The Haunting (1999)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Firstly, the house is incredible! The setting in the huge old house in itself is creepy, let alone all the wooden carvings of kids! The house's back story was actually more interesting than the plot itself, which I didn't find convincing enough. I did enjoy the eerie atmosphere and subtle, real scares without the help of overbearing music. The visual effects are simply awesome! The film does become weird towards the end, but nevertheless remains interesting and entertaining.

I saw this movie a while ago and thought it was really scary. I'm watching it again and I know I will see things I didn't before. Bruce Dern is a real quirky character even tho he is only in the movie for a hot minute."I don't stay after dinner.....not after it begins to get dark....I leave before dark comes....we live in town....9 miles so there won't be anyone around if you need help....we couldn't even hear you at night...no one could....no one lives any nearer than town....now one will come any nearer than that...in the NIGHT, in the DARK."Adore this movie!!!

This is one of the scariest horror movies ever made. People to say this not a good just because it is a remake. People are narrow minded about remakes. People say the original 1963 version is better just because it is the original. The only good thing about the original this that it is a precursor to this movie. The original did have an interesting concept. A doctor takes people to an old house and tell him it is haunted as an experiment to see how they will react. And turns out the house real his haunted. It gets ruined by a week script. An awful ending. And mediocre acting. This one has the same concept and the same story line and characters. But a mush strange script and mush better acting. A mush better ending. Of course the special effects are better. Don't even bother with the 1963 original version that is just overrated cheesy and lame. Just see this one. This is of the scariest movie ever. See it. Do not lesson to people who say this is no good and the original is better. If you want to see a really scary movie you see this one. This a great movie. This movie is very intense. I do not get scared of what I do not see. I can always go for walk in the woods and not see ghosts. I jumped a few time the fist time I saw this movie in the theaters. That did not happen when I watched the lame original on TV. It happened when when I watch The original Psycho on TV. I like a good scary movie. That is way like this movie.

This movie upon first impression leaves this reviewer asking, " Did I do something to mess this up? Was it me?" Only after a second viewing does it becomes apparent that it's the movie's fault. This is a remake of a 1963 movie that was itself a poor poor adaptation of the Shirley Jackson masterpiece The Haunting Of Hill House- if you haven't read it, the book is like a modern day epic poem as a tale of horror. Certainly the 1963 film adaptation fell short, and this version manages to fall short of the '63, that's a big empty space of a difference between The Haunting (1999) and the book. The book is classic, the movie is lowest common denominator over-the-top Hollywood psychopathy on display. You would have made more money if you just did a film version of the book- good stories are eternal, special effects are forgotten.