The Haunting (1963)
The adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel, The Haunting of Hill House, is rife for adaptation. In fact, Netflix will be running their own take on the novel Oct. 12, albeit their version is more of a family drama within a haunted house than a take on Jackson’s book properly. For many, Robert Wise’s 1963 horror film is the de facto version, transitioning the old dark house drama of the ‘40s away from ambiance and into an unrelenting nightmare of fright.
A research scientist trying to prove the existence of ghosts brings a group of people to stay the night at the notoriously haunted Hill House. A shy woman named Nell (Julie Harris) becomes the victim of Hill House’s horrors, leaving many to question what’s happening.
The Haunting is nearly two hours of being on a knife’s edge. The suspense never lets up and the black and white cinematography is utterly beautiful. Many of the scenes were directly translated from this film into the inferior 1999 remake, and it’s easy to understand why someone would make the effort. The moment that Julie Harris questions who is holding her hand will give you the creeps all evening.
How to watch: You can rent it on Amazon, Google Play and other movie-renting platforms.