The Haunting (1963/I)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Robert Wise

Writers:

Shirley Jackson (novel)
Nelson Gidding (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 September 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

You may not believe in ghosts but you cannot deny terror

Plot:

Dr. Markway, doing research to prove the existence of ghosts, investigates Hill House, a large, eerie...

Plot Keywords:

House | Mansion | New England | Ghost | Poltergeist

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Julie Harris	...	Eleanor 'Nell' Lance
Claire Bloom	...	Theodora 'Theo'
Richard Johnson	...	Dr. John Markway
Russ Tamblyn	...	Luke Sanderson
Fay Compton	...	Mrs. Sanderson
Rosalie Crutchley	...	Mrs. Dudley
Lois Maxwell	...	Grace Markway
Valentine Dyall	...	Mr. Dudley
Diane Clare	...	Carrie Fredericks
Ronald Adam	...	Eldridge Harper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pamela Buckley	...	First Mrs. Crain (uncredited)
Amy Dalby	...	Abigail Crain, at age 80 (uncredited)
Rosemary Dorken	...	Abigail Crain's Nurse-Companion (uncredited)
Verina Greenlaw	...	Dora Fredericks (uncredited)
Claude Jones	...	Garage Attendant (uncredited)
Freda Knorr	...	Second Mrs. Crain (uncredited)
Howard Lang	...	Hugh Crain (uncredited)
Janet Mansell	...	Abigail Crain, at age 6 (uncredited)
Paul Maxwell	...	Bud Fredericks (uncredited)
Susan Richards	...	Nurse (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Wise

Writing credits
Shirley Jackson		(novel "The Haunting of Hill House")
Nelson Gidding		(screenplay)

Produced by
Denis Johnson	....	associate producer
Robert Wise	....	producer

Original Music by
Humphrey Searle

Cinematography by
Davis Boulton

Film Editing by
Ernest Walter

Casting by
Irene Howard

Production Design by
Elliot Scott

Set Decoration by
John Jarvis

Costume Design by
Mary Quant

Makeup Department
Joan Johnstone	....	hair stylist
Tom Smith	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Tomblin	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ivor Beddoes	....	sketch artist
Mickey Lennon	....	chargehand dressing prop (uncredited)

Sound Department
J.B. Smith	....	dubbing mixer
Allan Sones	....	dubbing editor
Gerry Turner	....	sound recordist
A.W. Watkins	....	recording supervisor
Desmond Briscoe	....	special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tom Howard	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan McCabe	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maude Churchill	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Humphrey Searle	....	conductor

Other crew
Hazel Swift	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Argyle Enterprises

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1964) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Fox Films (1963) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (UK) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G (alternate rating) | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (re-rating) | UK:X | USA:Approved | USA:G (1972 re-release) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, UK

Company:

Argyle Enterprises

Trivia:

Robert Wise had seen Julie Harris in a play and decided she was perfect for the leading role. She later confessed that shooting the picture had been very hard on her. She saw her character, Eleanor, in a different way than director Wise but didn't feel it was her place to disagree, so playing the part was a struggle for her. Still she claims Wise was a perfect gentleman and they remained friends for decades.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The story takes place in August, in fact it is mentioned twice that it is August and yet the characters are all dressed in winter coats upon arrival. They also wear winter clothing throughout the film.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. John Markway: [voice-over] An evil old house, the kind some people call haunted, is like an undiscovered country waiting to be explored. Hill House had stood for 90 years and might stand for 90 more. Silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there... walked alone.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Haunted Mansion (2003)

The only movie that truly frightened me.

After watching "The Haunting" 1963, I slept with my hands under the covers for 3 weeks.

I was alone in the house, very late at night. Every sound amplified.. I was a full grown woman. For Pete's sake, I have watched almost every monster movie made. Even the original "Wolfman." Hummm, I could handle this.

Wrong! I have never been so frightened in my life. Who or What was holding her hand??...

The door at the top of the spiral stair almost gave me a stroke.

This movie made a believer out of me. The sound effects, the lighting, the "breathing door", plus the fact it was Black and White.. The house, well don't ask me to attend a dinner party there. You will be eating alone.

Perfect movie for Halloween.

I give this movie a "10", The "remake" ?? Was that from the same book?

Nuff Said.