The Legend of Hell House (1973)

Okay so the main guy is an annoying brute who really doesn't care if anyone else dies as long as he can keep preaching his all mighty opinion. The other guy is an annoying constant "philosophy of the matter" spouting idiot who shouldn't even be there because everyone died during his last visit and the other medium knows she could be killed in this house but insists on slowly accepting and naively succumbing to its evil... even going so low as to have sex with a demon in her guest bedroom. The smartest person in this movie is the wife and she is just in the house supporting her husband with no knowledge of the supernatural at all like the others.. yet and still with all of that being said they just do not make many good, original haunted house films so the setting and unique sequences in the movie alone make it a must watch and an unforgettable experience... the question is was it really a good one.

In order to discover the facts about survival after death, aged millionaire Rudolph Deutsch (Roland Culver) hires physicist Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill) to investigate the notorious Belasco house, a supposedly haunted mansion that was originally home to infamous sexual deviant Emeric Belasco, who hosted orgies that reputedly involved acts of cannibalism, vampirism, bestiality and necrophilia.Accompanied by his wife Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt), mental medium Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin) and physical medium Ben Fischer (Roddy McDowell), Barrett sets about trying to prove that there are no malevolent spirits at work in the house, and that any spooky happenings are merely due to a build up of negative energy over the years that can be dissipated via the use of a massive metal contraption with assorted dials and twiddly knobs. Of course, it ain't as simple as that…Adapted for the screen by Richard Matheson (from his novel 'Hell House'), and directed by John Hough, The Legend of Hell House is an undeniably atmospheric film (an incredibly moody score helping immensely), with a cool set-up and a great collection of characters, but it is sorely in need of a lot more scares. Much of the action is unnecessarily talky, making the film something of a bore rather than the thrilling spook-fest the wonderful title promises.Even the film's creepiest scene—a shadowy figure lurking in Tanner's shower cubicle while blood runs from under the glass—somehow manages to disappoint. The film's silly climax reveals the real reason for Belasco's supernatural rage, and it's a howler; I imagine that laughter was probably not the intended reaction.To be honest, the scariest thing about the whole film is just how yellow Tanner's teeth are: doesn't she own a toothbrush?

The Emeric Belasco mansion, otherwise known as Hell House, has proved to be a hotbed of paranormal activity. In fact, it's referred to as "the Mount Everest of haunted houses." Into this domain come a team, hired by the aged Rudolph Deutsch (Roland Culver). They consist of scientist Dr. Barrett (Clive Revill), mental medium Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin), Dr. Barretts' tag along wife Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt), and physical medium Benjamin Franklin Fischer (Roddy McDowall), the only person to survive previous investigations of Hell House.Richard Matheson scripted, from his own novel "Hell House". He gives us a classic Old Dark House type of horror film with a bit of a difference. In this instance, it is fascinating to see whatever practical methods there may be for dealing with spirits. Also, the air in this story is thick with sexual tension. As Ann comes under the influence of the mansion, she becomes markedly seductive. The pacing is just right, never hurrying but not dawdling either. The atmosphere is perfect, with a nice low key music score credited to Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson. There is a bit of gore, especially as poor Florence is violently victimized by spiritual forces more than once, but never a whole lot of it. Mathesons' script is intelligent and provocative, and those people unfamiliar with the novel won't be guessing where things are going before they're supposed to.There's an absolute minimum of characters here, and the actors all do wonderful jobs. Top billed Franklin is appealing and impassioned, Revill is solid as a man who's not that much of a believer, Hunnicutt is equal parts alluring and sympathetic, and McDowall is superb as the man who's given the task of purveying the necessary exposition. It's neat to watch him as he comes to his climactic realizations. Michael Gough has a quick, uncredited cameo at the conclusion."The Legend of Hell House" is very well done and is worthy of ones' attention, whether they see it for the first time or rediscover it.Eight out of 10.

The Legend of Hell House was released the same year as the grand-daddy of horror films, The Exorcist, so it quietly slipped through the cracks. But it should not be overlooked as a most effective and entertaining movie that combines suspense, bumps in the night and eroticism without overdoing the gore. It also features fine performances, especially that of Pamela Franklin, and an above-average haunted-house story line. Hell House will keep you guessing all the way to the end. Something interesting to note is that apparently the MPAA hasn't reviewed the film since its release when it was given a PG rating. By today's standards, Hell House would definitely be rated PG-13.