The House On Haunted Hill: A B-Movie Treat!

During the 50's, several B-grade horror films came out that rocked the nation. "Dementia 13," "The Blob," "Them!" These titles were insanely popular during their release. But of all of these films, the movies I remember growing up with are those of director William Castle, a genre master famous for using endless gags on his audiences. Three of his films include "The Tingler," "13 Ghosts," and of course, "The House On Haunted Hill." 1958's "Haunted Hill" is my favorite of his films, possibly my favorite B-movie ever made.

The plot is fairly simple. Millionaire Frederick Loren is hosting a party for his smart-ass wife, Annabelle. Where, you ask? The House on Haunted Hill, a house that is reputed to be haunted by the most merciless ghosts that come to mind. Loren has invited five people: Lance Schroeder, a pilot, Ruth Bridges, a columnist, David Trent, a doctor, Watson Pritchard, a previous victim of the house, and Nora Manning, an intern in Loren's business company. There is a catch to it all: Anybody who stays the night all the way through to the morning will be awarded with $10,000 each. As the guests and their host continue to occupy the house, many strange things begin to happen, terrifying things. Is the House on Haunted Hill really haunted? You will soon find out.

There's not much of a story to the film, but there is so much fun to be had with this Castle vehicle. "The House On Haunted Hill" has 'B-movie' written all over it, and it has all the right ingredients to prove it.

The movie opens with Pritchard and Loren informing the viewer of the history of the house, and is basically telling us to turn back while we still can. You want to, but everyone knows you can't, or else there would be no point in watching the film.

Then, we are given a chance to get to know the characters as they are properly introduced by Loren. This is a nice cast of actors, and man, can the women scream!

"Haunted Hill" begins with a creepy tone to it, but once it kicks into gear, there is no stopping the endless shocks that so obviously would've given viewers in the 50's heart attacks. Several of the scares in the film are unexpected and frightening, which I love.

And last but not least, you don't have a 5o's horror film without the genius performance of Vincent Price. I have always been a fan of "The Fly," but this is personally my favorite performance by Price. The dude has extraordinary presence each time he comes on camera, and he leaves you unsure whether you should trust Loren or not.

Let's sum it all up, shall we? In the end, "The House On Haunted Hill" is a timeless horror classic that has everything a B-movie should have: the shocks, everlasting screams, a wonderfully eerie tone, and the performance of Vincent Price. Please come into The House on Haunted Hill...if you dare. Cue the screams!