Studio:Dreamworks ,Prod.Susan Arnold, Donna Roth and Colin Wilson..Dir.Jan De Bont,Stars Liam Neeson, Lili Taylor, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, Alix Koromzay, Virginia Madsen, Todd Field, Bruce Dern and Lisa Loeb, .Release date:Fri. July 23,1999..Theater:20scr.Movie played on:2 scr. House filled both scr..Gross so far:$33mil.

As I stated in my prereview of this remake, I at first had no care to see the film, and was inspired by the camerawork and atmosphere created in the full trailer. Roger Ebert only "recommended" The Haunting because he was so enamored of the sets. He didn't give the impression that he enjoyed the script or the acting, and in his print review did not even mention the Robert Wise original, which is an avowed classic. Kenneth Turan in the times didn't like the movie at all. Entertainment Weekly gave it a D. And the movie racked up impressive numbers in its first weekend. The theater I attended was full of adolescents, and it was a Sunday afternoon matinee. I knew I would like the movie (I hesitate to use the word "film") and I enjoyed it immensely, and was only turned off by some of the elements of the climactic scenes which I will discuss below.
Firstly, if you have seen or enjoy the original, which was in widescreen b&w and was made in 1962, I would first mention that the remake probably should have been titled something else, and dispensed with the trappings of the original, but does use some of the original script to good effect. When Julie Harris in the original and Lily Taylor in the remake first encounter the caretaker's wife, she has an eerily effective speech about how no one will respond to the guests after the caretakers leave. "The town is nine miles away, and if you scream, no one will hear you. In the night . In the dark." I am paraphrasing, but I'm sure you remember the scene in the first film, and it is thrillingly repeated here. The mechanics of Eleanor's character are somewhat intact (although her sister being Virginia Masden in this film, she is much prettier than the sister in the original.).
Lily is very effective in what I think is her first mainstream film. She also is very attractive, and still acts rather well. Catherine Zeta-Jones is very Claire Bloom, I wonder if she studied the part. I miss Grace, Dr. Markway's wife in the first film, and I don't like the fact that Liam Neeson as Dr. David Marrow is not studying paranormal incidents but rather fear under the guise of a sleep study. I do, however , like the "rats in a maze" metaphor, and the way the script repeats it a couple of times.
The sets, built in the former Spruce Goose dome in Long Beach, with special effects sets for Eleanor's bedroom in the new Manhattan Beach studios where David E. Kelley films Ally McBeal, are the star of the show, and do tend to take one's breath away. Although there is no explanation for some of the rooms in the mansion. (The revolving room , and the hallway filled with water with books as stepping stones come to mind.) the overall effect is, as envisiond by production designer Eugenio Zanetti,
exactly the sort of Citizen Kane meets the Munsters that he is looking for. I must add that although most moviegoers might remember What Dreams May Come, his most recent design work,  Mr. Zanetti also designed the wonderfully underrated Restoration from a few years back, although the production design and art direction did win Oscars if I remember correctly.
The original film derived it's frights from atmosphere, great visuals, a sense of disconcerting dread, the creepy sound, and Julie Harris' descent into madness. This one takes up on the atmosphere, but also adds not a small smattering of special CGI effects to the mix.
I am glad characterization isn't completely sacrificed, because I feel that a Jan De Bont rollercoaster ride usually doesn't  have any characterization in it at all, so I feel the actors do give us a little depth to their roles, even though Mr. Turan doesn't think so. The moviegoing public flocked in droves to see this, and although they're all over at Blair Witch this weekend, I want to point out that The Haunting is a great two hours at the movies. It holds up as a thriller, and has two definite scares. I won't elaborate, but one actually gave the audience a collective gasp, and I love it when movies are still able to do this. The Scream movies and those of their ilk were mostly comedies. Although there are in-jokes and laughs in The Haunting, it purports to be a horror movie, and succeeds.
The computer wizardry serves the movie. The acting is not overwhelmed by the effects except at one point, which I will get to later as promised. At first, the effects are small. In fact, I was reasonably impressed with a scene where Eleanor glances at cherub heads on a fireplace , cut away to Eleanor, back to the heads, and they have all turned toward her. This is merely done with cutting, but is very effective. The CGI effects start slowly and build. I mentioned in the prereview that I enjoyed the grasping children (I thought it was a staircase newell post when I saw the preview, but it is just a statue.) The newell posts are griffins, and they are suitably impressive. I didn't believe in the crumbling of the hallway sequences. I kept wondering why the halls weren't strewn with debris in subsequent scenes, but that's quibbling.
The main unsatisfying effect comes in the climactic scene, when the insidious Hugh Crain, the builder and haunter of the house, appears as a giant CGI "ghost". The ghostbuster ghosts are scarier. He reminded me of the "bears" (that's an Outer Limits term, if you don't know.) in those films of the eighties like Howard the Duck or Big Trouble  in Little China where a big monster appears at the end, is defeated, and everybody goes home. (Hmmm, that could describe Godzilla, as well..)
I give the movie a seven, just as I did when I reviewed it based on the trailer.
It is scary, but not like seeing the original, or The Exorcist when it first came out.
It has gargantuan, beautiful sets.
The acting is above par for a movie directed by Jan De Bont.
Heck, I'll even tip my hat to Jan. Twister was all speed, and whirlwinds.
The Haunting shows he can lay some claim to atmospherics.
I won't even mention Speed 2.
Oops, I just did.
See The Haunting, then rent the original, turn down the lights, and really get ready for some thrills.