STEVE HAYES: Tired Old Queen at the Movies - THE HAUNTING

[2legit64]

I love Julie Harris, but not scary movies. The scariest I have watched recently was "The Innocents" with my girl crush, Deborah Kerr. I still can't get "Miss Giddons dear" out of my head. Because of your review, I just may pick this up and watch it in the middle of the afternoon on a very sunny day. LOL!

[bboots100]

I saw this movie on television when I was a child in the sixties and it scared me to death. This little critique has made me remember just how good it was and I plan on looking for a copy this weekend.

[chelseaguy52]

Definitely, TCM needs Steve!

Agreed, The Haunting will keep you choking on your Milk Duds and DOTS all the way through! Much better than the the color remake!

[bobraleigh]

love the pic of Veronica Lake!

[MartyO49]

If Robert Osborne never returns at TCM, I nominate Steve Hayes to take his place!

[Newportjoey]

Steve!  I am stunned you are so well versed with Shirley Jackson......marvelous.....

[Cubachik]

That was FABULOUS!! "The Haunting" is sooooo scary!

[conrad152]

Absolutely wonderful review,

[Zander45]

This movie terrified me as a child seeing part of it on TV,I later rented it and it's an intense ghost story that plays with one's psyche.JulieHarriss is wonderful,as well as Claire Bloom.The house is enormous,and looks Evil.

[AuntieVeraCharles50]

"Leave a sample in the jar please"

[Nemesis7293]

@AuntieVeraCharles50 I'm afraid that's from "The Legend Of Hell House", not "The Haunting". A lot of people get them mixed up, lol.

[yewtreeman]

Steve, do you like 'The Innocents' with Deborah Car directed by Jack Clayton? A great movie, thanks for the review on 'The Haunting' we just bought it and are looking forward to it. You really are great. Many Thanks, (again) Edmund in Kinver UK.

[hecate55]

Thank you for highlighting one of my favorite all-movies of all time!

[myfriendcaffeine]

Sorry Gorgeous. I made a mistake. I thought Julie Harris was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in The Haunting. Thought i read somewhere she, along with Robert Wise and the movie itself were nominated.

[myfriendcaffeine]

Oh Gorgeous! Thank you for reviewing this classic. Truely the scariest movie ever filmed. The sets, direction, writing, acting (Julie Harris should have won the Oscar that year) all help to create some real scares. And you NEVER see a ghost in the entire movie, which just makes it that much creepier. The cannon ball pounding on the door, Nell thinking Cleo was holding her hand when she wasn't, and that creepy spiral stair case. I watch this one every Halloween. In the night. In the dark.

[steerpike66]

Aewsome. Julie Harris is SO hysterical and Claire Bloom is lipstick lesbian chic heaven I imagine her raping Audrey Hepburn.

'Nobody comes any nearer than that...in the night...in the dark..'

You should also read the novella by Shirley Jackson of which this is a very decent adaptation. It's probably one of the best long ghost stories in the world, alongside 'The Turn of the Screw' and The Woman in Black'.

[CavanaughsWebseries]

welcome back Steve Hayes ! Another fun episode!

[rextrek]

very enjoyable....!!! 

[rickrazz]

Saw this on TV when I was a little kid, in the night, in the dark. The pounding on the walls and the expanding door. Scared the bejabbers out of me.

[BrizyComics]

Steve, I saw this movie on TV when I was just a kid and it scared the hell out of me! Great choice for Halloween viewing.

[AuntieVeraCharles50]

This pales in comparison to "The Legend Of Hell House". Give a look. oxoxo

[steerpike66]

@AuntieVeraCharles50 Oh but the Legend of Hell House cops out with the ending. Great up until then though.

'You're gonna DIE in there. JUST like Lionel, JUST like Miss Tanner!'

[AuntieVeraCharles50]

@steerpike66 "TOUCH ME!!!! OR I'LL FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[steerpike66]

@AuntieVeraCharles50 HAHAHHA. Gayle Hunnicut rules. Also:

;Drug addiction, alcoholism, sadism, beastiality, mutilation, murder, vampirism, necrophilia, cannibalism, not to mention a gamut of sexual goodies'

Uh, sorry Mr Fischer, half of those are sexual goodies. Or are they sexual baddies?

[jenkins676]

I have been waiting for this one! There's a scene in it which is really quite powerful, where Eleanor calls Theo a freak. On the surface she's attacking her psychic ability, but the undercurrent is that she's really talking about Theo's lesbianism. The look on Theo's face is heartbreaking, and i never forgot it.

[smartorialist]

My grandfather used to read 'The Lottery' to me as a bedtime story.

[BleakAugust]

OMG! I feel validated. Finally a movie I've already seen and love! Thank you for this. It's still one of my favorite books of all time as well. And We Have Always Lived in a Castle! You're way beyond awesome now.

[silbermark]

Oh!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! This is my favorite scary movie of all time! About a decade ago I managed to meet Claire Bloom and we had a humorous conversation about her lesbian character in this movie. Claire mentioned that the actual mansion - in Buckinghamshire (she claimed) was really as ominous and spooky as the fictitious Hill House ... which put the cast in the right frame of mind! I love this movie. Thank you for reviewing it. I remain your #1 fan in Philly.

[Muirmaiden]

What a coincidence, I'm watching this movie right now!

Always love your reviews, Steve!

Johnny did a great job on the blood.

[quackdamnu]

Great one, Steve!

Maybe we'll watch this one on Halloween.

After 5 o'clock.

In the night.

In the dark.

:)