The Haunting
The Haunting (1999)
WARNING: May contain spoilers
Rating: * * out of * * * *
Rated PG-13 for some horror violence.
Starring: Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lily Taylor.
This version of the classic 1963 movie of the same name is messed up. The original was based on the terrifyingly creepy novel by Shirly Jackson entitled 'The Haunting of Hill House'. The 1963 version scared the wits out of me, even at my age of 15. It takes your imagination on a ride, and does not show anything. No ghosts, no monsters, no violence, nor no gore. It is a genuinely scary movie, that stands as a classic to me.
Now comes the 1999 version. Which supposedly had a 90 million dollar budget. I can see why with the creepy set, scary effects etc. But what it doesn't have that the first one did, is the terror. Don't get me wrong, this version has it's moments, and I did jump many times. But the writers of this movie, totally trashed it and messed it up. Especially the ending, I mean come what's going on there? That never happened in the original movie.
Liam Neeson plays a doctor who is performing a study for people who cannot sleep. He chooses three people: Eleanor a timid young woman (Lily Taylor), Theodora a sexy woman (Catherine-Zeta Jones), and Luke (Owen Wilson). He invites them to an old house by the name of Hill House. Which was built by old Hugh Crane. He tells them it is a test, to see how they sleep at night. But as they begin to see things aren't so easy.
First while Nell (Elanor) is sleeping, she hears bangs and thumps. She and Theo (Theodora) feel cold, while their door is almost being broke down by something mysterious. And the fact is, what we don't see is what scares us the most. Soon Nell starts hearing child's voices, and learns the owner of Hill House Hugh Crane, was once married, and took children from his mill to his house and killed them. She hears their voices, 'Eleanor, Eleanor help us please, help us'. 'Follw us Eleanor'. She realizes, the house is trying to tell her something.
But the other people in the house do not believe her and thinks she is just going crazy. But after a while, they realize the house is the problem. Not them but the house. Now first of all allll the stuff happens to Nell. Which like the original it happened. Then the others start to figure it out, and they see stuff move and hear ghosts. Unlike the original, the first had no ghosts to see, had no special effects, or nothing. It made you imagine what it was which is the scariest thing.
Now though I did like the special effects, after awhile I got tired of em. I wanted to see some scary stuff, I wanted to be scared. Sadly I wasn't as scared as the first made me. Especially the ending, which let me down completely. The acting though not first-rate was good, especially from Catherine Zeta-Jones and Lily Taylor. The set however, saved the film from being a total washout. It seemed as though you were there, the set was alive, and it seemed real een though it wasn't.
So bottom line: If you loved the original, and you want this to be just as good, wait for video. Special effects are good, but overdone, acting ok, scares are there but not adundant enough. Go see 'The Blair Witch Project' instead, which is the best horror movie ever made. And I can't wait to see it again. 'The Haunting '99' isn't the worst horror movie made, though the climatic scenes leaves the audience in a state of confusion, and wondering 'What the hell just happened?'
Reviewed: August 2, 1999 by Brandon Herring. Brandon Herring Movie Review Heaven (http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/movie/3160/moviereviewheaven.html
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