House on Haunted Hill

What da hellll is going on 🌝. That was my main reaction to this movie, especially during the ending.

Overall, I thought House on Haunted Hill was pretty good, but not necessarily great. I wouldn’t exactly call it scary, either. Obviously, it’s from the ’50s, so I wasn’t expecting to be shaking in my boots, but it honestly feels more like a murder mystery than a horror movie. I really liked the aesthetic, and I think that, along with the atmosphere, did a lot of the heavy lifting for me because the actual story was a little underwhelming.

The premise is pretty interesting. A wealthy man invites a group of strangers to spend the night in a supposedly haunted house for $10,000 each, which is apparently equivalent to around $115,000 today. Honestly, for that kind of money, I can understand why they showed up. 😭 Of course, Frederick has his own agenda, considering the situation with his wife, but it’s still a pretty entertaining setup for a mystery.

One thing I liked was how old-school the character introductions were. Everyone is introduced and we are told their name and occupation, and an explanation as to why they’re there instead of making us piece everything together ourselves. I actually appreciated that approach. It gets everyone established pretty quickly, even if some of the characters don’t end up having much to do.

For most of the movie, not a whole lot happens. There’s plenty of talking, suspicious behavior, and little moments where you can see alliances forming and get a sense of the relationships between the characters. It keeps things moving, but I wish some of those dynamics had been developed more. Nora is essentially the main character, and I never fully understood why she was so trusting of Lance. They seem to bond partly because they’re younger than the other guests, but their relationship didn’t feel particularly convincing to me. And what was the point of having the older lady there if the movie wasn’t going to do much with her? 😭

The movie does a decent job of making you question whether the house is genuinely haunted or if someone is deliberately trying to scare everyone. I liked the black-and-white cinematography, the set design, and the overall atmosphere. There’s something about the way the house looks and the way the characters move through it that makes the movie visually interesting, even when the story slows down. Before the last 30 minutes or so, I thought the drama and suspense were pretty effective, and I can see why the premise would’ve been appealing to audiences at the time.

My biggest issue is that the movie spends so much time building suspense around the house that the actual mystery doesn’t feel as well-developed as it should. The reveal that Frederick’s wife is trying to kill him isn’t particularly surprising, but the involvement of Dr. Trent caught me off guard. I also wanted more explanation about how the two of them knew each other and how their plan came together.

I don’t mind a twist that catches me off guard, but I do want to be able to look back and see how the pieces fit together. Here, the ending felt a little rushed and left me with more questions than answers. It didn’t ruin the movie for me, but I think the story could’ve been much stronger if the setup and payoff had been handled better.

Another thing I noticed was the screaming. 😭 These women would scream, run out of breath, stop to inhale, and then immediately start screaming again. Girls, please take a break. 😭😅 I understand that they’re supposed to be terrified, but some of the screaming was a little excessive, and it occasionally took me out of the moment.

On a more positive note, the wife had a great face card. She looked so tea, especially in that nightgown. And Nora was gorgeous, too. At least the women were serving, even when the plot wasn’t entirely working for me.

Overall, House on Haunted Hill was a good watch. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the cinematography, and the suspense, especially during the first part of the movie. It’s not particularly frightening, and the story has some holes that become more noticeable toward the end, but I still found it entertaining. Considering it’s a film from 1959, I can appreciate what it was going for, even if I wasn’t completely sold on the execution.

A decent suspense mystery with a great aesthetic, some questionable storytelling, and an ending that left me a little confused. 🌝