Another well honed TV horror production here, in fact possibly my favorite so far of my present quest. Haunts of the Very Rich is one of those films that rather defies reviewers, the climax is all important yet a cliché set in stone even in its own era, to comment on how the film becomes truly effective would spoil it for those who didn't already figure it out, and to say much about the hints and murmurs of chill that come before would spoil those little details for those who guessed what was going on from the outset but still aimed to be surprised by the films smaller mechanisms. Most of the reviews here make the film somewhat to obvious, so I will simply say that the plot sees seven strangers journey to a luxury resort, wherein the luxury soon becomes something else entirely. The film thrives on character and precisely measured tension, taking some two thirds of its runtime to move up through the gears before the final surge. The writing is often melodramatic, but the cast sells it very well, Lloyd Bridges touching as a lothario with an actual heart, slick superficiality slipping away in likable fashion, Cloris Leachman falls in convincing love, Anne Francis pulls off powerful dejected pathos, Edward Asner brings class to what could have been a bland cliché and Moses Gunn hits the right mellow yet subtly devious notes as the resort host. Now all this class goes a good distance towards keeping the film a solid watch, but it has to be said that things really don't get too noteworthy until the 50 minute mark or so. There are creepy vibes but only one or two jolts, things really are pretty subdued and get going just in time to stave off tedium. However when it all does come together the film becomes a rather terrific affair, genuinely chilling and surprisingly emotional, an ideal reward for what has come before. So all in all this one may not be perfect but as far as its kind go its pretty darned spiffing, essential viewing for TV horror fans and just plain pulp enthusiasts (for the classic story and unexpected touches). So a solid 7/10 from me, but will obviously not be to all tastes.
Review of Haunts of the Very Rich
