French Poster for The Haunting (1963)
Only two years after the ghostly classic that shocked and stunned audiences in 1961, The Innocents (see the previous blog!), the British did it again with yet another truly unnerving and unforgettable instant classic. Directed by Robert Wise (best known for West Side Story and The Day The Earth Stood Still), The Haunting remains among the greatest horror films of all time.
In many ways, The Haunting is incredibly similar to The Innocents. Both were based upon a best-selling novella and attempted to merge the realms of supernatural horror with psychological terror perfectly. It is almost as if, both of these films were deliberatly attempting to ‘rescue’ the ghost from the world of sleazy, schlocky entertainment that had become popularised by William Castle in particular. And boy, did it succeed!
Upon its initial release the film proved to be an instant hit and has continued to grow and grow. Listed on countless countdowns of the greatest horror films of all time and Martin Scorsese’s personal scariest movie, there’s no denying the classic that is The Haunting.
Check in tomorrow for the next installment in this history of Cinematic ghosts (in celebration of the hit must-see ghostly thriller, The Pact‘s upcoming release on 1st October). We’ll be looking at something a little more exploitative…
Break-out horror movie smash of the year that has been electrifying hardened genre fans and non-horror fans alike, “The Pact” combines the supernatural terrors of “Paranormal Activity” with the tense atmospherics of a serial killer thriller to create a unique, modern-day take on the classic ghost story.
And it’s out on October 1st! Pre-order yours here.
Previous Parts:
- Part I: Things That Stay Silent In The Night!
- Part II: The Terrifying Twenties
- Part III: The Uninvited
- Part IV: House On Haunted Hill
- Part V: Ghoulish Gimmicks & Shocking Spookshows
- Part VI: The Innocents – Classic British Chills
- Part VII: The Haunting
- Part VIII: Low Budget Terrors – Let’s Scare Jessica To Death!
- Part IX: The Amityville Horror
- Part X: There’s Something In The Fog!
- Part XI: The Shining
- Part XII: The Changeling
