The Haunting of Hill House (2018 Netflix Series, Spoilers)

[Huntn]

​

The story of the adult siblings who survived living in Hill House as children, with frequent flashbacks. A fateful night as children, their father gathered them up and they fled the mansion, leaving their Mother behind.
Several homages to the 1963 movie, The Haunting.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6763664/ CGI is reasonable. Ten episodes. Thumbs up.

'The Haunting Of Hill House' May Actually Be Netflix's Best Original Show Ever
https://www.forbes.com/sites/insert...etflixs-best-original-show-ever/#6f3ea3501f53

 

[D.T.]

We've had an ongoing discussion in the "TV" thread: it's spectacular, beautifully written, acted, directed - scary, haunting, moving, emotional - I can't recommend it enough.

 

[Huntn]

We've had an ongoing discussion in the "TV" thread: it's spectacular, beautifully written, acted, directed - scary, haunting, moving, emotional - I can't recommend it enough.

That’s where I got my tip! We are on Episode 5 The Bent Neck Lady (Nell’s story). The imagery is disturbing, but I’ve not had a nightmare yet!

I was pleased to spot Russ Tamblyn (Dr Jackoby) from Twin Peaks appearing as Nell’s shrink.

 

[Mefisto]

I was pleased to spot Russ Tamblyn (Dr Jackoby) from Twin Peaks appearing as Nell’s shrink.

That was a great touch casting him in that role.

In general, as I've already said in the other thread this show was one of the better surprises in a good while! Even the child actors were great in their roles, and that's the one thing that usually sooner or later tends to get on my nerves. The casting all around was also pretty great, and the kids actually looked like their adult counterparts.

A great show, and one I'll have to rewatch to catch all the secrets sprinkled in the shadows!

 

[samiwas]

I was pleased to spot Russ Tamblyn (Dr Jackoby) from Twin Peaks appearing as Nell’s shrink.

He was also Luke in the original The Haunting (1963).

A great show, and one I'll have to rewatch to catch all the secrets sprinkled in the shadows!

There are a lot of them. In fact, I think there are websites dedicated to that now!

 

[Huntn]

Btw, I read an article that said, this show may come back for Season 2, but it won’t be about the Crain family.

That was a great touch casting him in that role.

In general, as I've already said in the other thread this show was one of the better surprises in a good while! Even the child actors were great in their roles, and that's the one thing that usually sooner or later tends to get on my nerves. The casting all around was also pretty great, and the kids actually looked like their adult counterparts.

A great show, and one I'll have to rewatch to catch all the secrets sprinkled in the shadows!

Ok, I found episode 5 to be fairly disturbing. Episode 6 at the Funeral Home dragged a bit. I can only imagine at this point what episode 7 eulogy will be like.

He was also Luke in the original The Haunting (1963).



There are a lot of them. In fact, I think there are websites dedicated to that now!

I never put this together, amazing. Thanks for mentioning it. I can picture Luke easily and had no clue.

I’m very happy that they pulled closer to the 1963 film, instead of the remake in their special effects.

 

[twietee]

Huge fan of the original story/book and the two films which were quite entertaining (Haunting / Legend of Hell House) so I had to watch it when I read the very positive recommendations here at MR..

..but didn't like it. At all. Stopped watching at the second ep. Would eventually skip to the last ep to see how they did the finale but IMDB reviews let me think the finale is even worse than the rest. :/

 

[Huntn]

Huge fan of the original story/book and the two films which were quite entertaining (Haunting / Legend of Hell House) so I had to watch it when I read the very positive recommendations here at MR..

..but didn't like it. At all. Stopped watching at the second ep. Would eventually skip to the last ep to see how they did the finale but IMDB reviews let me think the finale is even worse than the rest. :/

Sorry to hear that. Not expecting to change your mind, but my experience was for the first two episodes I was not hooked, but then they started focusing on each child’s experience, like why Theo wears gloves, why Luke is an addict, and the most freightening the death of a sibling and the aftermath, builds on that. I like how the story fills in pieces of the story, that you saw parts of previously. I’m only up to episode 6, the series is on hold until my wife gets back from an out of town trip.

 

[D.T.]

Huge fan of the original story/book and the two films which were quite entertaining (Haunting / Legend of Hell House) so I had to watch it when I read the very positive recommendations here at MR..

The Legend of Hell House is based on a Richard Matheson novel, no relation to The Haunting of Hill House (the movies, series, or novel by Shirley Jackson) outside of there being a spooky house

 

[Huntn]

The Legend of Hell House is based on a Richard Matheson novel, no relation to The Haunting of Hill House (the movies, series, or novel by Shirley Jackson) outside of there being a spooky house

I did not focus on the word Hell, in my reply. Two very different stories? I did notice in the TV Show (Hill House) that someone had spray painted Hell over the sign at the house.

 

[twietee]

The Legend of Hell House is based on a Richard Matheson novel, no relation to The Haunting of Hill House (the movies, series, or novel by Shirley Jackson) outside of there being a spooky house

Thx for clearing that up! In my defense: I have quite a few (very old) movies with the dark, old house trope so mixed that up eventually. Although (I did see the last episode today, with a lot of fast forwarding) I couldn't tell if it's a lose adaption of Matheson or not. The red room tricked me a bit there.

Anyway, glad you guys enjoyed it - as did quite a few others. I did found it a bit pretentious and the long monologues / dialogues not that interesting while waiting for the scary parts

Spoiler

didn't see any

.

Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood - that can kill almost every movie. Too bad, I thought I'd be in for a treat as I usually like the movies you guys talk about.


edit: it's House on Haunted Hill, right? That's a fun one with V.Price

Spoiler

and a fake skeleton

 

[D.T.]

I apparently can't even pronounce 'hill' correctly, I mention the show to people, and they repeat back "Hell house?" "No, heel, heel house", "Like the underworld??", "No, no, like a small mountain!"

 

[mscriv]

We’re 6 episodes in at this point and I think the show has been really good so far. The scary parts are what they are, but the characters are truly what drive the story. Like others have mentioned, the child actors are great and the family dynamics fascinating.

 

[Huntn]

Thx for clearing that up! In my defense: I have quite a few (very old) movies with the dark, old house trope so mixed that up eventually. Although (I did see the last episode today, with a lot of fast forwarding) I couldn't tell if it's a lose adaption of Matheson or not. The red room tricked me a bit there.

Anyway, glad you guys enjoyed it - as did quite a few others. I did found it a bit pretentious and the long monologues / dialogues not that interesting while waiting for the scary parts

Spoiler

didn't see any

.

Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood - that can kill almost every movie. Too bad, I thought I'd be in for a treat as I usually like the movies you guys talk about.


edit: it's House on Haunted Hill, right? That's a fun one with V.Price

Spoiler

and a fake skeleton

...episode 5, Bent Neck Lady was disturbing, sorrowful, and terrifying for one of the characters. I think I am beyond being scared in movies/tv shows, but I can still feel morose afterwards, and don’t know if I am beyond nightmares.

 

[twietee]

I think I am beyond being scared in movies/tv shows, but I can still feel morose afterwards, and don’t know if I am beyond nightmares.

Oh, don't get me wrong I hardly ever get scared watching a movie. What I do expect from a true horror movie/series though is some sort of dread or weirdness, being irritating or disturbing for the lack of a better wording. But if the build up is so lame I simply just don't care anymore. And I don't think that they made a good job with the edit of the "scary" parts either - but that's just my opinion.
Since you haven't watched the finale I won't bring that up but I think I'll check out the original as I assume the ending is rather different there.

But I'm outta this thread now - I feel bad talking bad about a series I haven't really watched that much and don't care about within an appreciation thread if you know what I mean

Have fun watching it though.

 

[Huntn]

Oh, don't get me wrong I hardly ever get scared watching a movie. What I do expect from a true horror movie/series though is some sort of dread or weirdness, being irritating or disturbing for the lack of a better wording. But if the build up is so lame I simply just don't care anymore. And I don't think that they made a good job with the edit of the "scary" parts either - but that's just my opinion.
Since you haven't watched the finale I won't bring that up but I think I'll check out the original as I assume the ending is rather different there.

But I'm outta this thread now - I feel bad talking bad about a series I haven't really watched that much and don't care about within an appreciation thread if you know what I mean

Have fun watching it though.

I consider it a discussion thread with both pros and cons expected. It certainly helps if you have watched the show though. There are several series which have not clicked for me and like you I check out of the series and the discussion.

 

[Huntn]

Season One complete. The ending was not what I expected as it was not a cliched horror story ending. Thumbs up. I really like how the old story and new story was intertwined in it’s telling, weaving the old with the new, filling holes until you see the complete picture. They kept you guessing as to what was real, a flashback, bad dream, or an hullicination.

Spoiler: Series Spoiler

I really like that it had a positive ending. That four of the children made it. I was mentally preparing myself that the entire family would be consumed.

My impression is that Hill House was a negative source of energy, but included both dark and light, evil and good, or there were good spirits there, who were mixed in with the bad. The Dudlys and their dead children for example were good. And Olivia and Nell were good souls, manipulated by the negative energy in the house to take their lives, it seemed with a lot of help, and a little push.

I was happy that the family members who lost their lives in the house did not spend their afterlife as tormented souls, although throughout the series, it certainly seemed so.

An interesting aspect was the premise that “death” wakes you up from a bad dream. At least that was used as a means to manipulate people into taking their own lives. But to what end, more company in the house? In this story, souls are real, and it would be a horrible existence being trapped in an old moldy house full of negative energy for eternity, yes? One would hope that these spirits eventually find their way to the good place if there is such a refuge. That house needed to be burned.

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We’re 6 episodes in at this point and I think the show has been really good so far. The scary parts are what they are, but the characters are truly what drive the story. Like others have mentioned, the child actors are great and the family dynamics fascinating.

The children gave great performances, especially the scene where young Nell and Luke talk to their mother about a bad dream where she harms them.

 

[mscriv]

We finished the show this weekend. I thought it was well done and enjoyed the story. My wife and I both agree we need to watch it again. There are likely lots of things we will pick up the second time around.

 

[Huntn]

I’ve been thinking about the series in its entirety...

Spoiler

Why do you think there were all these horrifying visions though out the series, but in the end, being stuck in Hill House with your wife and daughter did not seem to be all that horrible. Were the story tellers just messing with us, causing us to spill our drinks because this is a horror story?