History in Vogue discussion

Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.

When Dr John Montague rents Hill House and invites others with past supernatural experiences to investigate the truth of paranormal phenomenon, Eleanor Vance takes the opportunity to finally breakaway from her overbearing sister.

Granted, the movie is never the book....but I've seen various versions of the film and remember that there were more than 4 people. Was it just Hollywood's way of milking the gore? (more characters=more people to kill off= more creativity and thrills?)

Linda wrote: "Granted, the movie is never the book....but I've seen various versions of the film and remember that there were more than 4 people. Was it just Hollywood's way of milking the gore? (more characters..."

The original The Haunting in the 1960's had only the four main characters, and then the doctor's wife comes. The maid comes in and out like the book. The only difference is you see Luke's aunt that owns the house, and Eleanor's sister and brother-in-law, for a few minutes instead of the story just talking about them. It's actually one of the best film adaptations of a book I can think of. I haven't seen any of the newer versions, but I wouldn't put it past Hollywood. House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price is one of my favorites, and I only made it through about ten minutes of how they butchered it a few years ago.

I looked it up (the one I saw with Liam Neeson). The Dr. had two assistants in that one....must have seen another that was related, too, maybe the Vincent Price one you're talking about. I always loved how creepy he was when I was a kid.

I'm not surprised... Vincent price wasn't in a Shirley Jackson adaptation, just a House of Wax - which was actually a remake itself, but better than the 30's version - and House on Haunted Hill, which was an original screenplay instead of a book adaptation. I've not seen any other older versions, unless you might mean Hell House . It has a larger cast, but it's based off a 1970's novel by Richard Matheson

Nope, it was "The House on Haunted Hill". A millionaire pays a bunch of young people $1 million to stay in the house overnight and they're picked off one by one. That's why I got the title confused.

Can't remember if I've seen "Hell House", but it's on my TBR list.

I think I saw "The Haunted House" movie where people are paid 1 million to stay there when I was a little girl in the 70s.

I think Vincent Price was in that movie.

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I think I saw "The Haunted House" movie where people are paid 1 million to stay there when I was a little girl in the 70s.

I think Vincent Price was in that movie."

This was the Geoffrey Rush remake of 1999, which I think was the same year the remake of this year came out! Oy!

Yes, in the late 90's they decided to remake all the old horror movies. I didn't care for them... I notice they had to change to 1 million dollars each, I guess no one would have thought much of ten thousand dollars for one night anymore.

I love House on Haunted Hill. It's so hard to believe it was a Castle b-movie - the same guy who did the cringingly bad movies like the Tingler - but it made Vincent Price the horror king. I don't know if he appreciated that or not.

I remembered him most from the "Dr. Phibes" series. Whether or not he appreciated it, he learned to "go with it" and made himself a living doing something he liked. So, while perhaps not the perfect scenario, much better than others who have tried their luck at it.

I heard from my grandmother again, when I was a girl, that Vincent Price liked making those horror films.

I like Phibes, I love all his Edgar Allen Poe movies, too. I saw an interview he gave once where he spoke of everyone being typecast at the time. John Wayne was a cowboy, Errol Flynn was the hero. He said he knew he was never the leading man type, so he made the best of what he got. I do think he could have done other things. He was in Laura earlier in his career, and played a lawyer in Leave Her to Heaven, he was wonderful in that one. But I think most people would be thrilled to have what he made for himself.

Marie wrote: "I like Phibes, I love all his Edgar Allen Poe movies, too. I saw an interview he gave once where he spoke of everyone being typecast at the time. John Wayne was a cowboy, Errol Flynn was the hero. ..."

Agreed! I just Googled him and saw that of his first 10 films, only 1 or 2 were horror or horror-related. And he was able to separate a bit later on. But that's what I was getting at--he'd never be a leading man, so make the most of whatever else it is that makes you distinctive.