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It is the terror that what we expect to be there at the end of the pan, whatever it is, is not there. Rather, the panning presents the tension and crafts the expectation. As the panning shots take in the room and the increasing feeling of dread, it also takes in the environment, the doors closing, candles glowing out or dimming – yet, nothing jumps out. We are trained viewers, knowing that the action is coming, that at any moment, something is sure to jump out to terrify.
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While the pace is slower, filled with a lot of dialogue and “searching”, its scares still carry weight, the panning shots still heightening the tension. But there is still plenty of eeriness and horror to enjoy. Not all of House on Haunted Hill stands up to the times since its release. With the terror heightening and midnight close at hand, Nora attempts to escape the home – only to find they have been sealed in early. At first, the need for money convinces all involved to overlook the oddity of the situation, that is until a tour from Pritchard leads to the first ghostly encounters for Lance ( Richard Long) and Nora ( Carolyn Craig). And it begins to feel this way as the guests, after struggling to find their way in and dodging a falling chandelier, are informed that once the clock strikes midnight, they will be sealed within the home until 8 am the next morning. Made of stone, it reverberates the feeling of an Egyptian pyramid, all who enter locked in for eternity. As each is described, so is their current financial situations, boasting their need for the money.Īs they arrive at the home, it is expansive and solid. As cars arrive at the home one by one, he explains that each of these five strangers has arrived for the chance at $10,000 – all they have to do is stay the night at the “haunted” house. As Frederick explains his intentions – renting a home for his wife’s haunted house party – the true focus of the film plays out, Frederick’s talking head transforming to a voiceover. There is an instant tension between the warning and the welcoming invite that parallel the question of reality and illusion that will play throughout House on Haunted Hill. source: Allied ArtistsĪnd while Pritchard extends a warning to his audience, Frederick Loren ( Vincent Price) extends an invite. It feels as thought Pritchard is speaking to us, almost warning us of the dangers. As Pritchard continues, he speaks of the murders of seven people within the home, brutal murders as we find, further stating he once stayed overnight at the house, being discovered in the morning barely alive. As he introduces himself as Watson Pritchard ( Elisha Cook Jr.), a brief history of the house is recalled to the audience, one that cements it in a horrific haunting that threatens to endanger all who stay there. Following a scream and the sound of metal shakers to the a black screen, a lonely head zooms close into the frame. What you will not expect is the potential breaking of the fourth wall in the very opening moments of the film. If you have seen the 1999 version of House on Haunted Hill, you will know the general premise going into the original. And as we mark the days to scariest of the year, it seemed the perfect fit! An Original Haunting Having watched the remake in my teens, the familiarity drew me to this classic, providing a chance to hold the remake against its predecessor. For this Halloween countdown, William Castle’s House on Haunted Hill stood out. While I kicked off the year with House of Wax, there are still a plethora of films starring the horror legend to embark on. With a familiarity of the legend cemented in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and his role as the Inventor in Edward Scissorhands, Vincent Price was a name I grew up with but never truly appreciated. An icon of the genre in his own right, Vincent Price was a personal requirement this month, an unmistakable voice and face whose films I have still yet to make a dent in. With our Halloween countdown just about wrapped up, I would be remised if I did not include one of the most prominent faces (and voices!) in horror. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of horror, but warning, there will be spoilers. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. Welcome back to the newest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry: Horrific Inquiry.