Author Shirley Jackson has been having something of a renaissance in recent years. Jackson has long been admired for her incredible work, but something about this brilliant woman has struck a chord in recent years. Earlier this year, director Josephine Decker created the fantastically eerie Shirley, starring Elisabeth Moss as the famed author. The Haunting of Hill House, arguably her most famous work, inspired the Netflix series of the same name from a couple of years ago from creative powerhouse Mike Flanagan. Both of these projects are incredible works of art that pay a great deal of respect to this literary figure. The Netflix series was not the first time that her novel had been adapted for the screen; Robert Wise expertly adapted the story into The Haunting in 1963. Then, in 1999, director Jan de Bont (Speed) updated the story for a modern audience with an extremely talented cast. The film unfortunately did not resonate with critics, but proved to be something of a box office hit. Twenty years after its release, we take a look to see how the film fares through a modern perspective.
The reimagining of the classic tale follows Eleanor “Nell” Vance (Lili Taylor), an insomniac who has recently lost her mother after caring for her for many years. Her greedy sister (Virginia Madsen) is intent on kicking Nell out of the house after she inherits it, hoping to quickly get it on the market. Staring down the barrel at potential homelessness, Nell is surprised to receive a call from a Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) about an insomnia study he is hosting for which she seems to be a perfect candidate. Little does she know that this study is actually a smokescreen for his research on the psychological response to fear. Also, he may not actually have been the one reaching out to get her to participate. The study is to take place at Hill House, a secluded manor in Massachusetts with hidden secrets for days. Nell is joined by two other participants, Luke (Owen Wilson) and Theodora (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who appear a bit more psychologically stable than Nell. What starts out as a fairly straightforward study into fear soon begins to evolve into something much more sinister for the participants.
The Hill House manor is one of the most impressive aspects of the entire film. The level of care that went into the production design really helped bring to life this majestic residence that is home to evil intent. Compared to other depictions of the story, de Bont offers up a heightened version of the house that feels like something out of a fairytale with unbelievable rooms. It is with this playful setting that the movie attempts to tap into some unsettling horror. Dr. Marrow believes he is the one brewing up the nightmare fuel, but the house has that aspect covered as mysterious things start occurring at the residence, mostly to Nell. The film does a decent job of setting the stage for these haunted delights, but it relies on “modern” technology of the time to bring it to life. Unfortunately, this deflates almost any sort of tension that the movie conjures up. The original film version and the Netflix adaptation both understood that practical effects were the key to serving up chills. The CGI ghosts that haunt the curtains of this house are mostly cheesy rather than terrifying.
That is not to say that there are not interesting aspects of this production. This may not work as an effective horror movie, which understandably makes this easy to dismiss for some crowds, but it does function pretty well as a mystery tale. There are certain developments you can see coming from a mile away, but there are some surprising moments in the plot that will keep you invested. Also, all of the actors are making a fine attempt to elevate this film despite the lack of scares. Neeson provides the necessary gravitas that you want to anchor your film, and Zeta-Jones and Wilson act as amiable vessels into the story. But it is Lili Taylor who is putting in the best work of the film, which seems to be a normal occurrence for the actress. She is given a somewhat lacking script and still manages to make you care about what happens in the film. The story is not anything groundbreaking, but there is enough here to see you through to the end. The film is far from perfect, but it is better than its reputation would have you to believe when viewed in the right context.
Video Quality
The Haunting has been granted a director-supervised 4K restoration via the Paramount Presents line for this stunning new Blu-Ray disc. The film grain present is beautifully natural and consistent while allowing fine details to shine through. Subtle details stand out with greater clarity than ever before, especially in clothing or elements of the production design. Exploring the house with this new transfer almost makes it feel like a whole new film. Facial features are likewise detailed with fine lines and pores detectable alongside natural skin tones. Colors are vibrant without being unnatural for the environment. The transfer affords several opportunities for them to pop off the screen with items such as clothing. Black levels are deep and inky without any noticeable blocking or compression artifacts. This is by far the best the film has looked on home entertainment.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray disc comes with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless track that brings the film to life beautifully. As with any haunted house film, the importance of precise ambient detail is paramount to building atmosphere. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The Jerry Goldsmith score brings a soaring seriousness to the proceedings that primes you for the chilling revelations. The track makes good use of the surround speakers in more kinetic sequences, such when the spirits are especially active. The low end activity from some of these events such as the banging on doors engages the low end in an exceptional way. Environmental effects are accurately placed within the mix, making for a really creepy time. The track lives up to the high standard set by the video portion of this disc. Together they are a real knockout.
Special Features
- Filmmaker Focus – Director Jan de Bont on The Haunting: A new nine-minute interview with de Bont in which he discusses the development of the film, how he exchanged Minority Report for this project with Spielberg, the casting of the film, how they shot in complicated environments, the visual effects and more. This is a really nice reflection on the film.
- Behind-The-Scenes Featurette: A 27-minute archival featurette hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones in which the cast and crew discuss all relevant areas of the production including the story, characters, special effects, challenges of the production and more. It is fun to get some insights from the participants at the time of production. The best part of this feature are some hair-raising ghost stories that are recounted.
- Theatrical Teaser Trailer: A minute-long trailer that focuses on the house itself while playing up de Bont’s previous work. No footage from the actual film is shown.
- Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer that showcases some of the creepy moments from the film. It reveals a bit too much, but it does a fine job of building interest.
Final Thoughts
The Haunting is a flawed horror film that happens to work fairly well as a mystery-thriller. The film is hampered by some dated CGI, but the performances from the cast members, especially Lili Taylor, elevate it above its shaky foundation. This new Blu-Ray disc from Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment is a real knockout in the A/V department, and the disc provides some interesting special features. If you are a fan of the film, this new Blu-Ray is worth the investment without question.
Paramount Presents The Haunting is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
