It seems like the 1959 House on Haunted Hill gets a lot of love, if for no other reason than for Vincent Price's alluring performance. I personally felt the original film was rather slow, dull, gimmicky, and totally not scary. In spite of that, and probably because this remake falls squarely within my generation, I found this rendition of the story superior.
Not only does the film update the look, style, and story, but it also updates the scares...and I still think it's pretty darn scary. The opening titles themselves are creepy, with its montage of strange and gnarly imagery and Don Davis' creepy music score. The next scene, where the lunatics literally take over the asylum, is quite intense. A few other key scenes stand out as being definitely freaky, thanks largely to the strange, twitchy, unnatural-looking nature of all the ghosts and visions the characters experience. A lot of reviewers tend to harp on the film's final act: an explosive sequence in which all the ghosts pool together in a huge dark Lovecraftian mass and chases all the characters around. Most would say that these final scenes are overblown and insipid; despite such weaknesses, I always felt the big mass of ghosts was far scarier than most other things produced on film. Overall, something about the way this film reveals the ghosts, the type of imagery it uses, and the threat it emphasizes, stands out above most other ghost stories. The experience is marred just a bit by some level of cheesy acting and maybe some plot holes, but the atmosphere is effectively creepy and unnerving, and the ghosts really do freak me out.
This story provides a substantial update over the original, taking the original concept and building greater depth and detail into the actual house and its ghostly occupants. There is still a twist to the plot...in fact, there are several. There are so many twists that it will require a greater suspense of disbelief. Regardless, the film is structured in a way that reveals each twist and turn without becoming too convoluted. Characters show plenty of personality; it is especially wicked to watch Geoffrey Rush, who pays some welcome homage to Vincent Price.
This film is stylish and slick, with plenty of interesting and solid photography. Editing is decent. Acting can be rather silly (especially with Chris Kattan in the mix, offering a rather strange performance), but I did enjoy the cast very well. I've always had a soft spot for Geoffrey Rush and Famke Janssen in this film; Jeffrey Combs is very wicked in his role, and everybody else fulfills their parts well. Writing is not great, but distinctive and fun. This production features a lot of really stylish and interesting sets, props, and costumes. Some of the special effects aren't aging well, but are mostly-effective. Music is quite scary.
Recommended as a rental at the least.
4/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)
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