The Haunting

I read Haunting of Hill House my junior year of high school (shoutout to Texie T. if he sees this!), so I already knew what I was getting into from the opening frame. It’s a great adaptation that adds an interesting angle to the story while still being true to its roots. I found the choice to focus on more psychological aspects of horror, particularly in lingering shots and wide-angle lenses left me scanning each shot for something lurking in the corners, even if I knew there wasn’t anything ever there. Acting is great, particularly by Julie Harris as her character slowly succumbs to the house. Sound design is wonderful in its lack thereof, as Wise chose to only use music in key moments. I found both the queer subtext and usage of Mrs Montague, or in this case Mrs Markaway, particularly interesting. But I’m not gonna write a whole essay on this movie in a letterboxd post. In any case, it’s a great spooky haunted house film that acts as a blueprint for many of our modern versions. 5/5: Maybe the House wouldn’t’ve been so mad at you if you didn’t call it disgusting every five minutes