The Haunting
Director Robert Wise’sThe Haunting(1963 ) is a horror classic , but its bombastic 1999 remaking is so full of problem that it ’s best left forgotten . The originalHauntingfilm , an version of Shirley Jackson ’s notable novelThe Haunting of Hill House , was a box office flop upon release , and received a interracial reception from critic . The Hauntingis one of those horror films that ’s found its consultation with time , being regard today as one of the most effective ghost movies ever .
The Hauntingwas remade in 1999 , although one could fence it ’s more of a re - version of the Koran than a unbent - up remaking of the prior pic . The Haunting(1999 ) also gasconade a plaster cast full of current and/or future stars , includingLiam Neeson , Catherine Zeta - Jones , Owen Wilson , andThe conjury ’s Lili Taylor . Jan de Bont , helmer of hits likeSpeedandTwister , was hired to head . That seems like a winning formula , but regrettably , The Hauntingremake is now mostly regarded as an example of what not to do .
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Despite bad reviews from critic , The Hauntingwas a balmy bang at the box office , spread at # 1 domestically . Holy Writ of mouth has not been kind since , with it often being treated as a laughing stock . Here ’s why .
What the Haunting Remake Got So Wrong
One of the swell thing about Robert Wise’sThe Hauntingis that it realizes that less can be more , and that the unknown can often be much chilling than a monster hollering in one ’s face . mess of mileage is gotten out of strange sound and a tangible feeling of lurking dread , as well as creative mental disturbance that leave the persona wondering if what they think they control or hear was actually actual . The acting from the mold , especially leave character Eleanor ( Julie Harris ) , also effectively impart deep concern for their lives . unluckily , The Hauntingremake discard all of that right out the window .
Technically , Jan de Bont is a skilled movie maker , and the film ’s product conception is also eye - catching . Hill House is marvelous to behold , and full of concealed room and corridors . The problem is that there ’s no there there , beginning with the script . The character are very thinly sketched , and their motivation and behavior seem to abruptly change depend on the scene . However , the biggest matter isThe Haunting(1999 ) ’s over - reliance on CGI effects , lots of which did n’t on the dot see marvelous in 1999 , and now await quite ancient . The Hauntingremake completely trade in the original’spsychological scaresfor loud , objectionable jumps and ghostwriter attacks that seem to live solely to give viewers ' home house systems a workout . This end result possibly describe back to de Bont ’s directing , as his prior movies were all action / risky venture type outing with caboodle of bangs , collapse , and explosions , which is exactly whatThe Hauntingshouldn’t be . Thankfully , Netflix’sThe Haunting of Hill Houseseries would get it right .
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