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Waiting for The Haunting of Hill House: Anticipation

formerlyfreedom
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coppersin

coppersin

8 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Can you post the network that will be broadcasting this show?  I'm too lazy to look it up.

Netflix. This was the first I'd heard of it, but the cast includes Timothy Hutton, so I'm in.

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Snookums

Snookums

I had no idea this was happening and am of two or more minds about it.

I love Shirley Jackson, and The Haunting of Hill House is, to my mind, a perfect novel. I love everything about it. The first movie was a terrific translation onto the screen (the second one was...look, clearly the cast made a pact with a crossroads demon and appearing in that whirlwind of dreck was their payment for success or whatever they bargained for.)

It's such a compact and tight story I don't see how a series is really the forum for it. To add to it is right up there with that "additional dialogue by" in the 1968 Romeo and Juliet. I suppose if it was a one and done it would be okay, but Netflix is always ordering second seasons of what are clearly one season stories, ruining them, and then cancelling. 

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azshadowwalker

azshadowwalker

I am assuming that they will go into the back story of Hill House more. That's the only way I see a series out of the material, which is not really using the material at all. It will be different stories based on the old man, the children, and his family. 

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Mabinogia

Mabinogia

That is what I read, that it's about the man who built the house and his family and what happened before Eleanor and the others showed up. Which is what I'm interested in seeing. I've read the book and seen both movies (well, two movies, not sure if there were more). I don't need a retelling of that story. Nothing would outdo the book anyway. So I'm looking forward to hearing a different part of the story. 

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millennium

millennium

Hill House is haunted by mediocre hacks who can't produce an original idea, so, like Stephen King (Red Rose), they try in vain to remake Hill House in their own image, thinking they can improve on Shirley Jackson.   Yet it is always Hill House that enjoys the last laugh, as one by one they crash and burn. 

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cuppasun

cuppasun

On 8/28/2017 at 2:26 PM, Snookums said:

I love Shirley Jackson, and The Haunting of Hill House is, to my mind, a perfect novel. I love everything about it.

 

On 8/31/2017 at 3:45 PM, millennium said:

Hill House is haunted by mediocre hacks who can't produce an original idea, so, like Stephen King (Red Rose), they try in vain to remake Hill House in their own image, thinking they can improve on Shirley Jackson.   Yet it is always Hill House that enjoys the last laugh, as one by one they crash and burn. 

I love all things Shirley Jackson as well. The Haunting of Hill House is, to my mind, still the very best "haunted house" book ever written (and yes, I like Stephen King, and liked The Shining, but don't know if it could have existed in the same way or had the same impact without Hill House). The repeated attempts to revisit it in film--well, look, I get it, it's a creepy story and pretty well-known. But it's not easy to represent well, because it's about atmosphere, disturbance and the terror of uncertainty, not pop-up scares. It takes real skill to create that onscreen, and when done well, it's unforgettable. I don't yet trust this will be done well, but I do love some of the cast, and can't resist anything Shirley Jackson...so I will watch, at least until/unless it makes me run away crying and foot-stomping.

I would be even more impressed if someone was able to make a truly good adaptation of We Have Always Lived In The Castle. Like Turn of the Screw, that one is creepy on the highest level, with a story based on an unreliable narrator. I like it as much--and occasionally more--than Hill House. I've listened to the audio versions of both, which are extremely well-narrated.

Now, something that would make an excellent series from Jackson's work would be an adaptation of Life Among the Savages and its follow-up Raising Demons--funny, witty, and snarky rather than creepy, but such great material!

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cuppasun

cuppasun

5 hours ago, Snookums said:

Yes yes yes! I'd LOVE to see Life Among and Raising Demons adapted! Can you imagine watching "Charles?"

Ha! I have always wanted to see a reenactment of the musical beds/belongings (and subsequent--what was it, algebraic? whodunit?--problem no one could solve) when everybody had the "grippe"! But "Charles" might be one of the funniest things ever filmed, if they got the right people with the right comic timing, yes.

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coppersin

coppersin

(edited)
18 hours ago, cuppasun said:

I would be even more impressed if someone was able to make a truly good adaptation of We Have Always Lived In The Castle. Like Turn of the Screw, that one is creepy on the highest level, with a story based on an unreliable narrator. I like it as much--and occasionally more--than Hill House. I've listened to the audio versions of both, which are extremely well-narrated.

Don't know when or if it'll be good, but according to IMDb we're getting We Have Always Lived In The Castle.

Edited by coppersin
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Ms Lark

Ms Lark

On 9/4/2017 at 3:04 PM, cuppasun said:

I would be even more impressed if someone was able to make a truly good adaptation of We Have Always Lived In The Castle. Like Turn of the Screw, that one is creepy on the highest level, with a story based on an unreliable narrator. I like it as much--and occasionally more--than Hill House. I've listened to the audio versions of both, which are extremely well-narrated.

and

On 9/5/2017 at 9:15 AM, coppersin said:

Don't know when or if it'll be good, but according to IMDb we're getting We Have Always Lived In The Castle.

Shriek!!! That was my favorite book as a creepy teen! Even over HofHH. The cast looks ok. I can hardly wait, but while we do, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

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iRarelyWatchTV36

iRarelyWatchTV36

(edited)

I'm with those who are kinda looking forward to this, but unsure if it'll work or fall flat on its face.

The original "Haunting of Hill House"* (and original "The Haunting") are the two movies you point others toward for someone looking for great 'haunted house' movies.

* - was the original movie titled "House on Haunted Hill", with Vincent Price?  If not, I confused it.  I feel like I've seen "The Legend of Hell House" too, and that is another one up on the list of 'haunted house' movies to watch.


EDIT:  After research, it seems "The Haunting" (1963) is the first film adaptation of Shirley Jackson's book.  And if so, I must agree.  That movie is the ultimate classic & go-to in this genre to give people an idea of how a movie like that should be done.

Edited by iRarelyWatchTV36
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Duke2801

Duke2801

I've seen the first 2 episodes and I'm into it.  Pretty creepy, and solid performances by the actors.  I'm not a huge fan of Elizabeth Reaser (sp?) but she seems to be doing a decent job.  

The only "issue" I'm having is keeping all the characters straight--between all the kids in past and present day--plus the kid's kids and spouses in present day--it's a lot of people to keep track of.   

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yourdreamer

yourdreamer

I do like that they do one kid per episode so it’s a bit easier to keep track of them otherwise I would be hopelessly lost. 

I am just starting episode 5 with Nell. This is the one I am most curious about. 

I am very curious a out 

Spoiler

What Shirley’s husband and Theo are doing that involves his checkbook that is so bad a mistress sounds better

So far I am enjoying the show and the scares and the creeps. The actors are enjoyable. I am hopeful we will be getting back to the House soon!

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Lebanna

Lebanna

(edited)

That ending, for all of them. I've honestly never seen a better supernatural show. This was great. That moment with Nell and the Red Room. That moment with the other lost kids and their mother at the end.

I feel like I've been kicked in the guts, but by something really pretty. There's so much truth in this thing when it comes to family and loss. 

That was solid perfect.

Now let's hope they never make a sequel. Because nothing beats this.

Edited by Lebanna
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Keywestclubkid

Keywestclubkid

(edited)
3 hours ago, yourdreamer said:

I do like that they do one kid per episode so it’s a bit easier to keep track of them otherwise I would be hopelessly lost. 

I am just starting episode 5 with Nell. This is the one I am most curious about. 

I am very curious a out 

  Hide contents

What Shirley’s husband and Theo are doing that involves his checkbook that is so bad a mistress sounds better

So far I am enjoying the show and the scares and the creeps. The actors are enjoyable. I am hopeful we will be getting back to the House soon!

About what your curious about is how Theo paid for school  has everything to do with why Shirley would be mad about that checkbook if you get what I’m saying  I don’t know how to do spoilers so you can’t see them here lol

Edited by Keywestclubkid
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starri

starri

I have a feeling I would like this show, if I could actually see what was happening.  I had to turn off the lights, which makes for atmospheric viewing, but is decidedly inconvenient when I wanted to get something to drink.  Even then, a lot of the scenes were so muddy it was hard to tell what was going on.

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Token

Token

I'm still freaked out by the fact that the actor playing the dad (in flashbacks) is the kid from ET.

Pretty good show, so far, though.  Agree that it took a couple of episodes to keep all the family members straight, but it all came together eventually.

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willco

willco

Just watched the first episode today. And that's a first for me, I've never watched a Netflix original on the first day it dropped in my life ! To be honest, I find most of their original stuff underwhelming. But I love the horror genre, and this story in particular. I didn't even hate the movie they made in '99 ( but that's mostly for Catherine Zeta-Jones ). The movie was Ok with the special effects and all, but it really failed in bringing any scares at all. It was more like a comedy to me. So here's hoping this effort is a lot better-- and based on this first one it should be. It was a bit slow, but they do have quite a bit of time to fill, so I get it. I hope they spend most of the time in the house, as it's a main character to me.

 

I'm going to try & parcel these episodes out as much as I can stand to, so they will last a bit. Not sure if I'll be able to do that, though. Is everyone else going to do that, or are you all planning to binge ?

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Token

Token

16 minutes ago, willco said:

I'm going to try & parcel these episodes out as much as I can stand to, so they will last a bit. Not sure if I'll be able to do that, though. Is everyone else going to do that, or are you all planning to binge ?

I binged the first 6 episodes today.  It gets a lot better.  I wish I didn't have to work tomorrow, since I wanted to stay up and watch the rest!!

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Keywestclubkid

Keywestclubkid

(edited)

Just finished episode 10 all in all I really liked it dunno how I feel about the ending tho.... Not really spoilers per say just my opinion on some things

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

......I think for it being a haunted house show/movie where it is shown there's real ghost the house and the ghost really didn't DO anything (well nothing really other then a push) and in the 3rd act no real antagonist seems to be pulling the strings... it made no sense that (not going to say what or who) was just focused really on 2 of the children towards the end. And why was only one really "attacked" by the house while the others nothing?.. I was scratching my head like wait a tick and sometimes the ghost "attacked" (even far outside the houses walls yet didn't go after someone living on the edge of its property who only stayed in the day and not in the night in the dark who had a hell of a lot more contact with the house then any of this family really did) and sometimes they didn't seem to even care at all (which made no sense) I get that he wanted it to be a family drama but then totally forgot that it was supposed to be an EVIL (sometimes houses are born bad just comes off as lazy writing) house that was after this family. The motivation for the house and who what and why were never really established whatsoever and it really limps into its 3rd act like can this be over now. The acting was amazing the chemistry between them was on point but when the credits rolled I felt like half the story wasn't even explained at all (I dont need to be spoon fed answers but when NOTHING about the house or its motivation was explained or how and why the ghost seemed to be eternally trapped there or some of them seem to be evil and some not (I mean if the house is "evil" why does it let some ghost have happy endings?) or pretty much ANYTHING wasn't explained or even touched on whatsoever come on now) .... and to me was like well that was it?

Edited by Keywestclubkid
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Duke2801

Duke2801

On 8/31/2017 at 6:45 PM, millennium said:

Hill House is haunted by mediocre hacks who can't produce an original idea, so, like Stephen King (Red Rose), they try in vain to remake Hill House in their own image, thinking they can improve on Shirley Jackson.   Yet it is always Hill House that enjoys the last laugh, as one by one they crash and burn. 

In retrospect after seeing the whole series, I think this prediction was very far off the mark. 

 

Mike Flanagan is well known and respected in his own right as a filmmaker; I personally think he did an amazing job with this series. 

 

And most viewers and critics seem to agree, from what I’m reading. 

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millennium

millennium

(edited)

Most critics and reviewers think Stranger Things was the greatest thing since sliced bread too, when in reality it was merely a bad melange of recycled elements from seminal works in the field.   And many of them are millenials who, forgive me, wouldn't know good horror if it bit them in the ass.

I envy that you liked it.   Better to enjoy it than feel ten hours of your life was wasted.

Edited by millennium
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Anela

Anela

Stranger Things was cute, and had a lot of people feeling nostalgic. I think that's part of it.

I know someone else who was loving this show, until she got to the end, and then felt like she'd wasted her time with it. She said this yesterday, and I have two episodes left, so I might be able to guess what they've done, and that I'll be disappointed, too. 

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Duke2801

Duke2801

(edited)
On 10/20/2018 at 10:23 PM, millennium said:

Most critics and reviewers think Stranger Things was the greatest thing since sliced bread too, when in reality it was merely a bad melange of recycled elements from seminal works in the field.   And many of them are millenials who, forgive me, wouldn't know good horror if it bit them in the ass.

I envy that you liked it.   Better to enjoy it than feel ten hours of your life was wasted.

 

I did. I thought it was brilliant. Episode 6 alone with the one-shot takes? Amazing.  

Stephen King agrees! https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nme.com/news/stephen-king-describes-haunting-hill-house-work-genius-2392437/amp

I enjoyed Stranger Things and thought it was fun, but it’s not the same level as this show. 

Have you actually watched the show to see if it lived up...or down..to your low expectations? 

Edited by Duke2801
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millennium

millennium

6 hours ago, Duke2801 said:

I did. I thought it was brilliant. Episode 6 alone with the one-shot takes? Amazing.  

Stephen King agrees! https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nme.com/news/stephen-king-describes-haunting-hill-house-work-genius-2392437/amp

I enjoyed Stranger Things and thought it was fun, but it’s not the same level as this show. 

Have you actually watched the show to see if it lived up...or down..to your low expectations? 

Please see my post in the Episode 7: Eulogy thread.

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