House on Haunted HillReleased: February 17, 1959
Directed by: William Castle
Starring: Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, & Richard Long
Plot in a Nutshell:
This 1950s horror B-movie starts when an eccentric millionaire (Price) invites 5 guests to stay at a haunted house as part of a contest. Whoever stays the night will win a prize of $10,000. As the night progresses, tensions mount and the guests end up trapped in the house with the ghosts and each other.What I thought:
What a disappointment this film ended up being. With the promise of a great actor as Vincent Price, and the thrilling showman talent of William Castle at the helm, this film seemed destined for great entertainment and horror. Oh how wrong was I.OK to be fair, I am looking at this flick from a modern day perspective. And to approach this now 50-year-old picture with today's eyes is a bit preposterous. There is no fathomable way that you could even be remotely scared or thrilled by this picture today. It just won't happen. You have to put on your 50s glasses and view it as an audience would back in the day. But even after watching it in my handy dandy 1959 glasses, it is still a disappointment.
There were a few genuine scares here and there, but I think the emphasis of this film is the relationship between the millionaire, Mr. Loren, and his wife. Throughout the picture you understand that they hate each other, both want each other dead (and one ends up so by the film's conclusion). It is how it unfolds that is ultimately the film's strength. With a few twist, turns and unexpected surprises, the finale wraps it up nicely, if leaving the audience a little unsatisfied.It seems that the focus is not on the house, nor the umpteen ghosts residing in it, or even the characters brought in to stay just one night in the spooky abode. No, the film is really only concerned with Mr. Loren and his wife, the other characters, and indeed the house's ghosts themselves are merely there to support the Mr. and Mrs. Loren squabble. Which for a movie like this, with this much promise, it becomes very frustrating.
I much prefer the 1999 remake, simply because there are some genuine ghosts that cause mayhem. In this original, not so much real ghosting going on. All the spookings and creepy things are easily explained away within the story, leaving me hungry for some real ghost horror action.
Sad to say, that even Vincent Price's normal gooey, slimy, and yet altogether regal self, barely makes an appearance. He seems to be gliding through the scenes, playing a very one dimensional impression of himself, that eventually becomes so tired. This film makes me want to watch a good Vincent Price flick, so, so bad. I have to wash the taste of this flick outta my mouth.I think the only cool thing about this film, is something that you can't reproduce easily today. The director, William Castle, was such a showman, that for this film's release he actually rigged many theaters with a pulley system that would swing a skeleton over the audience at the appropriate time. Now if you weren't expecting that, it could have a real impact on you in a crowded audience. However, since it is now only a story in filmmaking history, it adds very little to the film aside from an amusing anecdote.
Bottom Line:If you were born in the 50s, or earlier, and you saw this flick in the theater upon its release, it could have shocked the pants off of you (I don't know how). However if you are of this generation, it isn't even worth it for its filmmaking, characters, or story. Sadly this 50s B-movie, aside from nostalgia, simply doesn't hold up anymore.
C
(Sadly, not even worth a B)
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