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The Legend of Hell House was released on DVD by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on 4 September 2001. Tanner is convinced that one of the "surviving personalities" in the home is Daniel, Belasco's tormented son, and she is determined to prove it at all costs. Believing it to be Daniel, she and Fischer bury the body outside and she performs a funeral.
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He has left haunting mementos behind and seems to have substantial posthumous influence over the participants of the study. I will, however, say that the finale is mind-melting in the best possible way. The film’s foundation lies in the frightening novel by Richard Matheson, one of the best science fiction writers to ever exist. A vivid and powerful opening paragraph to Shirley Jackson’s 1959 updating of the classic ghost story, The Haunting Of Hill House, regarded by many, including Stephen King, as one of the most important horror novels of the Twentieth Century. The novel has been filmed twice, both times under the title The Haunting (1963 and 1999), and was also inspiration for William Castle’s House On Haunted Hill (1959 and 1999). In 1971, prolific horror author and screenwriter Richard Matheson successfully created his own take on Shirley Jackson’s tale, adapted his own novel to the big screen and introduced us to The Legend Of Hell House (1973).
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The sequences feature suggested or silhouetted nudity, and when paired with earlier descriptions of Belasco’s carnally-focused parties we’re left feeling the foul atmosphere without needing to experience it firsthand. Barrett agrees, brings along his wife Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt), and is teamed up with two psychics – Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin, The Innocents) is a mental medium, young but highly regarded, and Benjamin Fischer (Roddy McDowall, Fright Night) is her physical medium counterpart. He’s also the only one to have survived previous attempts to confront the house’s spirited reputation that left eight others either dead or insane. It’s October, so as is mandated by the universally accepted movie blog charter this month’s Essentials are going to focus on the horror genre. This week we’re starting with that most traditional of horror films… the ghost story. Despite the fact that it was released over 40 years ago, John Hough's The Legend of Hell House still remains one of the greatest and most effective haunted house films ever committed to celluloid.
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Fischer then concentrates, and a stained-glass partition in the chapel shatters, revealing a hidden door. The palatial home of the obviously stinkingly rich Mr Deutsch (Roland Culver), who commissions the investigation, is Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Considering writer Richard Matheson was responsible for the excellent adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe for Roger Corman in the Sixties, as well as the the scripts for the much-filmed I Am Legend and for Steven Spielberg’s first feature Duel, this film of his own novel is sadly disappointing.
It is to both of the films’ credit that they only partially resemble each other. Despite mixed reviews upon its release, “The Legend of Hell House” has gained a deserved cult following over the years. Its legacy as a horror classic is cemented by its ability to go beyond conventional scares and explore deeper emotional themes. The film’s artistic merit continues to captivate audiences, making it a must-watch for horror movie enthusiasts. Richard Matheson’s screenplay (which he adapts from his novel Hell House) conjures a terrifying antagonist that plays well against the eerie atmosphere Hough establishes. Emeric Belasco is revealed to have been a despicable man in life and seems to have somehow continued that distinction in death.
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Barrett’s belief that the entity is soulless and without intent makes him blind to its murderous ability. Florence’s insistence that only she can help young Daniel makes her oblivious to Belasco’s deception and intended abuse of her body and soul. And Belasco himself so desperately wanted to be respected and feared, going so far as to mutilate his own body in pursuit of that goal, but the giant is ultimately felled with mere words. The film features a score with an electronic music bassline (with occasional woodwind and brass stabs). The score and electronic sound effects were created by Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson, recorded at Hodgson's Electrophon studio in London.
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There were so many shots and ideas that were reminiscent of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist, which wouldn’t be released for another six months. The creep factor was all brought together with a chilling score by Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson, the duo that created the original theme music for Doctor Who. Fans of "The Legend of Hell House" and haunted house stories in general should have no qualms about picking up a copy. The performances and script of this movie are all top notch, but what really makes this movie one of my favorites in the subgenre is its direction by Hough.
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It’s not a patch on the earlier, and similar, The Haunting (that’s the 1963 version, of course, not the CGI heavy Jan De Bont revamp). The director went on to make the amazingly different cult road movie, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. On the whole, The Legend of Hell House is a visually striking film with no shortage of atmosphere. Keen direction, a strong screenplay, and a standout performance by Roddy McDowall make this feature a must-see for anyone who has yet to experience the film. The ideas of scientific facts vs. faith, or believers vs. non-believers hadn’t really been explored much in film, and while we as the audience could see what was happening in the film, the actors were so into their roles, that the non-believers were almost convincing.
One-by-one the visitors are stalked by the spirits of the house, which seem to manifest a bizarre and powerful sexual influence on them. Piece-by-piece the terrifying secret of Hell House is unraveled, leading the survivors to the film’s final, shocking climactic revelation. “The Legend of Hell House” is a bone-chilling horror movie that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
If you haven’t seen it (or you haven’t read the book), I highly suggest you do the same. This intelligent, creepy and disturbing horror film preys upon the most primal aversions to discomposure and the paranormal that even the most staunch realists among us harbor, but hide. Ann is subjected to erotic visions late at night, which seem linked to her lackluster sex life. She goes downstairs and, in an apparent trance, disrobes and demands sex from Fischer. He strikes her, snapping her out of the trance, and she returns to herself, horrified and ashamed. He is resentful, and spurns Fischer's warnings that the house is affecting Ann.
It almost succeeded.” He says those words with a detached look in his eyes and nearly no inflection. Also effective is the way the Belasco house brings Gothic vibes that harken back to Hammer’s heyday. The cathedral ceilings and the near absence of natural light give the domicile an ominous aura. Equally impressive is the way Hough manages to make the massive dwelling feel almost claustrophobic with the way he frames his shots. The cast was a plethora of decently-known character actors that brought their individual styles to the small, intimate group of investigators. The Legend of Hell House makes up for its disappointing lack of outright scares with a top notch cast and a suitably macabre atmosphere.
Flourishes like that establish a profound level of unease long before the first sign of paranormal activity appears. All organisms emit Electro Magnetic Radiation, and when a living thing dies the energy typically spreads out into the world with neither purpose nor personality. Barrett believes the Belasco house somehow retained that energy instead of releasing it and is acting like a large battery capable of fueling physical manifestations like moving objects, unexplained noises, etc. He’s created a machine that he claims will dissipate the mindless energy through reverse polarity thereby emptying the house of so-called paranormal activity.
(As a result, The Legend of Hell House comes out as a far more intelligent and subtly effective film than The Exorcist). Yes, the movie has gained a cult following over the years and is highly regarded by horror enthusiasts. If you’d like to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter, Threads, or Instagram. The Legend of Hell House settles on a happy medium (no apologies) as both psychics and science are proven right even as almost everyone is defeated by their ego.
Roddy McDowall, who began his long career as a child actor in the late thirties, should need no introduction. McDowall continued his career successfully into adulthood, but it was usually in character roles, notably in heavy makeup as various chimpanzee characters in four of the five original Planet Of The Apes movies (1968 to 1973) and in the 1974 television series that followed. He was frequently a guest star on television shows, appearing in such series as the original Twilight Zone, The Eleventh Hour, Buck Rogers In The 25th Century, Night Gallery, The Invaders, Fantasy Island, Columbo, and Quantum Leap. He played the villain Bookworm in the camp sixties Batman television series and had an acclaimed recurring role as The Mad Hatter in Batman The Animated Series.
Hell House is a horror thriller novel written in 1971 by Richard Matheson. It was adapted to film as The Legend of Hell House in 1973, starring Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Clive Revill, and Gayle Hunnicutt. The release included a 30-minute interview with director John Hough, a commentary track by actress Pamela Franklin, stills gallery, original theatrical trailer, radio ads and reversible cover art featuring the theatrical artwork and customized artwork for the Blu-ray release.
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