HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL: Castle's Classic Creepfest

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL Limited Edition (Blu-ray)

1959 / 75 min

Film Masters

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Wasn’t it great being little, when damn near everything scared you, like skeletons dangling from tethers? 

I wasn’t around when cinema’s greatest carnival barker, William Castle, was turning schlock into gold with such gimmicks as theater seat buzzers, fright insurance policies and, of course, “Emergo,” which was used to help turn House on Haunted Hill into one of his biggest hits. This was where a red-eyed skeleton would ‘float’ over the audience on a wire. Cheap and tacky, to be sure, but it put butts in seats.

Still, I remember the onscreen (also tethered) skeleton scaring me as a kid when I first watched this on TV, along with other ghostly figures lurking in dark closets. Then there was that dreaded pool of acid, which was used to destroy the bodies of murder victims, though one poor sap gets thrown in alive. Back then, acid ranked just behind lava and quicksand on my list of the most horrible ways to die and it seemed like a lot of horror villains had a vat of the stuff in their basement.

But who is the actual villain in House on Haunted Hill? When revisiting the film years later, I appreciated how the narrative’s surprising twists kept the viewer guessing, an aspect that elevated this one above the usual tacky treasures Castle was making at the time. And despite some imagery that’s still kinda spooky, one could even argue that it isn’t really a horror movie at all. The story itself unfolds more like a Scooby Doo mystery…with booze…and guns.

"Sounds like the couple upstairs have made up again."

The movie remains very entertaining, though perhaps aesthetically quaint compared to the bloody-but-joyless 1999 remake. The great Vincent Price shines as Frederick Loren, a cynical millionaire who invites a group of carefully chosen strangers to spend the night at a supposedly haunted mansion, offering $10,000 to each who takes him up on the offer. The house, of course, has a dark past, as ominously explained by its owner, Watson Pritchard (Elisha Cook Jr). That’s when the fun begins.

House on Haunted Hill is William Castle’s one true classic. In addition to atmospheric direction, an engaging story and interesting characters, the overall performances are quite good for a film of this type (though all that’s really required of Carolyn Craig is to scream every ten minutes). Even without “Emergo,” it remains one of the better haunted house movies of the 1950s. Having been released on Blu-ray before (most notably, in one of Shout Factory’s Vincent Price collections), I don’t know if this new edition from Film Masters is a significant technical upgrade, but the overall video/audio quality is pretty good. Kinda light on bonus material, though.

EXTRA KIBBLES

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Heath Holland.

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Includes an essay by Jason A. Ney.

THREE and THREE…EXTREMES: Aptly Named Anthologies

THREE & THREE…EXTREMES (Blu-ray)

2002 & 2004 / 254 min (2 movies)

Arrow Video 

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Three…Extremes was released on this side of the pond in the early 2000s, and I was aware of its reputation. More specifically, I was aware that Takashi Miike was one of the directors of this horror anthology. For those unfamiliar, Miike’s prolific career includes Ichi the Killer, Audition and the nastiest episode of Showtime’s Master of Horror series. So nasty, if fact, that Showtime refused to air it, and after later catching it on DVD, I could see why.

He’s a good director, but the films I’ve seen (those above-mentioned titles) wallow in levels depravity and violence that are tough to endure…and I can generally endure a lot. But the violence isn’t just graphic. The context in which it’s inflicted is what makes it so brutal. So, tail between legs, I took a hard pass on Three…Extremes.

But here we are, 20 years later, and Arrow Video has put it out on Blu-ray, along with the first film, 2002’s Three. And guess what…I was today-years-old when I learned the film I was reluctant to watch two decades ago was a sequel. Actually, that might surprise a lot of people, since Three was only released in the U.S. (as Three…Extremes II) after Three…Extremes made waves here. Not that it matters, since they’re anthology films anyway.

Not knowing what to expect, I put on my big-boy pants and dug in, fully prepared to witness stuff I’ll never unsee…

But Three is a surprisingly subdued and deliberately-paced trio of stories by directors from Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong. In fact, the overall tone is similar to what we now might call ‘elevated horror.’ The first tale, “Memories,” features a man who appears concerned about his missing wife. Concurrently, she awakens in the middle of the street with no idea how she got there, then proceeds to make her way home. There are some effective scenes here and there, but most horror fans will see the twist ending coming from a mile away. “The Wheel” deals with a cursed marionette that wreaks havoc on the man who took it for himself after its original owners died. “Going Home,” is about a cop whose young son goes missing. While searching, he’s taken captive by his reclusive neighbor, who is trying to resurrect his dead wife. There’s more plot here than the story really needs, but it’s the best of the three, with an ironic twist and an intriguingly ambiguous denouement.

Overall, Three is longer than it needs to be, with directors Kim Jee-woon, Peter Chan and Nonzee Mimibutr all guilty of a little self-indulgence. But for the most part, it’s visually interesting, with an emphasis on atmosphere over scares and violent thrills. In fact, it’s damn near bloodless.

You won't find these at a food court.

Conversely, Three…Extremes is aptly named. “Dumplings” is Fruit Chan’s sick and twisted tale of a former actress desperate to stay young. She hires the services of a mysterious dumpling maker whose secret to eternal youth is pretty shocking (to say nothing of stomach churning, thanks to some repellant visuals and sound effects)…and the story is just getting started. In Park Chan-wook’s “Cut,” a film director and his wife are held captive and tortured by one of his former extras, who forces him to make some terrible decisions in order to save her. This one is brutal and bloody, marred by a somewhat silly ending. 

The biggest shock is saved for last, with Takashi Miike’s “Box.” But what’s shocking is that this one is not driven by violence and gore. In fact, it’s an exercise in surrealism about a young woman who has spent her life mourning the twin sister she accidentally killed when they were children. Haunting and atmospheric, this one may disappoint those accustomed to Miike’s more bloodthirsty work, but I really enjoyed the director’s emphasis on mood over logic. As the final story, however, it does end the Three…Extremes rather anti-climactically, at least compared to the visceral viciousness of the first two.

These six stories play more like individual films - complete with their own credits - than part of a whole, and the tone is mostly serious (sometimes almost melancholy). As horror anthologies go, they don’t quite deliver the sense of fun that a Creepshow episode might, but are certainly worth checking out, although Three…Extremes is definitely not for the squeamish. In addition to solid 2K restorations of both films, Arrow has included an good batch of new & archival bonus features. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

NOTE: Free Kittens Movie Guide was provided with a promo disc for review purposes. Physical supplemental material included with the final product (booklets, artwork, inserts, etc) were not available for review.

THREE

INTERVIEWS - New and archival individual interviews with “Memories” director Kim Jee-woon, “Memories” cinematographer Hong Kyoung-pyo, “Going Home” director Peter Ho-Sun Chan, “Going Home” actor Eugenia Tuan.

MAKING-OF FEATURETTE

TRAILER

THREE…EXTREMES

INTERVIEWS - New and archival individual interviews with producer Peter Ho-Sun Chan, “Box” director Takashi Miike, “Dumplings” director Fruit Chan, “Dumplings” actor Bai Ling.

MAKING-OF FEATURETTES - One for each film.

2 TRAILERS - Three…Extremes; feature length version of Dumplings.

THE SHINING: A Guide To Better Living

THE SHINING (1980)

Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Phillip Stone, Joe Turkel, Barry Nelson. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. 144 min.

Essay by D.M. Anderson💀

The Shining is, of course, a horror classic, but I’ve never considered it a great movie. 

Part of the reason is I read Stephen King’s novel first, back when I was teenager. At the time, The Shining was the scariest damn thing I ever read. So when I heard it was going to be a movie, I expected it to make The Exorcist look like The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Unfortunately, that didn't happen because the movie was a total bastardization of the novel. While watching Jack Nicholson slowly go apeshit was (and still is) a lot of fun, he’s more rousing than scary. There’s something inherently amiss with any horror movie that has you cheering-on the antagonist.

The other reason is Stanley Kubrick. I’m actually a huge Kubrick fan and some of his classics (2001: A Space Odyssey, The Killing, Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange) are among my all-time favorites. His films have a unique look and tone that elevate them into works of art. Kubrick tackled a lot of different genres, but somehow his movies all feel the same. When you’re watching a Stanley Kubrick movie, you know you’re watching a Stanley Kubrick movie. Which is why he was totally the wrong guy to direct The Shining. With his signature long takes, elaborate production design and Steadicam tracking shots, this is 144 minutes of Kubrick saying “look what I can do.” (I imagine it irked him just a little that Nicholson got most of the attention). 

None of this is to say I don’t like The Shining. It’s a pretty good Kubrick film, just not a good Stephen King film. But a pretty good Kubrick film is still better than most directors’ magnum opuses and this one is filled with memorable moments and imagery. What’s more, the film has had a profound impact on me personally, offering a slice of philosophical wisdom that has shaped my life over the years.

In the movie, Jack Torrance (Nicholson) is a recovering alcoholic & struggling writer who takes a seasonal job as the winter caretaker at the historic Overlook Hotel, nestled deep in the Rocky Mountains. By the way, I live about 40 miles from Timberline Lodge, which served as the Overlook for exterior shots. If you’re ever in the Portland, Oregon area, it is well worth visiting. Located on Mount Hood, Timberline is a beautiful place with a rich history of its own (though decidedly less evil). And yes, they sell The Shining merchandise there.

Anyway, accompanying Jack are his mousy wife, Wendy (Shelly Duvall), and their young son Danny (Danny Lloyd). For five months, the three will be isolated, which Jack hopes will give him the opportunity to complete a writing project. Danny also has a “gift” known as shining, explained to him by hotel chef Dick Halloran (Scatman Crothers) before the place closes for the winter. Shining is a type of clairvoyance that not only allows Danny to have visions of the future, he can also see things that have happened long ago. Almost right away, he senses the Overlook is historically evil. 

"Of course I washed my hands."

Meanwhile, instead of working on his writing, Jack slowly loses his mind. This is where Kubrick tends to greatly deviate from King’s novel, leaning more heavily toward psychological horror than the story’s supernatural aspects (Danny’s visions notwithstanding). For much of the film, it’s suggested that the evil presence encouraging Jack to turn homicidal could possibly be a product of his imagination, rather than the hotel itself possessing him. I dunno…maybe Kubrick had a hard time buying into the whole ghost angle, which could be why most of the genuine supernatural elements are haphazardly stuffed into the final act.

Jack eventually snaps, and in the film’s best scene, he saunters toward a sobbing Wendy, verbally berating her while she backs away, clutching a baseball bat in utter terror. She cries that she’s worried about Danny (quasi catatonic after an encounter with one of the Overlook’s entities) and pleads for them to leave the hotel to get him help. Jack snaps back that leaving now would ruin any chance for him to make something of himself. Wendy cries that she wants to return to their hotel room to think things over. Grinning, wild-eyed and clearly intent on killing right there on the stairs, Jack replies, “You’ve had your whole fucking life to think things over. What good is a few minutes more gonna do you now?”

Jack crazily screaming “Heeere’s Johnny!” is The Shining’s most legendary line, though I seriously doubt many modern audiences are aware of its cultural context (for decades, it was Tonight Show host Johnny Carson’s introduction every night). But personally, “What good is a few minutes more gonna do you now?” is the one that continues to resonate with me. 

As a true nerd, I’ve always enjoyed referencing films whenever certain opportunities arise. When a friend or co-worker is having a shitty day, I often catch myself saying “Every day above ground is a good day” (from Scarface). Or screaming “Nice signal, dickhead!” at oblivious drivers (James Caan’s funniest outburst in Alien Nation). And what self-respecting movie lover doesn’t share a toast with “Here’s to swimmin’ with bow-legged women”? For the sake of expediency, I’ll spare you the number of times I’ve worked quotes from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Mystery Science Theater 3000 into casual conversation.

But “What good is a few minutes more gonna do you now?” is more than just a great line. It’s a philosophy that I’ve adapted to various aspects of my life. I used to be one of those folks who kept hitting the snooze bar on my alarm clock every morning, sometimes three or four times. Not only did that leave me scrambling to get to work on time, sleep experts concur that it isn’t recommended because it disrupts a healthy sleep cycle. But one particular morning when the alarm went off, What good is a few minutes more gonna do you now? popped into my head. I haven’t hit the snooze bar since and I feel a lot better.

Like a lot of people who enjoy indulging in empty calories, I opened a bag of Funyuns one time and mindlessly munched while watching TV. Then before I knew it, I’d chowed down on most of the bag. But here’s the problem…Funyuns are my wife’s favorite snack and she’s usually the main reason they end up in the grocery cart each week. That’s when I took a long hard look at what was left in the bag and shrugged, What harm is the few more Funyuns gonna do me now? And with no evidence left that we even bought a bag, I later claimed we must have simply forgotten to grab one the last time we shopped. Sure, I felt a twinge of guilt while sucking the remaining salt from my fingers, but at least I was still alive to feel guilty.

"My God, how much can one cat eat?"

I have two cats, Pepper and Mr. Bonnie, who are spoiled rotten by everybody in the house. Pepper is especially motivated by food, especially cat treats, and every damn one of us have been guilty of giving her almost an entire bag in one sitting because she looks so cute asking for them, standing on her hindlegs like a meerkat. But if we kept that up, it wouldn’t be long before she resembled a football and her meerkat legs would disappear under a gelatinous gut. So we’re trying to curb her gluttony just a tad. Sorry, Pepper. You’ve already had a dozen treats today. What good is a few more gonna do you now? Sure, she saunters away indignantly, but she’ll someday be thankful that she can saunter without waddling.

On the professional front, I was a teacher for 26 years before finally retiring. During that time, there have been literally hundreds of kids who slacked off for an entire quarter, then just before grading time, they coming begging for me to accept work that was due weeks (sometimes months) ago. I used to be sympathetic, but eventually got tired of grading late papers on weekends just because these little bastards refused to drop their PS5 controllers for a few minutes. Instead, I began telling some of them, “You’ve had the whole term to get caught up. What good is a few days more gonna do you now?” They walk away dejected, but at least I could now enjoy NFL Sundays without any other responsibility but making sure the cheese dip is warm.

I could go on, but what good are a few more examples gonna do you now?

The Shining is widely considered one of the greatest horror films ever made, an assessment I don’t agree with (which puts me in the extreme minority). But even though it was probably never his intention, good ol’ Stanley Kubrick certainly came through with some great self-improvement advice. And I’m a hell of a lot happier.

PRESENCE and the Nosy Ghost

PRESENCE (Blu-ray)

2024 / 84 min

From NEON/DECAL RELEASING

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Once again, director Steven Soderbergh goes the unconventional route with the horror drama, Presence. For me, his work has been hit-or-miss, but I’ve always appreciated his willingness to return to his indie roots by indulging in filmmaking techniques and narrative approaches most major studios would scoff at. 

Working with yet-another screenplay by frequent partner-in-crime David Koepp, Presence is a deliberately paced ghost story presented entirely from the point-of-view of the ghost itself. Of course, this ultimately precludes traditional opportunities to scare an audience, but Soderbergh obviously didn’t set out to make a traditional horror movie. In fact, it’s just-as-much a somber drama of an increasingly dysfunctional family. As such, Presence isn’t without its aesthetic and narrative shortcomings, but overall, it’s a pretty interesting film.

The fractured family in question are the Paynes, who’ve just moved into a new home. The parents, Rebekah and Chris (Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan), don’t appear happy with each other, especially regarding their teen children. Rebekah is indifferent to daughter Chloe’s (Callina Lang) emotional distress over losing her best friend, Nadia, who recently died of an apparent drug overdose. Conversely, Rebekah displays far more affection for their athletic douchebag son, Tyler (Eddy Maday)...to an almost creepy level in one particular scene.

Rebekah puts off doing the yardwork.

The conflicts of this family dynamic are observed by an unseen entity, primarily from a distance in long, unbroken shots. Because it seems particularly interested in (and protective of) Chloe, the presence is presumed to be Nadia. Rebekah and Tyler initially accuse Chloe of dramatic attention-getting (at least until the entity throws sort of a tantrum), while Chris is not-only sympathetic, he believes her. 

The Paynes’ marriage is further strained by Rebekah’s illegal work-related activities, a subplot that doesn’t serve any real purpose and is ultimately forgotten. Elsewhere, Chloe instigates a romantic relationship with Tyler’s best friend Ryan (West Mulholland), a development which is integral to the story…providing a plot twist during the disturbing final act that will likely surprise the audience. 

Soderbergh’s fly-on-the-wall approach to the story, as well as the episodic nature of each scene, sometimes undermines the tension and stalls momentum. But while Presence might be a little too poky and meandering for some viewers, our patience is rewarded with a gripping climax and haunting denouement.