The Haunting is a film with about as much confusion around it’s name as you can get. It’s a film adaption for a book called The Haunting of Hill House, but it’s not to be confused with the film House on Haunted Hill which released in the same year, 1999. Go figure.
The Haunting follows Eleanor “Nell” Vance (Lili Taylor), an insomniac who has cared for Mother for over 10 years. When her Mother dies, her sister Jane (Mrs Madsen) and her husband Lou (Tom Irwin) inherit the house Nell has shared with her Mother all this time, they make short work of evicting Nell so they can sell it as soon as possible. Nice…
Nell receives an invitation from Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson), a sleep disorder specialist, to participate in a study at Hill House, a notoriously haunted mansion. Intrigued, Nell agrees to join, along with two other participants, Theo (Catheine Zeta Jones) and Luke (Owen Wilson).
As the study begins, eerie events unfold, revealing Hill House’s sinister history. Nell, Theo, and Luke experience terrifying encounters with supernatural forces, and Dr. Marrow’s true intentions become clear: he orchestrated the study to observe their fear responses.
All very, haunting in a house that happens to be on a hill then!
Very much a supporting role for Virginia Madsen in this one, she plays Jane, the evil sister who kicks out Nell when she least needs it. Seriously, in and out, wham bam, thank you Virginia. Quite possibly the first time I’ve ever been disappointed renting a film with Virginia in it, back in the day.
Can’t really comment much on her in this one, she just does her thing. Points her finger, acts all evil like and leaves. Good though, to be fair.
Availability:
No problem tracking this one down on DVD, or in bargain bins where I’ve seen it a lot.
Trailer:
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