Rarely does a film get it's supernatural to coincide with it's religious. For instance, according to my religious studies (Catholic) death does not equal evil. Evil actions or entities can kill, in fact, evil exalts in murder. The Haunting gets it's facts and beliefs strait and gives us a true story of good and evil. The main hero is a mouse of a woman named Eleanor, or Nell for short. She has forsaken her life to take care of her mother, who recently passed away. Her only possession was to inherit her mother's apartment, which now appears doubtful because of her in-laws legal actions. There are certain signs that this is a BIG story, an Archetypal one as Jung would say. Nell begins the quest after being disowned and betrayed. An eerie ad offers a job and housing just at the perfect time. It is a psychological study ostensibly about sleep disorders, but really is about group fear and hysteria. Liam Neeson portrays the psychology professor. Luke Wilson, and Catherine Zeta-Jones are part of the study, as is Nell who is paid $900/week for her participation. The Hill House appears as haunted as a castle can be, and the servants are as unpleasant as the house. After the usual, for ghost stories, things that go "clang" in the night, the entity starts to manifest intelligence. Nell appears to be the "one" that the entity wants, although we are unsure why. As the story progresses, there is a karmic reason for Nell's presence. She gradually sheds her mouse image and becomes a warrior willing to sacrifice herself for the children. Good graphics and FX for 1999 complete the Christ-like metaphor. It could have been a 5/5 if it wasn't for the goofy comic relief of Luke Wilson. Luke's character did provide the ha ha, but really didn't belong. I'd rate The Haunting a 4/5 good all time ghost story.

I love watching A Haunting and used to watch it every time it came on television but it is actually sad that they don't bring it on television that often anymore.

This is a great film and a definite must see movie so if you haven't be sure that you do.