50th Anniversary: The Legend of Hell House

Rudolph Deutsch (Roland Culver), an aging eccentric millionaire, hires Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill), a physicist, to come up with definitive proof of “survival after death”, by leading a team to study the Belasco House, the “Mount Everest of haunted houses”, for one week. Joining Barrett is his wife, Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt); physical medium, Benjamin Franklin Fischer (Roddy McDowall); and mental medium Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin). The house was owned and built by Emeric Belasco, a large domineering man, who was renowned for his sadistic debauchery who disappeared after a massacre within his home left several people dead. The house is believed to be haunted by the victims of Belasco’s twisted and sadistic desires. Dr. Barrett does not believe that hauntings are the result of “surviving personalities” but rather thinks it is undirected electromagnetic energy and has built a machine he believes would cleanse the house and stop the hauntings.  Ben Fischer is the only sane survivor of a team that tried to study the Belasco House 20 years previously and will not allow himself to “open” himself up and be manipulated by the spirits that inhabit the house. Florence does “open” herself, and makes contact with who she believes is Daniel, Emeric Belasco’s son, whose spirit is being trapped within the house by the sheer will of Emeric’s ghost. As the story progresses, Ann seems to become possessed and attempts to fulfill some sexual desires with Ben, who rejects her.  Florence begins to display physical manifestations of her psychic powers, which she has never done before as a mental medium, this troubles the rest of the team, who try to convince Florence to leave, but she is resolved on staying to help free the trapped spirits.  The story ramps up to a surprising twist ending. Who will survive and who will die? Watch and find out!

This is one of the best atmospheric haunted house movies made.  The very look and feel of the movie create a kind of tension and unease that is both spooky and visually stunning. Director John Hough uses light and shadow to illicit these feelings from the audience mixing the visuals with the eerie sound effects and whispering voices that create a spine-chilling experience.  The story is well conceived and executed and the script is well written by renowned author Richard Matheson and based on his own 1971 novel Hell House. Being produced in 1973 way before the invention of computer-generated special effects, the film relies heavily on practical effects, like shaking tables and exploding glasses to name just a couple. The music by Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson adds to the atmosphere that Hough has created appropriately adding to the overall tone of the film.

The acting is very well performed with a great cast, especially Roddy McDowall’s understated performance as Benjamin Franklin Fischer who is moody and reserved with a sense of dire dread while Pamela Franklin’s more optimistic and energetic character, Florence Tanner has a type of hope and elation in what they are doing.  Clive Revill’s Dr. Barrett is also well performed, having to run a gamut of emotions over the course of the film.  Oddly enough, until recently I had never seen this movie all the way through and now that I have watched it, I am quite happy I did.  It is a great and well produced film and probably one of the best haunted house movies made, even after 50 years!