Product: The Haunting [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 4.0
SURPRISINGLY ENJOYABLE!
I guess there's nothing like expecting the worst from a movie - so often it winds up being so much better than expected and this is truly the case with THE HAUNTING. I know the original is a classic but as big a fan as I am of classic horror movies, I have never been fond of the original Robert Wise film. I found this remake to be better in so many ways...the characters (while not as interesting as the originals) are a much nicer bunch to be around; the effects are wonderful; the house itself is magnificent and Lili Taylor is terrific. Movie purists will probably hate me for this but I loved the ending which made much more sense to me than the first one. The DVD is exquisite by the way...the sound effects are incredible and never drown out the dialogue. This HAUNTING is a fun-house version of Shirley Jackson's novel - a couple of jolts along the way, scary sounds, things that go bump in the night sort of stuff - no real terror but a fun 2 hours in a haunted house. And Catherine Zeta-Jones looks so good throughout, that alone would be worth the price of the movie!