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accioqueso t1_ixusyld wrote

Reply to comment by birthdaygirl11 in The haunting of hill house was so good by AxidentalMe

I saw the series, read the book, and then rewatched the series. I love both. I think the show did an absolutely brilliant job taking the tones and the theme of mental illness and making a modern, “inspired by” series. Its an entirely separate entity and I didn’t care at all that it wasn’t a retelling.

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ZardozSpeaks t1_ixvo61y wrote

Now watch the 1963 movie "The Haunting." I couldn't watch the series because of this film.

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herbalhippie t1_iy1nb7x wrote

I watched this movie for the first time as a child, maybe 9 or 10? I was on tv one afternoon. I loved it and it has been a favorite ever since. It's what's been keeping me from watching the new series too.

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ZardozSpeaks t1_iy1osyt wrote

The great things about the movie don’t seem to be part of the series. For example, you never see the ghosts in the movie. They make their presence known in other ways that are absolutely terrifying, but you never see them. Your imagination takes up the slack. The characters are brilliant. The script is a master class in subtext. There are little hints of things if you pay attention (why are there so many mirrors???). And the first ten minutes comprise one of the best movie opening sequences ever.

The series…? I lasted about 20 minutes. No mystery, the ghosts are right there, and the tropes only flew faster as I watched.

I wish I could enjoy the series. I love haunted house and ghost stories. I just can’t watch this.

It’s kinda like my relationship to Stranger Things. I got about four episodes in and had to stop. It was all stuff I’d seen before. There was nothing new. And it was done better the first time I’d seen it in the 1980s.

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herbalhippie t1_iy1p7o8 wrote

Yes, that's what I love about it too, so much of it is left up to your imagination.

Here is a rabbit hole for you. Have you ever seen this? Your comment about mirrors made me remember I'd bookmarked it.

https://www.the-haunting.com/index.html

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ZardozSpeaks t1_iy1phv9 wrote

Oooo! I think I may found this once and then forgot about it. Thanks… I think. Time to get my rabbit suit on. I may not be back for a while. :)

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