The original film of Shirley Jackson's seminal horror novel was a masterpiece of suggestion, its frisson of fear coming from the expectation of what might be just about to happen rather than, wallop, here it is, now look at it.
Many of the classic black and white movies have been remade in colour in the (often justified) belief that a modern audience won't watch monochrome movies. The Haunting didn't escape.
This remake, blessed with living colour, glorious set design, and state of the art special effects, does away with suggestion and dumps its supernatural manifestations right in your lap. It also does away with subtlety and, sadly, what might have been its saving grace, heart.
What is left is a generic, going through the motions, last man standing haunted house movie which flounders and ultimately sinks under the weight of its voluminous and largely unnecessary special effects.
If you've never seen the original then you may well enjoy it. But once you've watched it, seek out its predecessor: you deserve to.
Many of the classic black and white movies have been remade in colour in the (often justified) belief that a modern audience won't watch monochrome movies. The Haunting didn't escape.
This remake, blessed with living colour, glorious set design, and state of the art special effects, does away with suggestion and dumps its supernatural manifestations right in your lap. It also does away with subtlety and, sadly, what might have been its saving grace, heart.
What is left is a generic, going through the motions, last man standing haunted house movie which flounders and ultimately sinks under the weight of its voluminous and largely unnecessary special effects.
If you've never seen the original then you may well enjoy it. But once you've watched it, seek out its predecessor: you deserve to.