Comments on: Haunting

By: coozledad

coozledad — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 01:15:40 +0000

I confess, the first time I saw The Haunting, I’d had a couple of hits of some typical 70’s quality pot. I attributed some of the effects and stunning camera work to the drug. Saw it later, unstoned. A nearly perfect film. I don’t think any directors exploited the character of light in the medium of black and white nearly as effectively as Wise until Institute Benjamenta by the Quay brothers.

By: TomHilton

TomHilton — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:35:21 +0000

Dammit, my comment got eaten. Once more, with feeling:

That’s one of my favorite horror movies–a favorite in any genre, actually. Robert Wise worked for Val Lewton, and it shows. (And by the way, is anyone else looking forward to that TCM documentary on Lewton this month?)

I think of the more recent version as more of a re-make of the original movie than an adaptation of the story. Lili Taylor seems to be playing Julie Harris, Zeta-Jones is playing Claire Bloom, and Owen Wilson is playing Russ Tamblyn. In any case, it’s a terrible movie; I do highly recommend the original.

By: wondermachine

wondermachine — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:02:10 +0000

Looking forward to seeing this. Didn’t see Pan’s Labyrinth for its redemptive violence thread, but probably will see it sometime.
I’m bi (lingual that is) so the Spanish don’t bother me none.
Nada.

By: captphealy

captphealy — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:43:53 +0000

What I really don’t get is some of these young’uns who won’t watch movies in black & white.

Between that comment and the title of this post, I’m reminded of Robert Wise’s film The Haunting, adapted from (and not to be confused with the atrocious later version of) Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. Gorgeous black & white Cinemascope photography complements a great story well told. Highly recommended.

By: drip

drip — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:27:41 +0000

Since 9/11 everyone speaks Spanish. Why bother with the subtitles?

By: TomHilton

TomHilton — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:01:59 +0000

Looks very intriguing. I finally saw Pan’s Labyrinth the other night, and it was as wonderful as I expected…and far more heartbreaking.

I can almost get the no-subtitles folks (”hey, I go to the movies to be entertained–not to do something hard like reading“). What I really don’t get is some of these young’uns who won’t watch movies in black & white.

By: captphealy

captphealy — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:13:06 +0000

del Toro didn’t direct El Orfanato, he produced it. It’s said to be similar in tone to his work, though.

And I’m wondering if the ticket takers didn’t start warning folks until someone complained. I’m sure if they weren’t giving that warning originally, someone bought a ticket, sat down to the movie, and waited a few minutes for the movie to revert to English before going out and giving the staff holy hell.

By: Phoenix Woman

Phoenix Woman — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:34:30 +0000

JS: Yup. (Can’t speak for the Blade franchise, but Hellboy wasn’t bad at all for a fantasy action flick.)

By: fauxmaxbaer

fauxmaxbaer — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:24:20 +0000

El Orfanato parece una pelicula muy buena. Gracias.

By: TexasEllen

TexasEllen — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:19:00 +0000

I have a son who is deaf and a Brazilian daughter-in-law. Like JDsg, the picture looks weird without captions. The world has a boatload of wonderful film makers, some of whom live in the US. Lots live elsewhere. Thanks for the heads up on El Orfanato!