BandGeek Posted October 14, 2006 What do you think is the best haunted house movie?For me it's a tie between "The Haunting" (1963) and Poltergeist. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaxMania Posted October 14, 2006 THE HAUNTING, followed closely by THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE. I also like BURNT OFFERINGS. After watching POLTERGEIST again last night - for the first time in many, many years - I was struck by how disappointing it was. Some great ideas and good moments, but it's too long and has too many scenes of swirling lights and other "Spielberg magic" touches. I am also (still) amazed that it was rated PG - the scene with the guy tearing his face to pieces is clearly R material... Max Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drdoolittle Posted October 14, 2006 I have to say The Amityville Horror was my favorite and Then the Haunting and Legend Of Hell House. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HedleyLamar Posted October 14, 2006 I"m fond of "The Uninvited". The origial "Haunting" is excellent. "Old Dark House". "Cat and the Carary". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ValNY Posted October 15, 2006 Don't laugh, but The Evil Dead really scared the hell out of me. (Would you consider it a haunted house movie?...mmmm...maybe haunted cabin?) I know it's campy and laughable in some spots, but there were some genuinely scary moments in it for me. Enough to make me use the fast forward button, that's for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moviegeek Posted October 17, 2006 The Haunting is mine. I also love Poltergeist, Legend of Hell House, Uninvited, House On Haunted Hill(the original), & 13 Ghosts(original) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeBSG Posted October 18, 2006 I would give "The Uninvited" first place and "Legend of Hell House" second place. I actually think "Old Dark House" is better than either, but since that is a house full of maniacs instead of a ghost story, I don't really consider it a haunted house movie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
evansrock Posted October 19, 2006 1979's The Changeling with George C. Scott. Very atmospheric and creepy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeBSG Posted October 19, 2006 I had forgotten "The Changeling." The seance scene in that film is very different from the usual thing you see in movies, but still very creepy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyz Posted October 21, 2006 yes in my previous post i mentioned Hell House I guess what i really meant was the legend of Hell House would love to see that one again. Another good one would be the one with Liam Nelson that came out a few years ago i think it was also titled the house on Haunted hill very good and scary Movie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poisnivy7 Posted October 21, 2006 I like Burnt Offering. That Limo driver just gave me the creeps. I also like 13 ghosts. Amityville Horror also was a good one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlotte_Vale Posted November 29, 2006 I was very glad to see The Uninvited posted several times.. I really like that one starring Ray Milland. I think the special effects are thrilling. I am also a big fan of Poltergeist. It is my first love, movie wise. Another one I can't help but watch over and over again is The Others starring Nicole Kidman..even though it is a surprise ending, the acting and suspense are great.. For some reason I am also drawn to Rose Red. Can anyone tell my why? I can't seem to figure that one out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RTRiley Posted November 30, 2006 I liked Rose Red also, it had a bit of all the haunted house film genres combined in one miniseries. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlotte_Vale Posted November 30, 2006 You know, I think that's it... It has a little bit of everything I like. I like the psychic phenomena stories and Rose Red has a lot of that kind of story line in it. History appeals to me and period pieces, so the story line about the house's history draws me in as well. Did you ever rent the prequel The Diary of Ellen Rimbaur? I shouldn't admit to that guilty secret, but I was curious after seeing the mini series. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RTRiley Posted November 30, 2006 No, but thanks for the tip, I will check it out. I like a good thriller, and it is nice to find a tip like this, thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yanknrebel Posted January 1, 2007 I love "The Uninvited" as well as "Rose Red'. Another that I love is "Ghost Story" with Fred Astaire and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. VERY good ghost story. The "Lady in white" is another good movie. yanknrebel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charlotte_Vale Posted January 1, 2007 I think you are a kindred spirit. I also love Ghost Story and Lady in White. In fact I can't hear the song "Have you ever seen a dream walking..." without getting the creeps now. Have you ever read the novel Ghost Story by Peter Straub? I have tried several times to read it, but it frightens me so much I end up putting it away. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAKEMAN Posted January 2, 2007 Okay, I haven't seen very many movies, so don't diss me on not seeing things in a good movie-ish way or anything. I am aspiring to become a movie buff (by the way if anyone has some great movies to see, I'm game), but I am struggling to become one because R-rated movies are restricted to me. Go ahead, laugh. Two haunted house movies I have seen are "The Haunting" and "Poltergeist." They were both on one night on TCM (Friday the 13th). My favorite of the two is probably "The Haunting." Eleanor's slooooow descent into madness and the spine tingling prologue are sure to give a good scare. The scene where the man rips his flesh in "Poltergeist" really gave me a jump. If it helps any, these two are definately haunted house movies to see. If somebody gives me a haunted house movie to watch, I'll try to make it work. JAKEMAN Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bronson Posted January 2, 2007 Tough question. I think I would probably go with the South Korean flick A Tale of Two Sisters, which isn't your typical haunted house flick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boaz357 Posted January 8, 2007 Bronson I think you hit the nail on the head, "Tale of Two Sisters" is an outstanding horror film. One of my top horror films. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snowfal1 Posted January 17, 2007 JAKEMAN, Being a film buff isn't just about R rated movies. So, don't be in a hurry to watch them! Besides, film is about more than gore. Film is about camera angles, lighting, use of color, setting, etc. These things you'll learn in film classes when your older. When you get to these classes you will have in your reserve a basis to draw on. Watch the older films and begin to view them with an eye that looks for detail. Also, there are different theories that you will need to learn. These are the types of things that you will learn in an undergrad. 100 or 200 level class. So, you can begin by looking at how the director worked to convey a mood and/or emotion for the audience. What isn't seen on camera is often times far more chilling then any gross-out fest! Message was edited by: snowfal1 Message was edited by: snowfal1 Message was edited by: snowfal1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeBSG Posted January 25, 2007 Jakeman, while I like horror movies in general, I find that I don't really like haunted house movies that much. Of the ones I like, "The Legend of Hell House" is okay. I liked it a bunch when I first saw it in the Seventies, but when I saw it again a few years ago, I had some problems with it. Still, there are a lot of good scares in it. "The Uninvited," from 1944, is perhaps the best haunted house film in my view. The plot is very clever. I really enjoy "The Old Dark House" from 1932, although it isn't really a haunted house movie but a normal people in a house full of maniacs movie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dfordoom Posted February 9, 2007 > JAKEMAN, > Being a film buff isn't just about R rated movies. > So, don't be in a hurry to watch them! Besides, film > is about more than gore. Horror is very definitely about more than gore. There are a few moderately gory moviex that I like (I have a bit of a weakness for 1960s-1970s eurohorror) but in general I think that most of the berst horror movies contain no gore at all. Gore actually detracts from the horror, because (as someone much cleverer than me once said) what you don't see is always scarier than what you do see. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westernone Posted February 11, 2007 You are so dead on about Horror flicks not being about the gore factor. My favorite being "The Haunting" the original not that rip-off with Liam. Very scary. When my children were into the Freddy flicks. I rented The Haunting for them to see what real horror was all about. They got it!! Also, The Changling is a very different and sad movie. I understand that it's being remade. I don't see why, but then I don't see why many films are remade. But that's been going on since movies have been around. Anyway, we can only hope that the New Changling will be as good as the first one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnm001 Posted February 13, 2007 THE CHANGELING, THE UNINVITED, THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES and POLTERGEIST, are my favorites. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
