Rating: 
Summary: simply the best
Review: Robert Wise's 1962 film "The Haunting" is simply the best, most riveting haunted-house drama ever filmed. Superb performances by Claire Bloom, Julie Harris, and Russ Tamblyn, as well as an utterly marvelous supporting cast, make this film the one all others should emulate. Based on a masterful short story by Shirley Jackson, the actions takes place at an old New England mansion (although the film was made in England, and a sharp viewer can catch that). The leading character, Nell, is tormented by her past and we have access to her thoughts throughout as the tension continues to build. The settings are excellently done. When is the last time you encountered a silver toast server-rack, in which the slices are stacked vertically to keep them crisp? I viewed this movie a second time just to enjoy all the "perfect touches" like this one. If you are a fan of the suspense/psychological thriller, don't miss out on this one! Robert Wise's 1962 production is by far the best, so don't be fooled by others of the same name. Five enthusiastic stars!
Rating:
Summary: In The Grip Of Hill House No One Is Safe
Review: The original 1960's version of The Haunting, still manages to run circles around the dopey 1999 remake, even though it had little to no special effects or gore. Indeed, director Robert Wise's take on author Shirley Jackson's novel, remains an all time favorite haunted house film of mine. Rather than flood the viewer's senses with what Wise sees as "scary", he allows our fears and imagination of what might be out there to push the story forward. By the time of the big reveal at the end, so much tension has been built in, that the ending is much more effective and satisfying. After her mother's recent death-and driven by a total belief in the supernatural, Eleanor Vance (Julie Harris) deciedes to join an expedition to explore Hill House, a New England mansion. She's invited there by anthropologist Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson), along with the bohemian exotic Theodora (Claire Bloom), who has extrodinary extra-sensory abilities, and a stuck up playboy Luke Sanderson (Russ Tamblyn) who will inherit Hill House if it is clean of any strange goings on. As you might imagine, strange things start to happen, shortly after the group arrives. The character's fears (as well as our own) propel the film. The scares in the movie are driven by the mind. Screenwriter Nelson Gidding crafted a fine adaptation, that along with Wise's atmosheric touches, and a fine ensemble, allows for a fun film watching experience. Happily the DVD has a great audio commentary with Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Russ Tamblyn, director Robert Wise, and screenwriter Nelson Gidding. Each of whom, offer some fine stories about the making of the film and bring a unique perspective to the track. For someone who has been around awhile as a director, Wise still exhibits wit, wisdom, and class, that infects the others as well. The DVD also includes an interactive essay entitled, "Things That Go Bump in the Night", a still gallery, and a vintage theatrical trailer. Shot in black and white, The Haunting, comes highly recommended. Watching this version will help one to forget the mistakes of director Jan De Bont's needless remake
Rating: 
Summary: A poor transfer. What a shame.
Review: Without a doubt my favorite ghost story on film. I'd waited years for this film to be released on DVD only to discover upon receipt of the DVD the black and white photography is ruined by a shoddy transfer. The black tones, so important to the feel of this film, shimmer and move in a way that distracts from the amazing photography and potent story. It took them so long to release this movie on DVD I can't imagine they will ever re-version this film with a better tranfer. Whoever approved this transfer should get their eyes examined. Let's hope when/if they ever release Jack Clayton's version of "The Innocents" on DVD they don't make the same mistake.
Rating:
Summary: it's all in the audio...
Review: first and formost, this is the best haunted house story - period.
if you have seen this film, you know that audio plays a large part in the tention of this wonderful film from the man who made the earth stand still - robert wise.
i wish that the dvd was in suround at least. god, when eleanor and theo are in eleanor's room and that... SOUND envelopes them, you see from their reactions that it is all around! that would have been the best upgrade. i didn't see a terrible "shimmering" that one of the other reviewers saw, but i only had a well loved 2nd gen copy of a w/s vhs so to me the video was a step up. you'd think for it's 40th anniversary, the film would have gotten the criterion treatment. hey, that's not a bad idea, criterion. get a hold of this gem and do it justice!!
Rating:
Summary: Very poor video transfer....
Review: This is one of my all-time favorite 3 movies in this genre and I was greatly disappointed in the DVD release. I purchased this when it came out in August 2003 and I was appalled at the horrible quality of video: all the dark scenes (the opening scene of the house is a great example) are shimmering (a good word that another reviewer wrote) and flickering, especially the "infrared" filmed scenes. I figured I had gotten a bad copy and I was just about to purchase a new one since 9 months have gone by (I thought the bad batch would all be purchased by now) when I read another review just written last month which has the same complaint. I was also disappointed with the audio commentary of Julie Harris and Claire Bloom. They're contribution is so short I feel like they were snippets of old interviews and not made specifically for this release (unlike the bulk of the commentary). I guess quality doesn't matter to this company.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but lacks the depth of the novel
Review: I probably would have liked this movie a lot better if I hadn't read Shirley Jackson's brilliant book first. The Haunting is a decent haunted house film, not terrible by any means, but it is an inadequate adaptation. Maybe a more faithful adaptation of the book would have been impossible, since the novel depends so much on psychological suggestion and an unreliable (and possibly deranged) protagonist. That sort of subtlety is more difficult to express on film: there is the truth of what the camera is seeing, that is all. Ambiguity of perception cannot be easily communicated on film.
The most crucial change (to me, anyway), and one that makes me wonder if the screenwriters really read Jackson's book at all, is that Theo is made into a stereotypical "predatory lesbian" character. Eleanor's relationship with Theodora is more layered and complex in the novel, and her conflicts with Theo have a lot to do with her increasingly fragile mental state. In the book, /Eleanor/ pursues Theo. Theodora's rejection of Eleanor (directly or indirectly) leads to the outcome of the story. The "manifestations" in the house are more about Eleanor's essential loneliness and need for belonging than ghosts. The filmmakers of The Haunting definitely grasp this (unlike the filmmakers of the completely awful remake), but removed from its context, Eleanor's sense of rejection in the film is hard to understand. I suppose the filmmakers transferred Eleanor's romantic interest to the doctor rather than Theodora due to the controversial nature of homosexuality, but by doing this, the context of Eleanor's breakdown is removed, and movie Eleanor is a lot harder to relate to. I'd suggest that you read the book *and* watch the movie, to give yourself some basis for comparison. Ordinarily I don't think it matters if movies are not faithful to the books they were adapted from, but in this case I think it significantly alters the essential meaning of the story (and The Haunting of Hill House is more than simple genre horror, no matter what anyone might say.)
Rating: 
Summary: Overrated bore
Review: Absolute bore. Much better 1960's films are Horror Hotel, Carnival of Souls, and Circus of Horrors.
If a film is as popular as The Haunting then you already know it stinks and is just a hype. Learn to think 4 yerself and look past the hype. I did!
Rating: 
Summary: ...the story will not leave you alone...
Review: The mansion Hill House has a history of macabre events and the architecture appears eerie to anyone who comes within sight of the old building. It is for these reasons that Dr. John Markway decides to conduct his research on paranormal activities within the house and prove to the world that ghosts exist. Dr. Markway enters the mansion with three others as they have qualities that are needed for the experiment: Luke Sanderson, a skeptical to the experiment who goes along as he is to inherit the house, Theodora, a clairvoyant woman whose abilities are needed for safety, and the anxious Eleanor Lance who has psychic abilities to connect with spirits and ghosts. As they enter Dr. Markway discovers that his predictions were correct and they continue to collect evidence to offer proof to the world. However, a presence is looming and it seems that the macabre events of the past are about to repeat themselves. The Haunting is a frightening film as it builds fear around the unknown by creating an atmosphere with subtle and sudden changes that in the end offer the audience a haunting experience that they will not soon forget.
Rating:
Summary: I go home before it gets dark.................
Review: My only complaint about The Haunting is that I can't seem to stay awake to watch it when I'm tired or sleepy. Otherwise, it is the very finest ghost story you will ever see. I personally prefer Shirley Jackson's excellent book The Haunting Of Hill House to either film version, as it goes into much more detail. The remake isn't at all as bad as the critics say and has some new twists to offer in the story. But, the original still stands as the definitive ghost story. It takes quite awhile for the story to really get going and there is a lot of talk and very little action for most of the film's running time. But, there is at least one scene that will leave you wondering as you lie in your bed in a dark room if you are really alone. Who could ever forget Mrs. Dudley's creepy and sinister little smile when she says "There won't be anyone to help if you call out in the night". Brrrrr.......... Just turn down the lights, get someone you trust to hold onto and make sure you are wide awake when you watch it!!
Rating:
Summary: I go home before it gets dark............
Review: Based on the excellent novel, "The Haunting Of Hill House", by Shirley Jackson (which in my most humble opinion is even better than both film versions and is also much more detailed), this is the definitive ghost story. It is most definitely one to be viewed with the lights on and even more preferably, with someone else to hold on to!! Although the remake is not at all as bad as many critics have made it out to be and it does manage to come up with a few new interesting ideas, it still pales in comparison to it's masterful predecessor. Who can ever forget Mrs. Dudley and her creepy and sinister little smile as she tells Eleanor that there won't be anyone for her to call on for help "In the night, in the dark.........!!" The original film has more than stood the test of time against all comers. It is supremely scary, even though you never see any ghosts, blood or gore. Even though there is no bad language, (...). The character of Theo is a lesbian, but the subject is handled quite tastefully and is never blatantly discussed or exploited. Although the original version was filmed in black-and-white and doesn't have modern day, state-of-the-art special effects, it does have the power to chill and to make you wonder if after you turn off the lights and lie in bed, if you are really alone in that dark room............
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