1963
The Horror Genre
Sometimes defined as the "eruption of the repressed". but this may apply more to a specific sub genre - i.e. the psychological horror film.
Classic horror film is Psycho where Norman Bates' repressions erupt as "mother".
Some Sub genres of horror are:
Not everyone would agree however. Slasher films and gore films may be separate genres as might monster films. Much depends on how the genre is described.
In addition to sub genres some films are mixed genres that is the have elements of more than one genre in them. Often one may predominate whcih is seen when the set pieces tend to belong to one genre rather than another. AAlthough there are some "quips" in he Haunting, the film is not considered a comedy.
Sound
Lighting
Narrative:
Film Stock
Other categories in which "horror films" are often found categorized are "thriller" and "suspense" In many cases it is extrememly important to distinguish between "horror films" and "horrible films" although some entries in one category are also in the other.
There are many questions about the defintiion of the sub genres. For example are "monster movies" a separate genre or are they part of horror or something else?
Supernatural films with ghosts are often horror if the ghosts (or other supernaturals) are scary, but are often called "fantasy" if the supernaturals are pleasant or funny.
The Uninvited is an example of dangerous ghosts, while Ghost, Topper and Canterville Ghost are all examples of films which have "friendly" (or frghtened) ghosts are are classified as fantasy.
Similarly, monster films like King Kong may be classified as adeventure or fantasy, whereas those that result from nuclear experiments may be seen as sci-fi. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is generally thought to be horror.
Horror vs. Sci-Fi
horror vs, noir both are involved in the destruction of the main character. Titles often indicate the "other" There is an important distinction to be made between shock and suspense, both of which can and do occur in horror films.Technical aspects
Supernatural Horror In supernatural horror films, one of the questions revolves around whether or not the film postualtes the existence of a supernatural or not. That is, do the events in the film which appear to be supernatural actually come from a supernatural or are they some natural phenomenon (including hallucinations) by one of the characters.One question which is raised in this film is whether or not the supernatural elements should be taken to be real or not.
The Haunting
First - is the supernatural meant to be real or can the supernatural events be explained in other ways?
Many of the things that happen are seen or heard by several people - the noises outside the bedroom, the racket upstairs when Mrs. Markway disappears.
On the other hand, the noises could be made by either Markway and or his wife as part of the experiment or perhaps even by the Dudleys
There is however, little evidence that this is the case. None the less, the fact that the film is narrated by Eleanor makes us wonder whether this isn't something in her mind as well. The author of the book, Shirley Jackson says it was not her intent to have the supernatural in anyone's head. She meant it to be real, but at the same time she thought it was an interesting idea to have it "created" by Eleanor.
Eleanor certainly seems repressed enough to have something erupt. She is made parallel to many of the people in the house. Her mother pounded on the wall as did Abegail and both she and Abagail's caretaker seem to have ignored the pounding once and the bed ridden person died. Theo asks if Nell was sorry her mother died and is told she was not. She says that she won't say she is sorry now. Later Theo says that she doesn't know why Eleanor is mad at her since she doesn't think that Eleanor killed her mother. Eleanor's reastion indicates some feeling of guilt on her part.
The story is unclear about Eleanor's past. There are references to a "skeleton in the closet" which may be that Eleanor had been institutionalized. She denies the stone throwing event ever took place, but then says later the neighbors through the stones. Her relation to her mother is nevr made clear, although she seems to start to say something about it on several occasions but never does.
There are parallels with Eleanor and Abigail's companion in that both Eleanor and the companion ignored the pounding on the wall which results in the death of the woman she is caring for. Eleanor and Hugh Crain's first wife both die in accidents while riding near the house and in fact crash into the same tree. The filim shows the carriage wheel of the overturned carriage after the wife's accident and shows the car wheel of the overturned car after Eleanor's accident. The arm of the wife is the only thing shown of the wife when she dies and Eleanor's arm is the only thing shown after her accident. Eleanor climbs the same spiral staircase where the companion committed suicide as thought she were going to, We are left wondering whether Eleanor is duplicting things she heard about the house or not.
The house itself becomes a (main) character in the film. There are several times when there are POV shots from the house's POV. Elaenor looks up at the house and the windows appear like eyes. The next shot is looking down from the house's "eyes" at Eleanor. AT one point the came moves in quickly on Eleanor from a height as she leans backwards over the balcony looking up at the house. "You have to watch this house all the time" she says. The camera movementt around Eleanor when she is alone seels like it is stalking her.
There are many unsettling "Dutch angle" shots that mirror the idea that the house is "out of line" (There are no right angles and it all adds up to one big distortion). The camera work on the spiral stairway gives a dizzying view of the house as well. The camera is very mobile and is often in motion in odd ways, floating around Nell as she dances with an imaginary Hugh Crane.
Many shots of furniture change uncanily before your eyes from leaf designs to faces. There are some "shock" shots when things appear suddenly in the frame (sculpture etc.) and when Eleanor sees her reflection suddenly in the mirror/
Robert Wise (the director) used an extreme wide angle lens which distorted to give some of the eerie moments to the film. By tilting the camera he is able to distort a great dal of the house and make it appear to move and seem alive - especially when Nell is outside the nursery.
Nell runs in the nursery (or appears blown into the nursery) and is suddenly wrapped in a curtain which is shroudlike.
There seems a problem with Nell's sexuality and Theo's lesbianism which leads to the complicated relationship between them. Nell's reperssed sexuality which is directed at Dr. Markway often engenders hostility from Theo who seems to be jealous of Nell's hoped for involvement with Markway rather than with theo.
The house "wants" Eleanor. She fits the profile of the people who are caught by the house. At the end she narrates the opening statement made by Dr. Markway and indicates that she is now one of those in the house that "walks alone" giving rise again to the idea that much of what we have seen in in Eleanor's mind. However that fact that we hear the narration after she is dead is an indication that the supernatural is, in this film, real.
At one level the supernatural has to be accepted. People in the film experience things with other people as witnesses. At a sub textual level the house may represent Eleanor's mind and her descent into insanity. As a textual level this is hinted at in the statement made by Eleanor's brother in law whe he talks about "digging up the family skeleton".