HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: The Haunting (1963)

The Haunting is a classic horror film directed by famed director Robert Wise; it is a film about how many of your fears can exist and how dangerous they can be that they can mess with your mind. This a very clever ghost story because throughout the film you never know how much of the supernatural elements are real, you do not even know if they are real or not. Throughout the film we follow the story of our tortured protagonist Eleanor as she is invited to an abandoned mansion by a paranormal scientist along with another woman and a jock to study if ghosts really exists based on the stories heard about the mansion. Another thing that is really fascinating about this movie is that you never know if Eleanor's fascination for the mysterious house is either a way to help her escape her deep psychological troubles or embracing it. The answer might be obvious but the subject still serves as a good discussion topic. Plus, the design of the mansion is incredible. It has the right amount of goth and eeriness to make one feel uncomfortable and to further disturb the mind of our protagonist. This film is packed with very well done scenes that keeps the heart pumping and the art of suspense alive. It truly loves to mess with the mind of the audience as it messes with the mind of Eleanor, plus the delivery of the acting and setting add to the mood of the film in order for us to be invested in these events. If you haven't seen it, The Haunting is definitely a classic horror tale that should not be overlooked. It has become one of my favorite horror films simply because it is one those in the horror genre that stands out on its own and avoids being cliche, tired, silly, and over the top like a lot of modern day horror films. It succeeds in giving the audience real suspense. Watch it this Halloween season you will not regret it.  Grade: E