Early Haunted House/Mystery suggestions

venomx · June 27, 2011, 02:26:23 PM

Hello, can you Guys and Gals please give me some good suggestions on early 1930's to 1960's Haunted house movies? I prefer classic ghost stories without comedy. Starting with a good "It was a dark and stormy night type.

Exp. of what I like and have already...

The Old Dark House (1932)
The Bat (1959)
House on Haunted Hill (1959)

The Uninvited (1944) is on my to watch list already.

Please and thank you so much!

Nightowl · June 27, 2011, 04:02:38 PM

The Haunting(1963)

venomx · June 27, 2011, 04:46:35 PM

It seems The Uninvited (1944) didn't make it to my favorite list. It was OK, way too romantic.

@ Nightowl, thanks for the suggestion.

The Haunting (1963) is now on my 'to watch list'... Edit. I remember I started this movie years ago, I will finish this time. It has Russ Tamblyn from The War of the Gargantuas! Awesome.

Anymore suggestions will be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Jack · June 28, 2011, 06:43:16 AM

The Legend of Hell House (1973) - a bit out of your date range, but it's very much in that classic style and could have easily been made in the '60s. A group of people go to an old haunted house to conduct research. I really liked it, very suspenseful.

WilliamWeird1313 · June 28, 2011, 07:18:02 AM

Quote from: Jack on June 28, 2011, 06:43:16 AM
The Legend of Hell House (1973) - a bit out of your date range, but it's very much in that classic style and could have easily been made in the '60s. A group of people go to an old haunted house to conduct research. I really liked it, very suspenseful.

Ooh, I love that one. But, then, I'm a sucker for Richard Matheson. And Roddy McDowell? That's a winning combo.

I'm a little surprised no one's mentioned The Innocents from 1961. It's based on Henry James' "Turn Of The Screw," one of those great "is it or isn't it?" type ghost stories.

I'm personally getting into vintage haunted house movies n' ghost stories lately myself, which is new as I've long cared little for them. Any suggestions that anyone has to contribute for Venomx's sake will be greatly appreciated by yours truly as well.

venomx · June 28, 2011, 10:47:25 AM

Update...

The Haunting (1963) It was good. 100% Haunted house with no comedy, thanks again, Nightowl.

The Legend of Hell House (1973) Cool. Thank you, Jack. This is now on my to watch list.

The Innocents from (1961) Now on my to watch list. Thanks for the suggestion, WilliamWeird.

Anymore suggestions will be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Hammock Rider · June 29, 2011, 08:59:53 AM

Wow these are all great suggestions. The only new one I can add is maybe the Fall of the House of Usher, with Vincent Price.

Allhallowsday · June 29, 2011, 12:27:31 PM

Quote from: Venomx on June 28, 2011, 10:47:25 AM
Update...

The Haunting (1963) It was good. 100% Haunted house with no comedy, thanks again, Nightowl.

The Legend of Hell House (1973) Cool. Thank you, Jack. This is now on my to watch list.

The Innocents from (1961) Now on my to watch list. Thanks for the suggestion, WilliamWeird.

Anymore suggestions will be greatly appreciated, thank you.

I'm surprised these are new for you.
I'm also surprised THE HAUNTING meets with "it was good" for a first time viewer! Most people think it's great, but it wears thin for me only because I've seen it so many times. JULIE HARRIS' performance is what carries that film.

If you like HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (fun, but oh so dumb) you might like 13 GHOSTS (I don't).
CARNIVAL OF SOULS while not a "haunted house" movie, is haunting, great, and not funny at all. There's also KILL, BABY, KILL which is an effective Italian ghost/horror story. CITY OF THE DEAD is sort-of a ghost story with some unexpected horror and plenty of creepy atmosphere; it's also known as HORROR HOTEL.

And don't forget CASTLE OF BLOOD!! Great "ghost" story that does not disappoint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kjr-le2p-g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkTz0EvfEiY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brp_upIoiEs&feature=related

venomx · June 29, 2011, 01:30:40 PM

I just watched The Legend of Hell House (1973)...

That movie was AWESOME! Roddy McDowell was AWESOME... Ann was so HOT! But when it came on the first thing that popped in my head was... DON'T LOOK BEHIND! DON'T LOOK IN THERE! DON'T LOOK UP! DON'T LOOK ANYWHERE! DON'T SCREAM FOR HELP! DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE! DON'T EVEN BREATHE! If you are thinking of seeing this film alone.....DON'T!.

I didn't get around to watch The Innocents (1961) yet, I will though...

Thanks for the suggestions, Allhallowsday! as I'm a fan of Barbara Steele, Castle of Blood (1964) is now on my to watch list. as for 13 Ghost, thats too new, it was ok though... House on Haunted Hill (1999) that movie was AWESOME Imo even for a reamke. I watched that at the movies 3 or 4 times. Big fan.

The Haunting (1963) it's not that I didn't like it... Imo it was good but too slow, it really wasn't that spooky at all.

Anymore suggestions will be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Allhallowsday · June 29, 2011, 03:54:27 PM

Quote from: Venomx on June 29, 2011, 01:30:40 PM
...as for 13 Ghost, thats too new, it was ok though...

No no no no no! The original 13 GHOSTS (1960) - more WILLIAM CASTLE SCHLOCK (the 1959 HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL is a WILLIAM CASTLE flick).

Quote from: Venomx on June 29, 2011, 01:30:40 PM
...The Haunting (1963) it's not that I didn't like it... Imo it was good but too slow, it really wasn't that spooky at all.

You're cool. It's not a modern movie, but it is one of the singular most effective HAUNTING films anyone has made. You just didn't get it.

venomx · June 29, 2011, 05:30:30 PM

Ah! 'The original 13 GHOSTS (1960) A WILLIAM CASTLE flick'. See that, you learn something everyday...

Thanks again, Allhallowsday. That's definitely on my to watch list now.

Allhallowsday · June 29, 2011, 07:49:26 PM

Quote from: Venomx on June 29, 2011, 05:30:30 PM
Ah! 'The original 13 GHOSTS (1960) A WILLIAM CASTLE flick'. See that, you learn something everyday...

Thanks again, Allhallowsday. That's definitely on my to watch list now.

If you like that HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (which is a perplexing film for me now that I'm older) you might like 13 GHOSTS, a film I don't like and never have...

Seriously, if you want good spooky creaky films, CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1962) CASTLE OF BLOOD (1964) HORROR HOTEL (1960) all will please I think.

Mr. DS · June 29, 2011, 09:01:37 PM

I kind of liked The Cat And The Canary although it was slightly comedic.

JaseSF · June 29, 2011, 10:14:33 PM

The old dark house mystery was a stable and very popular trend in numerous films from the 20s-30s although a lot of times the reason wasn't as much supernatual as it was motivated by money and would-be heirs, things started going more comedic with them in the 40s with many comedies and even up until the 60s. Things seemed to get more serious again in the 60s.

Cat and Canary? What about Bob Hope's other spooky goodie- The Ghost Breakers (grant you, we're talking comedy here)

I do recommend:

The Haunted Palace (1963) - doesn't fully work but has some cool Lovecraftian style scares.

Nightmare Castle (1965)- again doesn't fully work but some decent scares and the one and only Barbara Steele.

The Fall of the House of Usher - kinda goes without saying.

The Red House (1947) - probably not quite what you're looking for but worth a look IMO.

Scream of Fear- also known as Taste of Fear. Some really good suspense moments here. From Hammer.

Curse of the Living Corpse: from the man who gave us The Horror of Party Beach, this is one really in the vein of the old dark house films of old but a bit more modern some might argue.

venomx · June 30, 2011, 11:20:15 AM

Awesome. CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1962) and (1964) HORROR HOTEL (1960) are now on my to watch list, thanks, man.

The Cat And The Canary. I'll check that out... I know thats really old, right. Thanks, Dark.

The Haunted Palace (1963) This in on my favorite list. I watch it frequently. AWESOME movie!

Nightmare Castle (1965) I'll check it out... anything with a spooky castle is a WIN.

The Fall of the House of Usher - Never finished it... I will someday.

The Red House (1947), Scream of Fear and Curse of the Living Corpse... I'll check them out, thanks.

BTW I should have made this post already but... if you guys like old horror and or haunted house/mysteries* you should really watch The Bat (1959). It's like an old Nightmare on Elm Street with a guy that looks just like Freddy Krueger, sort of. Everytime you see him he has the Freddy hat and even a claw glove! Good stuff.

"AH! HAHAHAHA!... Aww... What do we have here?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdZlRAKeUfQ

Early Haunted House/Mystery suggestions

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