THE HAUNTING (1999) 4K UHD Coming From Shout

[AndyDursin]

Another one way late to the party for me (I'll stick with the Vudu version) but for those still waiting...

https://www.amazon.com.au/The-Haunting- ... GB3WVEVKZB

[Monterey Jack]

One of the worst horror remakes ever. Aside from Catherine ZEE-TAH-Jones looking spectacular, it's a complete dud.

[AndyDursin]

Guilty as charged! I kind of like it. It has issues but it's extremely watchable.

There are dozens of far worse horror movies Ive had to sit through. Maybe hundreds lol.

Cool production design, couple of effective moments, Lili Taylor extremely cute. Production and sets are impressive.

Has problems and some lame moments, some bad dialogue (Owen Wilson) and the Spielberg reshoots clearly didn't help, but it's slickly made. And most definitely not the worst of its kind.

Anyway the original is fine but also overrated (I much prefer The Innocents) so I have no emotional baggage in finding the remake a guilty pleasure.

[John Johnson]

Another one way late to the party for me (I'll stick with the Vudu version) but for those still waiting...

https://www.amazon.com.au/The-Haunting- ... GB3WVEVKZB

No US delivery through Amazon.

Be better off going directly through Umbrella, or any other outlet.

[AndyDursin]

Yes I was just using it as a point of reference.

Deepdiscount will have it eventually or any number of eBay sellers that will be cheaper than ordering from Umbrella directly.

[Paul MacLean]

Guilty as charged! I kind of like it. It has issues but it's extremely watchable.

I have yet to see it. I did buy the CD not long after the film was released, but upon hearing the opening bars I was like "what in tarnation is this???"



Maybe it worked well in the film -- I always give the composer the benefit of the doubt if I haven't seen the movie -- but all I can say is, that music didn't exactly whet my appetite for a screening!

[AndyDursin]

Actually it's pretty ripe for a viewing Paul, it's entirely possible to get a kick out of it.

It's a good bad movie that has some decent things in it.

[BobaMike]

I'm probably alone in this, but The Haunting is one of my all time favorite Goldsmith scores. The dreamy yet nightmarish score is full of beautiful moments, and the sound quality/recording is amazing.

Yeah, the merry-go-round music is a bit much, but works in the film. The shorter original album is best, but I do enjoy the longer Varese expansion.

[AndyDursin]

Yeah, the merry-go-round music is a bit much, but works in the film.

There is a function to it, obviously...but it requires a viewing of the movie to understand the context.

I think the expanded CD has a few cues that help the overall score as a listening experience. The shorter album presentation of it kind of left me cold, but there's a bit more meat there. Not a favorite Jerry score for me, but it's still one of the better efforts from his kind of middling "late era".

[Monterey Jack]

Coming in the U.S. from Paramount, for you masochists.

[AndyDursin]

4K remaster will help the art direction which is its strongest asset

[AndyDursin]

Interesting (if lamentably brief) comments from DeBont on the new Paramount U.S. disc, stating the deviations from the Robert Wise film were because they were unable to secure the rights to remake it -- causing them to adapt the book instead. (It was also at that time Spielberg decided to "trade scripts" with DeBont, who had been developing MINORITY REPORT at Dreamworks).

Also said the "jolts" of corpses coming to life and the general special FX elements of the climax were all due to Spielberg demanding them -- confirming reports from back in the day. Said some of it worked, some of it didn't, he wouldn't have done it that way, etc., but that he was still happy with the finished product.

In spite of the flaws, this is a great looking movie, especially in this transfer.

[AndyDursin]

Shout releasing the 4K of this later in '23 --