THE HAUNTING [1963] OCT15. (1 Viewer)

[Charles Smith]

I made myself a pretty good DVD-R of TCM's Uninvited but the laserdisc still looks the most pleasing. But it is high time for a 21st century release. Whoever finally decides to rise to the occasion, meet one of your very first customers.

 

[Charles Smith]

And of course The Haunting is a day one purchase, come hell or high water.

 

[Richard--W]

I second the recommendation for the BFI blu-ray of THE INNOCENTS which makes the American DVD look like the afterthought it is, and I'll add my voice to the plea for THE UNINVITED. But don't hold your breadth waiting for Criterion to release THE UNINVITED. It would stand a better chance if it were Japanese.

THE HAUNTING was released 18 September, 1963. So this blu-ray will be the film's 50th anniversary. Hard to believe it's that old. It doesn't seem that old. In fact it seems very contemporary to me.

 

[JoHud]

Glad to see this released. One more cardboard snapper DVD I can happily retire.

 

[BarryR]

Rather ironic the way THE HAUNTING got an X (no one under 16 admitted) in England in 1963, yet it's rated G on the American DVD. I think one essential element that makes the movie work so well is its superbly eerie musical score. Low key yet extremely effective. The movie would be, well, not nearly as haunting without it.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Glad to see such support for THE UNINVITED. I guess it would be what one would call a "holy grail" release for me. Seems like an ideal project for TCM, whose only other BD release was THE IRON PETTICOAT some time ago. What fun if they'd pair it up with the rare (and sadly inferior) sister project, THE UNSEEN.

 

[Jobla]

I've heard that MGM improved the sound quality of THE HAUNTING at some point after the DVD was released. The improved print has reportedly aired on TCM, but rather than waiting for that, I've just preordered the Blu-ray.

 

[Johnny Angell]

THE HAUNTING was released 18 September, 1963. So this blu-ray will be the film's 50th anniversary. Hard to believe it's that old. It doesn't seem that old. In fact it seems very contemporary to me.

I agree. As I think about the film, there's nothing that really dates it. Sure there are cars of yesteryear in the movie, but things like that place it in a time period, without the movie becoming dated. A good ghost tale will always be welcome.

 

[ahollis]

I second the recommendation for the BFI blu-ray of THE INNOCENTS which makes the American DVD look like the afterthought it is...

Sorry if this has been asked and answered, but is the BFI release open region? Thanks.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered, but is the BFI release open region? Thanks.

It's not.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

 

[Professor Echo]

Although the Blu uses the original poster title logo, I still like the DVD cover better.

 

[FoxyMulder]

They should do a double sided cover for the artwork, one featuring the above and one which has the original artwork.

 

[Dick]

Such wonderful news! Thanks, WB.

Not to seem greedy, but when might we expect THE HORROR OR DRACULA, THE MUMMY (1959), and CURSE OF DRACULA? Only THE MUMMY hasn't already been released in the UK, and you have an opportunity to greatly improve upon the UK CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

If THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS is planned as an Archive title, that suits me fine.

Trick or treat.

 

[Dick]

Such wonderful news! Thanks, WB.

Not to seem greedy, but when might we expect THE HORROR OR DRACULA, THE MUMMY (1959), and CURSE OF DRACULA? Only THE MUMMY hasn't already been released in the UK, and you have an opportunity to greatly improve upon the UK CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

If THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS is planned as an Archive title, that suits me fine.

Trick or treat.

Such wonderful news! Thanks, WB.

Not to seem greedy, but when might we expect THE HORROR OR DRACULA, THE MUMMY (1959), and CURSE OF DRACULA? Only THE MUMMY hasn't already been released in the UK, and you have an opportunity to greatly improve upon the UK CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

If THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS is planned as an Archive title, that suits me fine.

Trick or treat.

I am replying to my own post, as it is too late for me to edit it. Of course, I did not mean CURSE OF DRACULA.

 

[Jobla]

Figured that was the case.Feltenstein mentioned both BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS and WICKED, WICKED (1973) as possible Halloween releases from Warner Archives.

 

[Dick]

I second the recommendation for the BFI blu-ray of THE INNOCENTS which makes the American DVD look like the afterthought it is, and I'll add my voice to the plea for THE UNINVITED. But don't hold your breadth waiting for Criterion to release THE UNINVITED. It would stand a better chance if it were Japanese.

Well , I'm not sure that's a fair statement. They did license ISLAND OF LOST SOULS from Universal. And they release Japanese-language films only about once every three months on average. An incredible diversity of genres, time periods and points of origin.

I am thinking that THE INNOCENCE could well get a release from Twilight Time some day.

 

[Richard--W]

I'm happy with the region B edition of THE INNOCENTS (1961). It's a revelation compared to the American DVD. So I'm in no hurry for a Criterion edition. Can't wait for THE HAUNTING, however, as I've always loved the film since the first time I saw it in the late 1960s at the Smithtown Indoor-Outdoor Drive-In on Long Island during one of their annual Halloween marathons.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

I hope Dick turns out to be right about THE UNINVITED and Criterion. It was mentioned on that "rumor" list at the Criterion Forum a couple years ago. Maybe they will consider putting it out, after all. It would probably do well for them.

 

[Douglas R]

Isn't the UK version the same as the USA, i watched it in widescreen on TV a few years back here in the UK but can't remember if it included those scenes listed at IMDB, it does say it differs from general release prints so i assume that possibly the Edinburgh showing was a one off, Robert Wise would have had a say in all this, he did after all prevent Ted Turner from adding colour to it.

Having said all that, i see the original cinema version passed at the BBFC with a running time of 114 minutes and 12 seconds, not 112 minutes, maybe we did get a slightly longer UK cut of the film, it looks like the DVD editions are the 112 minute cut though as they run 107 minutes and 14 seconds after PAL speedup is taken into account.

I also see it passed the BBFC office with an X certificate in March 1963, did it really open in North America first, why would they wait six months after UK classification to release it to cinemas, i'm going to Google this.

I couldn't find out the release date in the UK so i guess things were just different in 1963 with regards classification or the BBFC website got the dates wrong, i doubt it's the latter, i'm going to have to pay attention the next time the BBC shows the film and see if we have a longer cut and then i'll get annoyed when Warner gives us the shorter cut of the film.

I saw the film when it first opened at the Empire, London and remember some of those alternate scenes. At the time it seemed a very scary film. My memory doesn't stretch to remembering the date when I saw it but IMBd says it opened there January 1964, which may be right as it opened in other European countries around that time and would be a better fit than 1963 for my own time frame.


As regards other comments, I always thought of it as an American film.