One of the most praiseworthy things about this movie are the transitions. Dillydallying with prolonged scenes of walking or driving to sites of interest, introducing new characters through mundane means, or rehashing exposition to other characters, as is so common in virtually all movies, is completely absent here. They cut to the chase every instance and I massively appreciate it. Despite this, it does take a solid half hour to get to anything genuinely interesting. But once it does, the intrigue builds and the eerie atmosphere is perhaps subtler than most horror movies but nonetheless effective. George C Scott depicts a very believable humanity and his reactions feel authentic. Ultimately the film feels more like a drama with a supernatural touch than a genre horror, regardless of the obvious "haunting" theme. Yet at just under the hour mark, things get especially interesting, taking on a "thriller" element. The finale, however, among the collective camera angles, panning, music, and sound effects, all point to horror. The performance of Melvyn Douglas also struck a chord in me. So while as a whole not as grand as I was expecting, it certainly isn't a bad or even mediocre film.
Review of The Haunting
The Haunting
(1963)
a dramatic thriller with subtle horror elements and some great acting
17 March 2022