While we're talking about scaring yourself silly for Halloween, I want to recommend what I think may have been the most frightening movie ever made: the 1963 movie "The Haunting," starring Julie Harris, based on Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House."
No, it's not a traditional mystery - it's a horror story, but - unlike far too many later horror films - it achieves its effect by showing you nothing. The horror is built up in your mind and your imagination. If you're not familiar wth the Jackson book, here's the opening paragraph (the last two sentences of which are repeated as the final sentences of the book as well):
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone."
That paragraph continues to provoke chills for me when I read it - and it is read as a narration during the opening and closing of the movie as well. It was shot in black and white, directed by Robert Wise - yes, the director of "The Sound of Music" and "West Side Story," but also the film editor of Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" and director, for producer Val Lewton, of some marvelous low-budget horror movies, including the Karloff-Lugosi "The Body Snatchers." "The Haunting" is guaranteed to scare the pants off you; the cast, including Julie Harris, Claire Bloom and Russ Tamblyn, is marvelous. It's available from Netflix as well as from Amazon - but don't miss it. Please.
I agree with you completely! Best scary movie ever and one of my favorite books.
Posted by: Joan Kyler | October 28, 2011 at 08:27 AM
This used to be one of my favorite movies, along with Rosemary's Baby and the original Invaders from Mars, but I have forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me, maybe I will have a little scarefest this weekend. Julie Harris is such a wonderful actress.
Posted by: Alex Baugh | October 28, 2011 at 09:07 AM
I saw this in the theater ages ago and it scared me witless. As it was supposed to. :)
Don't know that I'd care to see it again.
But I might. :)
Posted by: Yvette | October 29, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Jean, Alex - glad you enjoyed both the book and the movie. They are remarkably well written and, in the case of the 1963 movie, acted.
Yvette - I didn't know it had also been done as a play (although Wikipedia does say it was turned into two movies and a play). I'd love to check out the script. Time to search the play publishers...
Posted by: Les Blatt | October 29, 2011 at 02:52 PM
...and, sure enough, the play publisher Samuel French lists a play by F. Andrew Leslie, based on Shirley Jackson's book. Looks like they really concentrated the cast; it calls for 3 men and 3 women. I'll bet that would be immense fun to produce.
Posted by: Les Blatt | October 29, 2011 at 02:55 PM