House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Absolutely the worst movie.

A Masterpiece!

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Blistering performances.

"House on Haunted Hill" is a horror movie which may have been unfairly relegated to the bargain bin of history due to the gimmickry of its infamous filmmaker, William Castle. Indeed, during its first showings in the fifties, a skeleton would be lowered down into the audience during a key scene - but apparently this trick was resigned when cinema goers started throwing things at it.Castle, as it turns out, didn't need to resort to such things. He was a more than capable filmmaker: "House on Haunted Hill" features many genuinely shocking, and even frightening, moments.The plot concerns an eccentric millionaire - played by, who else? Vincent Price - who invites a group of people to stay in a supposedly haunted house. If they can last the night, he will give them $10,000.Of course, there are signs that the house may indeed be haunted, but everything is not what it seems, and the guests may have more to fear than spooks.Aside from the indelible Vincent Price, the movie also stars Elisha Cook Jr., a character actor who looks like a smaller, traumatised Jack Nicholson, and Julie Mitchum (brother of Robert) in the last film of her negligible acting career.I was a little troubled by the ending, which seems to try for an open-ended lack of resolution, but doesn't quite get there. Instead it made me think I'd misunderstood something.Aside from this, "House on Haunted Hill" is a must watch for horror fans.

Along with many other reviewers, I first saw House on Haunted Hill as a kid. It took me a long time to shake its spooky feeling off, convinced as I was that certain elements (Price's wife appearing at Nora's window, the rope curling around Nora's feet) could not have been faked.OK, so it's just a movie, and those incidents were faked. Anyway, having seen it a few times recently, I'm intrigued by the plot. Price's character running the show; he runs two shows really: the ghost gambit with his guests,and the murder mystery. It's impossible to know what he's really up to until the last few scenes in the cellar.It's established early on that Price and his wife can't stand each other; Price mimics shooting her with a candlestick. Still, the murder mystery lurks in the background while the ghostly presences manifest themselves. We are left wondering--who/what is behind these machinations: Price? Pritchard? Price's wife? or, are they supposed to actually occur of their own volition? The revelations at the end bring both plots together.The only loose end is Pritchard. He frames the movie by introducing the characters and plot, and summing it up when it's played out. But he's really in his own world; he fits into the atmosphere of the house, even as he's repelled by it. He also establishes that none of the characters are what they seem to be. The guests are all needy/greedy. Nora has the most legitimate reason for wanting the money, but she's soon manipulated to the point that she becomes an hysterical loose cannon.The movie never lets us off the hook; will murders continue at the house? Since Pritchard owns the place, he should be the best informed. Obviously, like all the other characters, he's not a reliable witness either. This leaves the question: who's story is it? In other words, does the murder mystery explain everything else, or are we to believe that Pritchard's world of ghosts is the arbiter of fate?Even after all these years, and being a bit more skeptical than Pritchard, the caretaker's wife still scares me, and Price's genteel ghoulishness remains disarmingly.

This is a classic even though I didn't see the reboot of it (The Dark Castle one). I like it like I'd enjoyed like I don't care if it's black and white like back then they're no colors back then for movies like this. I'd enjoy this film like it's fun to watch in my opinion. This is truly a classic like I wish they sell it in stores. I'd recommend this film for people who like classic films.

When it comes to the likes of 1950s, low-budget horror - (If you're seriously looking for a real gem that's overflowing with non-stop, unintentional humour) - You certainly can't go wrong with "House On Haunted Hill". Yep. It's a "scream" alright.... A "scream" of laughter, that is.Filmed on a measly $200,000 budget - Directed by schlock movie-maker, William Castle - and - Starring that total Hollywood ham-actor, Vincent Price - Believe me - This demented, little fright flick takes the meaning of the word "cheesy" to a whole new level of unbridled lunacy.As the story goes - Price (with typical fiendish glee) plays Frederick Loren, a mean, sadistic and utterly eccentric millionaire, who offers $10,000 to five people who agree to be locked up in a large, spooky, rented house overnight with him and his "darling" wife..... So - Let the screaming start!.... Ha!.... I mean - Let the laughing start!