Review of The Haunting (1963) by Bryan W — 11 Nov 2009

The paranoid voice-overs by the protagonist and the strange phenomenon of an old house set the stage for either a terrifying haunting or a complete psychological breakdown. One of the film's strongest assets is its ability to play with convention; doors closing by themselves are quickly given a reasonable explanation while strange noises and 'cold spots' continuously go unexplained. Though one instance of voice-over seems to throw the things asunder, the rest of the film nevertheless steers clear of showing ghosts in a corporeal way, instead relying on the imposing nature of the house and the paintings and sculptures within to unsettle the viewer instead of outright scaring them.

By the end, the events of the film come across as ambiguous; was it a haunting, or just an odd house and a terrified girl? This sensation is helped in the usual way by an appropriate array of believers and skeptics as well as some odd romantic undertones; it's easy to feel as though a lesbian kiss is just around the corner.

Though this film may not be as functional as a horror film as it once was due to cultural desensitization, it is no less a well-constructed, fascinating film.