In "Best Of" horror lists, this movie consistently ranks somewhere around number 25. But I don't care what anyone says, it will always be my #1 favorite horror film. I first encountered it around 23 years ago when I worked at a mom-and-pop video store in Manhattan. I was in the midst of getting my film education from the dusty shelves full of VHS tapes. I had always been fascinated by ghost stories and had already had one of my 3 (so far) real-life paranormal encounters, so the title caught my eye. I went home to my crappy 2-room apartment, popped it in the VCR, and sat on my uncomfortable futon bed. As soon as it started, I was enthralled and terrified by the incredible atmosphere and the creepy cinematography. Many critics cite Eleanor's train-of-thought narration as a reason they dislike the film or find it too old-fashioned but to me, it adds immensely to the chilling narrative and draws you into her experience. I sat in my dark apartment transfixed and scarcely able to move for fear that something would reach out and grab me.

The story is so basic: A doctor of the paranormal invites 3 people to him in Hill House, a notoriously haunted mansion, to document any occurrences. Among them is Eleanor, a neurotic woman who has cared for her ill mother most of her life and is trying to discover her place in the world. The house reaches out to try to influence her and claim her for its own...or is it all in Eleanor's impressionable mind? The ambiguity of the film leaves that for the viewer to decide. Having also read the incredible novel by Shirley Jackson, I have always leaned toward a supernatural conclusion. But what is so brilliant about Jackson's story and Robert Wise's direction, is that either choice makes perfect sense. Wise decided, wisely, that no ghost or supernatural occurrence he could show onscreen would be nearly as frightening as what the viewer could concoct in their mind, so we don't see a single ghost in the film. What we see, and hear, and experience, are mere suggestions...poundings on a door, wallpaper designs that resemble menacing faces, etc....and we are left to fill in the blanks. But whether or not Hill House is actually haunted, Eleanor is indeed haunted, and it is through her that we and the other characters experience Hill House. It's a shame that most young people today have no use for older films. They are so affected by the quick-cut editing of modern films that a slower-paced story like this, and one in black & white, feels boring or hokey to them. I'll take this any day over a cheap jump scare. Modern horror is so formulaic that I find IT boring. This film is a masterpiece of terror and I highly recommend it.

On a side note, I have directed a couple of plays and they were both horror-related. One was Carrie: The Musical and the other was an old adaptation of this, called The Haunting of Hill House (the novel's title). It's not the greatest adaptation. It is MUCH too talky for its own good, and the stage direction as written has much of the major action (like Eleanor climbing the staircase) occurring off-stage with the characters simply reacting to it. I changed that and brought everything onstage and it was very effective. It was community theatre, so some aspects of the production were lacking — a couple very amateurish performances, limited lighting design, etc. — but the set was friggin' amazing and I thought it all came off very well. I'd love to see an updated stage adaptation written so I could direct it again sometime.