House on Haunted Hill (1959) - Film Masters Archive Collection

Way back now, our own Mr. Duarte did a brief review of House on Haunted Hill when it was part of the Vincent Price Collection Vol II Blu-ray set from Scream Factory. Point of fact, this film has been part of a number of physical media collections over the years. Those hilarious fellows over at Rifftrax even gave it a spin for one of their live shows (it’s a hoot if you haven’t seen it). But because of its public domain status and near-constant availability, I don’t think horror fans give this film enough due. 

For this murderously ghoulish fright flick, we have Vincent Price as millionaire Frederick Loren who, along with his wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart) are throwing a little party for some select guests. Their venue of choice isn’t a grand ballroom or ornate garden, but the dreaded Hill House, the site of several unsolved and unexplained murders. But wining and dining aren’t on the agenda for their guests. This night, they’ll all be locked inside and if they manage to survive the night, they’ll each win $10,000. But as distrust within the group rises and the ghosts of the past lurk in the shadows, survival may well be its own reward. 

Before 4-D theaters and shaking DBOX chairs, there was William Castle, making the simple act of going to the movies an experience like none other. Say what you will about Castle as a director, but the man was a consummate showman. He could sell any film based on the gimmick alone. For House on Haunted Hill, it was EMERGO! During the film’s terrifying climax, certain theaters that were properly rigged would have a plastic skeleton swing out over the audience to the frightful delight of attendees. Because of this sort of showmanship, Castle’s works, I fear, often get misjudged. I had a film professor (a real uptight square peg of a man) who would dismiss Castle’s films simply because of the gimmicks. 

Having seen the gimmick in action, I gotta say it’s a good bit of fun for an already entertaining film. But House on Haunted Hill doesn’t need the floating skeleton to be entertaining. Granted, Castle has all of the finesse of a sledgehammer when it comes to staging his scares and stingers, but he had a flair for entertaining an audience. You’ll jump one second and laugh the next because he manages tension so effectively. With a great cast, an appropriately moody atmosphere, and a spooky location, he lets the expected genre conventions get under your skin and then delivers a big payoff - even if the payoff! The point is, it may not be the greatest horror film, but it’s wildly entertaining, even at home. So grab some friends, turn off the lights, and let the good times roll. 

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray 
Emergo-ing onto Blu-ray once again, House on Haunted Hill finds shelf space in our physical media collections thanks to Film Masters’ ever-growing Archive Collection line. Pressed on a Region Free BD25 disc, the disc comes in a standard case with alternate slipcover artwork - and may I say, the insert art and the slipcover are beautiful captures of the original poster treatments. Also included in the set is a 10-page booklet with a great essay from Jason A. Ney.

Because it’s a home video staple of a sort, House on Haunted Hill has had a variety of DVD and Blu-ray releases over the years. They can range from quite bad to acceptable to pretty damn good. Without knowing anything about the master used for this release or of any restoration effort, this edition falls into the middle tier. It’s not fully resolved, details aren’t always very crisp, and film grain can be a bit chunky in places. There’s also some slight telecine wobble, but I’m sure most folks won’t notice that too badly. Black levels can be a bit inconsistent from scene to scene, but nothing too unsightly. Overall, it’s pretty good, not amazing, I’ve seen far, far worse releases of this film.

On the audio side, I can safely say that the DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono track sticks the landing. Clean, clear, without any kind of serious hiss or age-related issues or damage, the mix holds tight to the film. Dialog is clear without troubles. The creepy ghostly sound effects are well-appointed, and the music cues and scare stingers hit their marks.

Bonus features for this edition are relatively light, but we get a nice new audio commentary from physical media aficionado Heath Holland that proves to be an energetic and worthwhile listen. 

• Audio Commentary featuring Heath Holland
• Essay Booklet
  

House on Haunted Hill is a classic. Sure, it may be more famous for its showman director and the gimmicks he’d employ to get butts in theater seats, but he made good entertaining movies. This is one of those fun, creepy flicks that shouldn’t be ignored or forgotten just because you don’t have a plastic skeleton flying out of the screen! If nothing else, you get to watch Vincent Price in his dastardly prime. With a decent video transfer, strong audio, and a fun commentary track - if you need to add House on Haunted Hill to the collection and would love to just have the one title without being packed with a dozen other films, Film Masters delivers a solid disc to consider. Worth A Look