Customer Reviews
I'm sorry I fell fast asleep - By: James Mackenzie, 18 Nov 2008 
Having read the star spangled reviews on "The Haunting" I excitedly enteredin my card details & eagerly awaited it's arrival through my letterbox, sat down with a bottle of wine & an Indian & pressed Play.
Oh dear. Is everyone reviewing the same film here?! A lovely sinister looking manor house for the setting (filmed on locationin Stratford-Upon-Avon)-looks promising, & some nice Borehamwood room sets... & lots of talking...and more talking...um...oh, sorry I nearly nodded off again...!
Over 100 minutes of film is devoted almost entirely to American actress Julie Harris' character arguing & ranting over her own insecurities to the other guestsin the house. There is far too much dialogue & for me personally is completely devoid of any atmosphere.
Not one moment did I lose myselfin the story or identify with any of the characters. The sound effects of something pounding on a door at one stage didn't even remotely sound like poundings on a door.
Scares? Not unless you're of an incredibly timid disposition.
Far better scares/atmosphere can be foundin the likes of "The Womanin Black", or any of the BFI Ghost stories, so I would strongly recommend waving your fiver towards those.
SPELLBOUND BY THE LIGHT AND SOUND - By: Dr. U. L. Khawaja, 18 Sep 2008 
There is no escaping the fact this movie has one of the most haunting use of camera movement ,light compositions & sound editing creating echoes to explosionsin harmony with the horror which is chillingly psychological rather then bloody .
No dead cats or decapatitaed skulls or limbs can alternate for the haunted look on the agonized faces of the characters as they struggle to save themselves & their sanity ,the fact it is broodingly driving them to psychosis is presented as a brilliant chess game where the 4 protagonists love & loathe each other .
They are paranormal psychics or just mediums or ordinary human beings trying to come to terms with their own dilemmas is even more haunting then the house which is magnificently evil & one of the greatest victorian mansions decorated with the finest antiquities you can find on this planet .
This is an ode to the technical skills of Robert Wise ,who made this before making the perfect musical -Sound of Music ,that he has been able to do justice to the rather incredible horror tale of a haunting is evidence of his great wisdom ,but then what would you expect from the man who was the editor for Orson Welles .
The two women Julie Harris & Claire Bloom outshine the rest easilyin a splendid cast & their performances are heartfelt & natural to the core .
The black & white visuals are looming & luminousin turn & the great soundtrack is simple but scathing ,the dialogues are literary but natural & the somewhat stagy interiors are justified by the evil menace the house presents as the melodrama that it evokes at times does not irritate but rather reieve the tensionin a pleasing manner .
Ultimately it shows you can make good horror without an orgy of blood ,sex & violence & still keep the attention of the audiencein every detail .
the best - By: Michael Cattee, 01 Apr 2008 
Remember seeing this when I was about nine years old & I could not go up the stairs to my bedroomin the attic for weeks,mum had to take me up.I still watch it at least once a year & it still raises the hair on the back of my neck.Watch it alonein candle light or the dark & enjoy a journey into fear.
My favourite ghost film of all time - By: Devon reader, 27 Dec 2007 The only film ever to make me hidein the toilets when I saw it at the cinema, & as good now as it was then.
Although it is shakyin places - some of the dialogue & of the acting is clunky - the way that the tension builds throughout this film is unique & astonishing. The malevolent spirit is only heard, not seen, & this makes the viewer's imagination work to fillin the gaps.
It scared me witless when I was 16; it is still very very scary 40 years on.
The remake is OK, but the original is just betterin nearly every way
Horror benchmark! - By: P. B. Brown, 01 Dec 2007 I agree with all the reviewers that loved this classic chiller.
Thought provoking, spine tingling, never boring, always engaging. All done with no gore & very few but mind ripping special effects. Great sound effects.
I never get bored with this movie.
