The Exorcist, so it quietly slipped through the cracks. But it should not be overlooked as a most effective and entertaining movie that combines suspense, bumps in the night and eroticism without overdoing the gore. It also features fine performances, especially that of Pamela Franklin, and an above-average haunted-house story line. Hell House will keep you guessing all the way to the end. Something interesting to note is that apparently the MPAA hasn't reviewed the film since its release when it was given a PG rating. By today's standards, Hell House would definitely be rated PG-13.

Darker, spookier, and better than "The Haunting."

[Lionel M. · 7/10 · 25 May 2000]

It's amazing how this film has seemed to slip through the cracks into the realm of the forgotten. It is the best of its kind, better than "The Haunting" (I'll probably get guff for that remark, but I don't care).

John Hough better established a dark and utterly cold atmosphere for the house in this film. The musical score certainly added to that. And Richard Matheson, I think, did a better job on the screenplay for this film than his original novel "Hell House" (which is a rareity).

The actors all performed excellently as well. All the actors, Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill, and Gayle Hunnicutt, played their parts well. Their grim visages and soft British accents really fit well with the cold, dark scenery of the film. Heck, even Roland Culver (who had a very small part) did an all right job with his character, Rudolph Deustch (the old rich guy). And yes, let us not forget Michael Gough's performance (which consisted of a spoken part that was cut on a record and played back on a victrola and a cameo appearance at the end). And while I'm at it, I even commend Peter Bowles for his role, even though it was nothing special. Well, that takes care of the entire cast.

That was another thing I liked about this film, a small cast of characters. It let you focus more on the dark scenery. It let you absorb all the spooky elements. All the horror.

One of the best haunted house films ever!

[preppy-3 · 10/10 · 17 December 2004]

Four psychic investigators (Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill, Gayle Hunnicutt) are to spend a week in the Mount Everest of haunted houses to see if life does exist after death. They are given only a week and, in that time, have all the ghosts attack full force.

Next to the 1962 version of "The Haunting" this is the best haunted house flick ever made. It starts up and never stops. There's no humor and it's beautifully atmospheric. Also creepy sound effects and eerie music help keep up the mood and director John Hough shoots the film from weird angles keeping you off balance. Good performances help especially by Franklin and there's one harrowing sequence in which she "offers" herself to the spirits of the house. Not for the blood and guts crowd (this is PG rated). A very scary movie.

The book is much better and a LOT more graphic but there was no way they could have shot the book faithfully--it would have had an X rating! For instance when Franklin has sex with a ghost--in the movie she looks into the camera and screams. In the book she finds a rotting corpse forcing itself on her!

This seems to have disappeared off the radar--even the 2003 DVD release is pretty bad. The colors are faded, there's only a trailer as an extra and there was no big publicity campaign for it. Still you should seek it out if you haven't seen in--it's worth it. I give it a rare 10!

I rather liked it actually.

[poolandrews · 7/10 · 20 June 2007]

The Legend of Hell House starts as ageing millionaire Rudolph Deutsch (Roland Culver) hires a physicist named Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill) to investigate the spooky goings on in the notorious Belasco mansion dubbed by many Hell House in an attempt to prove the existence of an after life since he'll be there soon, Deutsch also hires a couple of spiritual mediums named Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin) & Benjamin Franklin Fischer (Roddy McDowall) the only survivor of the previous expedition into the house several years prior. Deutsch will pay each of them £100,000 if they can prove the existence of the after life so they get right on with the job at hand & judging by the first 24 hours they spend there proving the existence of ghosts & spirits isn't going to be a problem, what might be a problem though is the fact that might not live to collect their cash...

This British production was directed by John Hough & I have to admit that I rather liked it, I didn't think I would because I'm not a big fan of the haunted house genre, I don't even like The Haunting (1963) that much, but The Legend of Hell House impressed me. The script by Richard Matheson was based on his own novel 'Hell House' & takes itself very seriously which just about works & it's more than just a clone of House on Haunted Hill (1959) or The Haunting which it bears more than a passing resemblance to, it moves along like a rocket with all the main character's introduced, who they are & what they do & inside Hell House ready for action within the first ten minutes & while that might seem rushed it's done very well. Spooky things start to happen straight away as the house begins to affect it's new tenant's in different ways with some nice set pieces which are thankfully more imaginative than just a door opening & closing on it's own or a light switching on & off. I also liked the minimalist dialogue here & they way the film is broken up into segments as there are constant captions which tell us the date & time even if it's an hour or so since the last one, it actually fees like a scientist's note book with the entries of all the major incidents in chronological order timed & documented precisely & nothing else is of any importance. The character's are standard for this type of film with the scientist who has a logical explanation for everything & the spiritualists who believe in the supernatural, the dialogue between them is good as they argue the point with pretty reasonable arguments on both sides. The ending is pretty good as well even if it's a bit silly, overall I really liked this film although I could see why many might not.

Director Hough does a great job here & the film looks fantastic with wonderful sets & a terrific English stately home as it's primary location, it was actually Wykehurst Park House in East Sussex that was used as the constant fog enshrouded exterior. There's a great atmosphere throughout, it's not that scary but it's sort of eerie at times. The film has a real style to it with some gorgeous cinematography, colour & use of light & shadow, this is a great looking film throughout. There's not much blood or gore, there's a dead cat in a shower, someones back is scratched, a chandelier falls on someone & there's a bit of blood but nothing excessive.

Technically the film is top notch & probably had a fair amount of money behind it, it has high production values, a creepy musical score & is very well made. The acting is very good from a small cast.

The Legend of Hell House may not be for everyone but I liked it a lot, I thought it was very well made with good acting & a spooky atmosphere which is a lot more than can be said for many haunted house horror flicks out there. Personally I think it's well worth a watch especially for those who have a particular interest in the horror genre.

a HUGE disappointment (spoilers)

[Zod-2 · 3/10 · 26 April 2003]

Like several of the other reviewers on this site, who were disappointed in this film, I too read many rave reviews on how scary this movie is so I went out and bought it and watched it, BIG mistake. Not only is this movie not scary but the mystery of the house is paper thin and the revelation as to the reason of the house's haunting is a joke.

Apparently the house is so haunted that anyone who goes into it is either killed or driven insane but apart from a couple of doors opening and closing and a little bit of "phantom" wind nothing much happens.

Aside from a couple of brief (very brief) creepy moments The Legend of Hell House is a big bore and a utter disappointment. I watched it alone late at night and I have only one thing to say, this movie should have been called The Legend of Harmless House. The Legend of Hell House rates a 3 out of 10 as it does have fine performances and a couple of okay moments.

May you find the answer that you seek. It is here, I promise you.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 3 November 2012]

The Legend of Hell House is directed by John Hough and adapted to screenplay by Richard Matheson from his own novel Hell House. It stars Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill and Gayle Hunnicutt. Music is by Electrophon Ltd and cinematography by Alan Hume.

The Belasco Mansion, the Mount Everest of Haunted Houses, a place where many have stayed and never made it out alive or escaped with sanity in tact. Now four more people are challenged to enter it and investigate if survival after death exists...

In many ways it is a film that has been unlucky over the years, for it has consistently been dogged with association with Robert Wise's similar themed, and excellent, The Haunting from 1963. Not only that but it was also released in the same year as The Exorcist, William Friedkin's behemoth that continues to cast a shadow over many a supernatural based horror movie. While the fact that it was "toned down sexually" from the book has proved to be irksome to some fans of Matheson's page turner. Oh definitely John Hough's film has a sturdy fan base and reputation, but it still comes under fire from first time viewers who will not judge it on its own terms. A shame because although it may indeed not be in the same league as The Haunting, or as sexually charged as the book, it does sit worthily in the top draw of haunted house pictures.

The back story to the house sets the scene. It was run as a place of complete debauchery, a sort of Buck Whaley and the Hellfire Club type of place, the master of ceremonies was the owner Emeric Balasco, a man with a fearsome reputation, that of a roaring giant. When one day the sins and violence overspill, all inside are finalised from the planet, only Belasco was never found, and ever since that day the house is believed to be haunted by numerous spirits. Enter our four protagonists (a physicist and his wife, a mental medium and a physical medium who was the sole survivor of the last Hell House carnage), who under a financially dangled carrot set about unearthing the truth. They are opposites in beliefs, and for the next 90 minutes they will be haunted whilst having their respective fears, desires and repressions born out.

What unfolds is a lesson in how to get the maximum scary atmosphere with so little to hand. Following the brilliant example set by Robert Wise back in 63, special effects are kept to an absolute minimum as Hough lets our minds eye fill in the blanks. We don't need to see the horror up front, it's better when we can just feel or hear it. Little incidents help fuel the fire, a mad cat, a séance, ectoplasm (put a specimen in the jar please, ooh Matron), suspicious noises, eroticism and a little possession. The mansion itself is suitably eerie (exteriors are the wonderfully Gothic designed Wykehurst Place in Bolney, West Sussex) and drifting in and out of the story is Electrophon Ltd's rumbling sinister score. The direction is tight, the cast work exceptionally well to bear out the interpersonal conflicts before the final battle against the paranormal kills or defines them?

Working well as a haunted house spooker of some considerable substance, and intelligent and interesting with its themes of paranormal psychology and investigation of such, The Legend of Hell House is a classical supernatural thriller. 8/10

Possibly the Greatest Classic Ghost Story

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 1 June 2010]

As a sort of dying wish, an old and wealthy man hires a scientist (Clive Revill), his wife (Gayle Hunnicutt), and two paranormal investigators to spend a week in Belasco House and determine if there is such a thing as life after death, and if the rumors of spiritual hauntings in the house are true.

The film's star is likely Roddy McDowall, who plays investigator Benjamin Franklin Fischer. His character has a rich history that I feel is ignored. He was the only surviving medium of Hell House in 1953, and they imply that he was only fifteen at the time. A professional medium at fifteen who can withstand the power of Belasco? That deserves more background.

But for me, the real star was Pamela Franklin, the medium Florence Tanner. She was beautiful and effectively commanded the plot from a position of subversion. Looked down on by her peers, Tanner takes a proactive approach, sensing the dangers and tracking down the clues. The others do not take her seriously, and Franklin plays this part effortlessly.

Clive Revell's physicist role is interesting, even for a "straight man" character. He does not discount the paranormal completely as most scientists would, but instead searches for physical explanations to supernatural events. I give Matheson credit for making a character who does not call these things "parlor tricks" but instead seeks out ways to reduce them to mere material manifestations.

Stephen King has praised the original novel, saying it "may be the scariest haunted house novel ever written". Peter Straub, likewise, calls it "one of the absolute best contemporary horror novels", which if you know Richard Matheson's talent is no surprise.

I have not read the novel yet, but heard the main difference is that the sexuality and violence is toned down from the book, with the film rated a mere PG. The sexuality still exists, as do many disturbing scenes, but they're presented in a way that really does so subtly. There are tricks of horror films that they can make you think you saw things you really did not, and this film is full of those -- you can be scared just as much by what you do not see as what you do.

Mike Mayo points out the effectiveness of Matheson's script based on his own work, calling it "a model of efficiency" that has no single "wasted motion". He claims the film is "comparatively inoffensive" (compared to "The Exorcist", for example), but this in no way reduces the scare power. Mayo also points out that he watched it on a tape taken "from a faded print". I cannot say if the DVD transfer is any better -- I personally did not notice anything lacking in the picture. Howard Maxford also praises the film, saying it has "just the right style and atmosphere."

The film stands strong almost forty years after its original release. I would love to see a special edition release with deleted scenes (if any exist), a commentary and more. Of all the so-called "classic" horror films, this one seems to have been largely forgotten. And I think that is a tragedy... perhaps the most overlooked film of its time, even more so than "The Beast Must Die".

Slow Doesn't Even Do It Justice

[kittyelizabethfarmer · 4/10 · 28 November 2019]

After hearing about this one for years, I decided to finally give it a go and I really regret that choice. The time spent waiting for something interesting to happen in this movie could have been better spent doing more exciting things like balancing my checkbook or getting a rectal exam.

The Legend of Hell House starts out promisingly enough, if not almost exactly like the much better and scarier The Haunting. A group of people involved in the paranormal go to the mansion where they have a few days to figure out if there really is life after death and if the grisly stories about the residents of the home are true. With them, they have the survivor of the last massacre that took place there and he seems ready to crack at any second. Apparently, the original owner of the house was quite a hedonist and sadist who got off on all kinds of sexual craziness. Soon, the group (mostly the women) become possessed by randy spirits who - I don't know - want to have sex with everyone.

For a film with so much atmosphere and moody cinematography, there's not a lot of threat lingering around for much of the run time. It's excusable for the first 30 minutes when it's trying to establish said atmosphere and the plight of the characters, but it never builds to anything very exciting.

You're better off watching The Haunting, The Innocents, The Sentinel, Burnt Offerings, or many better haunted house films.

A must for horror fans

[rufasff · 16 July 2003]

In spite of some questionable motivations and a fairly silly ending,

this horror drama has become a real favorite.

The excellent cast has a field day with the talky script; and

director John Hough (best known for "The Avengers) does an imaginative

job using fresh, distorted set ups that keep you off center. And The

movie looks great. High praise must also go to the score and use of sound effects. If

the ending was a little better, this would be a real classic. But for

horror fans, it's a nine out of ten. Roddy, you were enjoyed.