The Haunting (1963)

After reading the book by Shirley Jackson I put in Robert Wise's film adaptation into the DVD player to compare this Halloween.  My first question is why take out Hill House from the title?   Don't you want people to know that your film is an adaptation of a known novel?  I love the book's title and the name of the house and think they should have left the title alone.  That said, you have to praise Mr. Wise for taking a very stiff novelistic story and giving it cinematic weight.  There's genuine fear going on here and I greatly enjoyed the spooky sounds and wide angle shots.  The acting is also very strong with Julie Harris' portrayal of Eleanor being so good it's almost like she was possessed by the actual character.   Some of the changes from the book are understandable such as John Markway's wife being a skeptic instead of a ghost hunter herself and the wonderful sequence at the spiral staircase is great.  Yet then you have to ask why change the doctor's last name?  Nelson Gidding did a very good job as a screenwriter tightening the story's structure but he added a bunch of boring dialogue too.  I felt during some scenes like I was watching a play.  Overall it's clear that this is an inventive and stylized horror film that works on many levels.  Grade: B+

A note on the two remakes of this story:  Stephen King's sort of remake called Rose Red is actually the best adaptation of Jackson's novel.  Why he changed the house's name, I'm not sure but all the same events happen (if updated for the modern world).  I'd check it out if you enjoy TV-made miniseries.  But whatever you do avoid the '90s remake of The Haunting with Liam Neelson and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  It's awful with goofy CGI and horrible direction.  It might be one of the worst films I have ever seen.  It's because of that film I avoided Jackson's novel for so long and that alone is a crime.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirly Jackson (Novel)

It's pretty much known that Jackson's novel about a haunted house is considered by many the best haunted house story in prose.  After reading it I was shocked to find out how much natural humor is embedded in the moody novel.  There are some incredible spooky atmospheric descriptions but it's not really a ghost story at all.  In many ways this is more a character study than a story.  Hell House is the character being studied and if there is a plot it's a love affair between the house and the lonely and fragile Eleanor Lance.  I almost stopped enjoying the novel toward the end because it seemed like she didn't know what to do in the final chapters but I was delighted in the last pages with a satisfying and creepy end.  Grade: A-    

Black Sunday Aka The Mask of Satan (1960)

A witch is being burned at the stake, but a short rain storm douses the flames.  To kill her they use a spiked mask but before they can put it on she warns the mob witnessing her burning that she will come back to have her revenge.  This film is about her return as a Professor and his travel companion search the inside of a crypt and unknowingly awaken her.   This is so far my favorite film by Mario Bava.  The black and white cinematography enhances the horror while at the same time deluding the camp some.  You can imagine that back in the sixties people were flipping out about this gruesome film.   It's dated some but still enjoyable to watch with a thrilling conclusion.  Grade: B+

The Innkeepers (2011)

Ti West should stop trying to make horror movies. He’s not very good at it. From this film and his awful The House of the Devil, I can tell he is a decent film maker stuck in the wrong genre. His films look great, the actors in his films act well, and he has a solid professional polish to his storytelling but when it comes to scares he sucks.  His endings suck too.  Not that the rest of this film is that great, but I thought the quirky Claire played by Sara Paxton was a pleasant heroine. Too bad she really lacks any kind of compelling reason for doing what she does.  Grade: C

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

Another example of Postmodern horror that excels with big laughs and great character acting.  Tucker and Dale (played by the great Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine) are two hillbillies going into the woods to spend their vacation in their new vacation home.  Then a group of college kids assume they're evil hillbillies (as seen in movies like Deliverance) and a series of bad assumptions lead to a battle of wills.  What a satisfying and rewarding twist.  If you like gory comedy than you're in for a treat.  Grade: B+

Spoiler Alert:  I only had one problem with this film and that is how the film makers open with a reporter and her camera man being killed.  The film makers lead you to believe this is a set up for a sequel by bookending it, but it's a completely unnecessary scene.   

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

This cult classic staring Vincent Price as the revenging Dr. Phibes is a sublime example of weird disco horror that's darkly funny and full of memorable scenes.  My favorite is with the locust.  Dated as you'd expect, with strange art deco sets and colorful costumes it's a wonder Hollywood hasn't made a remake yet (unless you count SAW which basically uses the same story with far more gruesome results).  I highly recommend this film for those who like a little cheesy fun with their revenge stories.  Grade: B+    

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

They did it again! I never would have expected directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost of being able to sustain the stationary camera concept so brilliantly used in this franchise created by producer Oren Peli . Yet they did with a believable thought-out use of laptop cameras. While not nearly as scary as the first two films, what I enjoyed about these last two is how they expand on the story. We now know who the demon is, it has a name—Tobey. And we know that Katie is an evil demon-possessed killer and that Hunter is important for some witches coven.   There’s still a lot of mystery but the humor and dreadful awkwardness is still evident.   I really don’t see how they can continue but they did it this time why not. It’s really a no-brainer for the studios. These films can be made with very little and they make a guaranteed bus load of money. While I still think the first three make for a great trilogy, I’m having a lot of fun seeing where they take this story.   It’s inevitable that they’re going to screw up at some point and drag this concept to the ground but hopefully I’m proven wrong. For the next film, if I had any request, would be the introduction of a good force so Tobey and folk don’t have such an easy time getting what they want. And what is it they want? I guess we’ll have to wait until next October to find out. Grade: B+