I was pulling for "The Haunting" for the duration of its 112-minute run time...I kept thinking all the proper elements were in place for a good scary movie, but something just didn't click. The film is well-acted by a group of familiar faces (Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn), Robert Wise ("West Side Story")'s experienced direction is top-notch, and the subtle manipulation of light and shadow produces ample chills. Why, then, was I so disappointed in the end? Like the haunting of Hill House, there might be no rational explanation. However, there are some noticeable flaws that keep the film from potential greatness: the dialog is poorly recorded and often difficult to make out (even on the current Warner DVD); the acting, while good, is in service to characters that are generally unlikable, thus axing the human element of the story (Julie Harris' neurotic voice-over narration is incredibly annoying); and on the whole, the film is just too talky for its own good, to the point where the scattered scare scenes are undermined by the relentless, silly blather. Overall, "The Haunting" is worth seeing at least once, as it is not a "bad" film by any stretch of the imagination...but it really could have been so much more.
Review of The Haunting
