Tags
1950's, Alan Marshal, Carol Ohmart, Carolyn Craig, Elisha Cook Jr, Horror, House on Haunted Hill, Julie Mitchum, Richard Long, Vincent Price, William Castle
The delightful Gill and Barry asked me to take part in a blogathon celebrating the career of Vincent Price. I naturally obliged and decided to write about the devilish horror with a mischief loving edge, House on Haunted Hill.
A campy and creepy horror movie from William Castle that may show its age but is still rightfully entertaining due to some clever sleight of hand trickery and scintillating script, House on Haunted comes highly recommended from me.
Eccentric millionaire Frederick Loren(Vincent Price) invites five people to a haunted house party and promises to pay each $10,000 if they can stay the night there. The doors will be locked from midnight with no discernible way out. The house has been the sight of many a grisly event since it was built centuries before.None of the people invited really know one another, the only thing that links them is a need for money. They are rugged test pilot Lance Schroeder(Richard Long), ageing newspaper columnist with a gambling problem, Ruth Bridges(Julie Mitchum), psychiatrist who specialises in hysteria Dr. David Trent(Alan Marshal), the worried worker at one of Loren’s companies, Nora Manning(Carolyn Craig) and the owner of the property Watson Pritchard(Elisha Cook Jr.), who is scared stiff of the place and drops ominous warnings about ghosts. Loren’s wife, a mysterious and beautiful woman named Annabelle(Carol Ohmart) is supposed to be the one who wanted the party, but we see that her union with Loren is toxic and constantly involved in a game of oneupmanship that once turned near fatal with a poisoning. With the guests assembled and a little confused as to why they would all be invited, the night starts. Soon enough, creepy things start to happen around the spooky dwelling; there’s a nasty surprise in the cellar , Loren’s seductive wife drops hints that her life is in mortal danger from her jealous husband but could be up to something and with everyone locked in, deception stats to set in. But just who will make it through to morning and is there really a haunting going on?
William Castle was adept at churning films like this out with great success. He even used a gimmick of a floating skeleton in the cinema screenings for mimic one of the ghosts in skeleton form for novelty value. The effect is pretty neat here( obviously it doesn’t come off the screen), if a little showing it’s age in terms of effects and retains a somewhat kitsch appeal. Still there are genuinely creepy and twisty moments that reveal that House on Haunted Hill is rather clever at fooling us beneath the slightly goofy and campy surface. It’s akin to a dangerous cat and music game of Cluedo, just infused with a good deal of menace. Creepiness and campiness abound here with neither winning out as overruling the other; rather settling for a compromise that’s at times tongue in cheek and others atmospherically fun to watch. There’s a certain sense of impishness and skullduggery to events here that more than compensates for dated areas. The script is the main source of greatness here, playing events out as tongue in cheek and loaded with suspense. Vincent Price sinks his teeth into many a darkly amusing one liner and has a great moment of speaking directly to the audience. The score is pretty impressive, with the repeating sounds of a haunting and distorted voice signifying something very sinister bubbling away.
Now we come to the man of the hour, the one and only Vincent Price. Using his well cultured and spine chilling voice yo great effect as well as darkness and devilish charm , Price is the cherry on top of this film. You can sense he’s having a lot of fun being so devious, naughty and slithering in sinister nature and it shows in a very entertaining performance from the horror icon. Vincent Price is at some of his most charming and yet chilling here. Carol Ohmart makes an impression as the vampy wife of Loren; her deep voice and dazzling eyes suggesting someone passionate and scheming but maybe afraid. Elisha Cook Jr seems born to play the timid owner of the house who is as twitchy as a mouse in a room full of hungry cats. His character is the main introduction to their possibly being ghosts afoot, though its left ambiguous as is his integral character. The rest of the cast are serviceable enough, but the film ultimately belongs to Vincent Price.
So while creaky in places, House on Haunted Hill is still a good old-fashioned horror mystery laced with dark humour and Vincent Price on sinister and urbane form.
Keith said:
LOVE IT!!!
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vinnieh said:
Glad to hear it. Good old fashioned tongue in cheek horror
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Michael said:
This was my first exposure to Vincent Price films so remains a favourite for me. But, even if it was the last Price film I saw, I would still rank it highly. It is so enjoyable and, as you said, that largely comes from the feeling that Price himself is having a lot of fun. The Castle kitsch is also very appealing. I would have loved to have seen this on its initial release. Thanks for the pleasant memories.
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vinnieh said:
I was happy to bring back good memories. Gotta love Price here, so smooth and sinister
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I do a Vincent Price marathon ever Halloween and this is one of my favs.
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vinnieh said:
That’s a cool thing to do, Kim.
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Barry P. (@Barry_Cinematic) said:
Nice review, Vinnie! I have a soft spot for this film, as well. Castle and Price were a great combination. I just wish I could have experienced this in a theater, equipped with “Emergo.” Good fun. Thanks a bunch for joining the blogathon! 🙂
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vinnieh said:
I bet it would have been a blast in cinemas. Where’s a time machine when you need one?
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beetleypete said:
Good review mate. This rather dated original is so much better than the later remake, and all because of Price and his distinctive style. It would not have worked as well with anyone else in the lead.
Best wishes, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
Price was the go to man for his brand of sinister charm and that voice. Can’t say I’ve ever seen the remake
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beetleypete said:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_on_Haunted_Hill_(1999_film)
Good cast, nice sets, but not ‘camp’ enough. I saw it at the cinema, and expected more. 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the heads up
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Realweegiemidget Reviews said:
Thanks for adding this post to the blogathon – and you’ve added this to my to watch list thanks to this passionate writing.
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vinnieh said:
I’m very flattered
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John L Harmon said:
Great review of a great little film!
You’re right, the viewer can easily see Vincent Price is having a grand old time.
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vinnieh said:
He has a devilish glint in his eyes
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alexraphael said:
Not a big hororr fan but always a pleasure to read your reviews.
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vinnieh said:
I’m happy to be back writing.
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Patricia Nolan-Hall (@CaftanWoman) said:
“Impishness and skulduggery” – there couldn’t be a better description to use in a review of House on Haunted Hill.
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vinnieh said:
I do love those words and they seemed so appropriate
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mercurie80 said:
House on Haunted Hill is so much fun. William Castle was so good at making films that were campy and yet still creepy. And Vincent Price was his perfect actor, able to deal with the at time tongue in cheek nature of Castle’s films and yet still be menacing!
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vinnieh said:
Price is the man.
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