Product: The Haunting [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 4.0
A New HAUNTING
People have booed and hissed this second adaption of Shirley Jackson's truly terrifying novel THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE until they're blue in the face. Stop comparing to the book and the masterwork 1963 adaption and look at this film. Lili Taylor, Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and the guy that played Luke all bring in wonderful performances, even if they lack the character developement that shined in the original movie. The Hill House set creates a substantial amount of suspense and fear, and the script is great, even if it has almost nothing to do with its source material. This is a very suspensful, fluid horror movie that is never boring, always exciting, and moderately scary. The standout is Lili Taylor, who brings a lot to Eleanor and the hysteria that she endures as Hill House tries to claim her. Mrs. Dudley the housekeeper sets the mood nicely, and the computer generated ending is actually not as stupid as the one in the HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL remake, which I heartily recommend. So don't compare this film to other movies, and enjoy a wonderful treatment of a horror movie from Hollywood. Great score by legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith.