House on Haunted Hill

Synopsis

Eccentric millionaire Frederick Loren invites five strangers to a haunted mansion, offering $10,000 to anyone who can survive the night. As the guests are locked in, they face a series of terrors orchestrated by Loren and his scheming wife. William Castle’s camp horror classic is famous for the 'Emergo' gimmick, where a skeleton flew over audiences. Vincent Price’s suave performance anchors this twist-filled tale of greed, ghosts, and grim murder.

Critique

William Castle’s film revolutionized horror marketing with the 'Emergo' gimmick, flying a plastic skeleton over the audience. It shifted the genre from serious dread to a carnival ride experience. Vincent Price’s performance as the suave, sinister millionaire is definitive, perfectly balancing menace and camp. The film remains influential for its 'survival game' plot structure. It proved that horror could be a communal, interactive event, saving the genre from television’s competition and cementing Castle as the cinema's greatest showman of shock.

Technical sheet

Director

William Castle

Year

1959

Country

United States

Running time

75 min

Genre

Horror, Mystery

Written by

Robb White

Cinematography

Carl E. Guthrie

Cast

Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long, Alan Marshal, Carolyn Craig, Elisha Cook Jr.

Production

William Castle Productions, Allied Artists Pictures

Music

Newly composed original score

Licensing