Haunting

The Haunting in Connecticut (Unrated Special Edition)
$34.98
A large old house that used to be a funeral home serves as the setting for The Haunting In Connecticut, where the Campbell family moves to be closer to the hospital where their oldest son, Matt (Kyle Gallner) is receiving treatments for his cancer. The rent for the place is unexpectedly cheap, and it's only after the family moves in that they realize that's because of the history of the place, its status as a former funeral home/mortuary, and the legends that have cropped up surrounding the place. It seems that decades ago, it was used for seances, and the tale is that something went horribly wrong at one of these.

Before the family even moves in, there's trouble, albeit of a more conventional nature. The prognosis for Matt isn't that positive, the treatments he's undergoing are grueling, the family's finances are under severe stress from trying to pay for the treatments and support a household of six, including two younger siblings of Matt's - Billy and Mary - and their cousin Wendy (Amanda Crew from Sex Drive, who's living with the family due to an unspecified trouble in her own family. The tension between the two parents, played by Virginia Madsen (from Candyman (Special Edition)) and Martin Donovan, is present under a thin veil, and begins to surface more as conditions, both conventional and the dawning supernatural elements, mount. Of the two, the mother is the more sympathetic, and while the conflict within the family isn't anything on the level of domestic abuse, the tension it creates folds right into the larger problems. Also, unstated but implied, is the possibility that the forces in the house are 'drawing out' the darker, more volatile aspects in some of their personalities, in an Amityville-like fashion. Ghostly elements within the house begin to manifest, primarily to Matt, and start taking on decidedly malevelont overtones.

Matt establishes a friendship with a fellow cancer patient, a Reverend Popescu (Elias Koteas) , who he turns to as events continue to worsen. The Reverend theorizes that these prescences are being triggered because they're more easily interacted with by someone already close to the other side - someone close to death, such as a cancer patient. As events progress though, the phenomena become discernible to other family members, and more capable of effecting the physical world, often in violent ways. In order to attempt to exorcise the house, the characters have to understand it, and the Reverend, along with Matt and Wendy, delve into the dark history of the house.

Although slower-moving and more subdued than some horror movies, the pace and style doesn't hurt the movie, and indeed helps it to build its own distinct atmosphere of slowly mounting dread and in-the-shadows creepiness. Very well-acted and well-produced, with the special effects, while minimal, being effective. Much in the vein of movies like The Exorcism of Emily Rose - Unrated (Special Edition), The Amityville Horror (as well as its better sequels and the 2005 remake) and Haunted (Full Screen). Although it may take a bit Too much time building up for some tastes, those who don't mind a subtler, more slow-building tone now and then will find this highly rewarding.

A couple of lesser known films you might also want to check out if you like this one are Red Rover / Heritage De Sang and Phone.

A Haunting: Season 3
$29.98
I have always liked the way the series has been presented. Season 3 is another great entry into an equally great series. It is always good for a certain level of creepiness without getting too gory or bloody. Each episode is great to watch and they do not get old, regardless of how many times you watch them. Sit back and enjoy the scare.

The Haunting
$14.98
All the great things about this movie have been pointed out by those far more articulate than I. The fact that it was shot in black and white is one of the movies' most important assets. The musical score is brilliant - subtle and creepy like no other horror film. By far the best aspect is that none of the ghosts are seen, yet they - or whatever the presence is - are scarier than the ghosts of any other movie I've ever seen. Watching Luke's sneer (Russ Tamblyn) get smudged from his face is priceless. Eleanor's breakdown (Julie Harris) is inevitable from the first scene, but you follow along with morbid fascination. Theodore's (Claire Bloom) psychic abilities are overwhelmed, and her early `60s beatnik hipster fa���ade is broken. Poor, brilliant Dr. Markway (Richard Johnson), he's onto the real thing, but his evidence will never be accepted.

I watch it at least once a year - and am always set tingling.

The Haunting
$9.99
This film recycles every haunted house cliche from the black-and-white movie era, and the tone of the movie often veers into camp (especially with Lili Taylor's performance). The back story is muddied and incoherent too. It's a shame that with such a large budget for special effects and with so many talented actors, The Haunting doesn't generate more thrills for the audience.