The Haunting of Hell House

This is an old movie from 1999 and it's happening in the 19th century I believe. It's a nice sad ghost story, not a horror movie and not a haunted house movie. While I quite liked it, there was some serious issues with it. At times it is hard to follow what and why is happening - you aren't given any reason as to why the characters are doing certain things that just seem illogical.

Definitely worth a watch if you can bear b-class movies, this is one of the better ones.

A mysterious, morbid professor (Michael York) who has suffered a number of horrid events in his life tries to help a young troubled man (Andrew Bowen), whose girl friend was killed during an illegal abortion.

I had some issues with this, particularly that the age looks all wrong, despite the costumes and mustaches. The time period is unclear, but it strikes me as 1990s people dressed up as people fro ma century ago. An that just takes the magic out of it, makes it more like a theater production. That would not be bad in itself, but I am sure this was not the intent.

The film was directed by Mitch Marcus and based on "The Ghostly Rental" by Henry James. I have not read the James story (unfortunately -- I should) and this was Marcus' first time out as director, so he can be excused. Just such a shame that producer Roger Corman had Michael York to work with (who does excellently) and pairs him with a cast and crew that is not on his level.

Roger Corman produced, but not really typical of Corman, yet there's a bit of the style of the old Corman/Poe/Vincent Price series from the 60s here. I'd say that the title would be about the only thing "Cormanesque" about this in regards to making it interesting commercially, to kind of cash in on the same-time remakes of "Haunting" and "House on Haunted Hill". Other than that, it's a nice, yet small, psychological thriller, with some plot elements influenced by The Tell-Tale Heart. York gives a nice and slightly hammy performance as the tortured old professor, and the others are more than adequate. It will keep the interest of those who don't mind a gradual build and don't care for the lack of real terror and/or gruesome displays of killing. There's some violence and slight gore, but nothing gratuitous. Nothing here ever gets beyond being just a grade more than mediocre, say about B-, EXCEPT the really nice use of the Irish countryside as a substitute for old New England, which is an A grade. Nothing grand, but better than average.

It is a good movie with good dialogue and happenings. Its interesting and not so b as it looks. It may be a not a costful movie, but its great as it is and mystic with mystical music in the background. It really appeals me. It is good to me. I cant understand the bad things here with good Talking and good acting.

This movie had a message: Do not allow the past to destroy your future. It delivers that message under no uncertain terms. But the point is, that it entertains while so doing. The story is rather graphic and the execution was, sadly, mediocre.

Was I scared? Was my adrenaline piqued? No. But I was entertained. The story is dark, but fun, and moves along with a decent pace. There are some serious slow spots, and the version I viewed at least, had an editing problem. Some people should not be allowed near a roll of shot film, with sharp objects, you know? This movie felt edited. Heavily edited. And in all the wrong spots. Perhaps your copy will not have suffered the same fate as mine.

I would recommend its viewing on a rainy Sunday afternoon, as it is a good story, and renders a decent telling of said story, but as it is not riveting, it does not belong on the Friday/Saturday night line-up.

It is a nice suspense/psychological thriller with a good twist or two.

It rates a 4.6/10 from...

the Fiend :.