Time: 114 Minutes
Cast:
Julie Harris as Eleanor Lance
Claire Bloom as Theodora
Richard Johnson as Dr John Markway
Russ Tamblyn as Luke Sannerson
Director: Robert Wise

I remember watching The Haunting for the first time a number of years ago, and it lived up to all the acclaim as one of the greatest horror movies of all time. I was able to rewatch it in the cinemas, and it is still a phenomenal film.

The Haunting is brilliantly written and well put together. It begins with a simple plot about paranormal investigators in a house, a classic haunted house setup. It moves at an effectively steady pace with feelings of impending doom gradually increasing, and becoming more and more unsettling and claustrophobic as it progresses.

The performances are great, Julie Harris is especially amazing, conveying the decline of her character and her mental state over the course of the movie, and she really sells so many of the key moments. Claire Bloom is also very much a standout amongst the cast.

The direction from Robert Wise is fantastic, he does so well at crafting an intense and claustrophobic atmosphere and vibe. The black and white cinematography is immaculate, and the camera movements and strange angles are stellar. The production design of this mansion setting is amazing, and the sound design is incredibly effective.

The Haunting remains an atmospheric and immaculately directed horror ghost story with incredible performances. Absolutely worth checking out if you haven’t seen it already.