The Haunting is a 1963 horror film directed by Robert Wise and adapted by Nelson Gidding from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It stars Julie Harris, Richard Johnson and Claire Bloom. The film centres around the conflict between a team of paranormal investigators and the house they spend the night in. 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Robert Wise (born September 10, 1914) is an Academy Award winning film producer and director. ... The Haunting of Hill House is a 1959 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ... Shirley Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American author who wrote short stories and novels. ... Julie Harris is an American actress who was born Julia Ann Harris on December 2, 1925 in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan to a wealthy family. ... Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17, 1780 – November 19, 1850) was a Representative and a Senator from Kentucky and the ninth Vice President of the United States. ... Claire Bloom (born Patricia Claire Blume on February 15, 1931) is a British actress who is also of Jewish descent. ... Anomalous phenomena are phenomena which are observed and for which there are no suitable explanations in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge, e. ...

Plot

The original film version of The Haunting is remarkable in that it follows the plot of Shirley Jackson's novel very closely for most of the film. The basic plot and cast remains the same, though some minor details (Dr. Montague of the novel becomes Dr. Markway) are changed. Eleanor Vance, Theodara ("Just Theodora," she says in the film), and Luke Sanderson accompany Dr. John Markway during an investigation into the paranormal. Markway believes that an old mansion with a sinister past called Hill House will provide him with the proof he seeks of the existence of the supernatural. Luke is the next in line to inherit the house, and is volunteered by the current owner to join Markway both as a skeptic and overseer. Eleanor and Theodora are the only responders to an invitation Markway sent out to various people who had come in contact with the supernatural at some point in their lives. After the four meet up in Hill House, strange things begin to happen, most of which seems centered on Eleanor. Eleanor finds that she enjoys the attention the house affords her, and becomes drawn deeper and deeper in by the forces within the house. The film follows the novel so closely that The Haunting of Hill House article contains all the necessary information on the general events of the story aside from the differences noted in the following section. Anomalous phenomena are phenomena which are observed and for which there are no suitable explanations in the context of a specific body of scientific knowledge, e. ... The Haunting of Hill House is a 1959 novel by author Shirley Jackson. ...

Film versus Novel

Though the central story of The Haunting remains the same as the novel, there are two main elements that were changed for the film. The first is the nature of Eleanor's relationship with Dr. Markway. In the book, Eleanor develops a bit of a crush on Luke, though he appears to favor the company of Theodora. The film version finds Dr. Markway carelessly forgetting to mention that he's married, and consequently Eleanor mistakes his academic interest in her, coupled with his kindness and charm, for genuine affection. Also, in regards to Mrs. Markway, she shows up later in the film as well, though her companion Arthur is not in the film. However, instead of being a flighty mystic as she is in the book, she is rather a hard-nosed skeptic who wants to convince her husband to give up his research and return home. While her character does not get much screen time, it is apparent that she feels somewhat differently by the end of the film. Director Robert Wise found an interesting way to portray Eleanor as the central character, as he gives her sole rights to internal monologues. The viewer sees more of Eleanor than any of the other characters, and since so much of the story revolves around her, this method is quite effective. Robert Wise (born September 10, 1914) is an Academy Award winning film producer and director. ...

Production

Production of the film began on 1 October 1962 at MGM Borehamwood, England with a budget of $1.5 million. The external shots of the house are of Ettington Hall, near Stratford-upon-Avon. Wise used an infra-red camera to emphasise the "striations of the stone" and make it look "more of a monster house". October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in Leap years). ... 1962 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Location within the British Isles. ... Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon is a town in Warwickshire, England. ...

The film was remade in 1999, also titled The Haunting, but with little critical appreciation. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Haunting is a classic horror film from 1963 directed by Robert Wise and based on The Haunting of Hill House, the classic horror novel by Shirley Jackson. ...

References

• Rigby, Jonathan, (2000). English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema. Reynolds & Hearn Ltd. ISBN 1-903111-01-3.

External links

• The Haunting at the Internet Movie Database