Reviewer Film Ratings:
Plot: 3.5 | Fun Factor: 3 | Gore: 2 | Nudity: 1 | Scare Factor: 2 | Overall: 3.5/5

Possibly the Greatest Classic Ghost Story
Reviewed by Gavin Schmitt

As a sort of dying wish, an old and wealthy man hires a scientist, his wife, and two paranormal investigators to spend a week in Belasco House and determine if there is such a thing as life after death, and if the rumors of spiritual hauntings in the house are true. The film's star is likely Roddy McDowall, who plays investigator Benjamin Franklin Fischer. But for me, the real star was Pamela Franklin, the medium Florence Tanner. She was beautiful and effectively commanded the plot from a position of subversion. Looked down on by her peers, Tanner takes a proactive approach, sensing the dangers and tracking down the clues. The others don't take her seriously, and Franklin plays this part effortlessly. Stephen King has praised the original novel, saying it "may be the scariest haunted house novel ever written". Peter Straub, likewise, calls it "one of the absolute best contemporary horror novels", which if you know Richard Matheson's talent is no surprise. I have not read the novel yet, but heard the main difference is that the sexuality is toned down from the book, with the film rated a mere PG. The sexuality still exists, as do many disturbing scenes, but they're presented in a way that really does so subtly. There are tricks of horror films that they can make you think you saw things you really didn't, and this film is one of those -- you can be scared just as much by what you don't see as what you do. Mike Mayo points out the effectiveness of Matheson's script based on his own work, calling it "a model of efficiency" that has no single "wasted motion". He claims the film is "comparatively inoffensive" (compared to "The Exorcist", for example), but this in no way reduces the scare power. Mayo also points out that he watched it on a tape taken "from a faded print". I can't say if the DVD transfer is any better -- I personally did not notice anything lacking in the picture. The film stands strong almost forty years after its original release. I would love to see a special edition release with deleted scenes (if any exist), a commentary and more. Of all the so-called "classic" horror films, this one seems to have been forgotten. And I think that's a tragedy... perhaps the most overlooked film of its time, even more so than "The Beast Must Die".

Reviewer Film Ratings:
Plot: 4 | Fun Factor: 2.5 | Gore: 3 | Nudity: 1.5 | Scare Factor: 4 | Overall: 4/5

Not An Absolute Original, But Still Great On Its Own
Reviewed by Katanasting

After he ended his longtime collaboration with Sam Arkoff at American International Pictures, Jim Nicholson started up his own company, Academy Pictures, to develop some high-quality horror projects. THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE was to be the first of many films he would be producing; unfortunately, he died soon after the release of HELL HOUSE. Based on the bestseller by Richard Matheson, he adapted it (with a great debt owed to Shirley Jackson) and pretty much put it up on-screen intact with the able assist from director John Hough (WATCHER IN THE WOODS). What resulted is yet another entry into the Top Ten Ghost Stories of All Time. The Belasco House is the "Mount Everest of haunted houses" a repository of unlimited psychic energy and an evil so powerful and unrelenting that it seems to have physical substance. Can it be destroyed, contained or at least studied? Physicist Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill) intends to find out. Accompanying him are three psychic mediums with different skills: his wife, Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt), the virginal Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin), and Benjamin Fischer (Roddy McDowall). Fischer is the only member of the team who participated in an earlier attempt to "deconstruct" the mystery of the house. He had a complete nervous breakdown, and every member of THAT party wound up dead. So why would he come back? The same reason why a man almost killed climbing Mt. Everest would try it again...because it`s THERE. And he`s determined not to let it beat him a second time. To prevent leaking any spoilers, I only want to add that if you want to be scared half out of your wits by something more than having fake blood literally dripping off your TV screen, turn off all the lights in the house and pop this one in...ALONE. And no matter how much you want to do it, don`t turn them back on until the very end. For a movie made over thirty years ago, this still holds up surprisingly well. It makes one sadly wonder what great genre flicks Nicholson could`ve added to his company`s slate, had he lived a little longer. Oh, yeah! Just to pique your curiosity even more, watch for a great cameo by one of the great British horror legends in HELL HOUSE. I won`t say who it is, but if you know your classic horror, you`ll recognize him right off the bat.

Reviewer Film Ratings:
Plot: 3.5 | Fun Factor: 1.5 | Gore: 2 | Nudity: 1 | Scare Factor: 2 | Overall: 3.5/5

Showing it`s age but still very fun.
Reviewed by The Butcher

The first thing that surprised me about The Legend of Hell House was the quality of the film. I was expecting to see six teenagers camping out in a haunted house where they would be killed off one by one, only to find out in the end that the first girl who was murdered was really the killer and that she had a penis. I was surprised to see that The Legend of Hell House had a real cast, a real set and a real script. I had purchased the DVD about a year ago with absolutely no idea what it was about and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The Legend of Hell House focuses on four adults who venture into… well... the Hell House, where they attempt to cleanse the ungodly structure of its evil spirits. Writer Richard Matheson wastes no time in getting to the meat of the story. The film opens with Benjamin Franklin Fischer (Clive Revill) receiving his assignment to cleanse the house. Five minutes later, Benjamin and his crew arrive on location. Ten minutes later they are having their first sitting where they conjure up the evil spirit of Belasco, the deceased former homeowner. And so it begins. The best elements in The Legend of Hell House are the acting and script. There are moments where the actors are possessed or just losing their shit completely and it’s very believable. This is where a good script is key. In one scene, Lionel catches his voluptuous wife, Ann, (Gayle Hunnicutt) hitting on another man in the house. Later that day, we see Lionel and his wife in the bedroom talking. Her eyes are pouring tears and she is apologizing over and over for what she has done. Meanwhile, Lionel just sits in silence, looking constipated and upset. This is the moment where so many films take a nosedive. The woman is clearly becoming possessed. He knows this, she knows this, and we know this. I thought he was going to put her head through a wall but he says in a calm voice, “It’s just this house. Things will be better when we get away.” Phew…thank you Richard Matheson for writing reasonable characters. The downfall to the Legend of Hell House is that it didn’t age well. I had a feeling within the first five minutes of watching the film that the special effects would consist of doors opening and closing or lights fading in and out and I think that the film had about six falling chandelier scenes. However, there were a few gems in this dated tale. One of the more unique sequences is when the beautiful Pamela Franklin is preparing for bed. She turns off the light, takes off her gown and gets under the covers. She then allows the ghost to rape her. She believes that sexual intercourse will give him the strength he needs to leave Hell House for good. Hmm… makes sense to me. There are a few unique sequences like this one. Overall, the Legend of Hell House is a totally decent movie. It’s got a reasonable story with believable characters. If you can look past the dated special effects, I think you will find it to be fun and entertaining. It’s great for Sunday afternoon cable viewing.