Plot: What’s it about?
Many directors these days were not “born” directors, per se. Most, if not all, of them have graduated to the rank via some pretty elaborate movies. Such is the case with Jan de Bont. De Bont has given us such hits that have worked their way into mainstream culture, like Speed and Twister. While these movies may not have “Best Picture” written all over them, they’re fun and entertaining to watch…usually more than once. One thing that de Bont’s movies have in common is sound. Winning the Best Sound Academy Award a few years back was Speed, and Twister was up as well. What this version of “The Haunting” features is the world’s first DTS ES (that’s 6.1 channels, folks) soundtrack. And what the movie lacks in plot (which is…well, quite a lot), the movie more than makes up for in it’s soundtrack. And while comparisons are bound to “The House on Haunted Hill”, let me assure you, the most they have in common is the title, as they are really not that similar.
We first meet David Morrow (Liam Neeson) as he is selecting subjects for his experiment. The subjects have one thing in common…they all suffer from insomnia, a sleep disorder. This is not the reason, however, that they have been gathered to participate in this study. The experiment takes place at Hill House, a mansion with an oppulance that is beyond words, and it litereally looks haunted. Dr. Morrow is using this house as a backdrop for the experiment in fear. But first, the characters must be introduced…There is Nell (Lili Taylor), a woman who has just had her mother die, Luke (Owen Wilson, whose brother is also an actor is named “Luke”…interesting) who gravitates towards these types of experiments. Catherine Zeta-Jones’ character is named Theo, and it would be interesting to see her take that “cat ate the canary” smile off her face for just a few seconds during the film…but we’re not that lucky. As the characters get to loosen up and get to know each other, they discover that they have sleeping disorders in common, as was told to them (that’s the reason their there). All seems well, or at least it appears to be…The house, it seems, takes center stage as it starts to literally come alive. This is truly a story of a haunted house. As tensions rise, and sleep never comes, the patients start to get restless and it would seem that escape is next to impossible…
Not wanting to divulge any more than needed, and let’s facet it–you can’t divulge much of this plot without giving away the ending, I’ll leave the rest to your imagination. While the cast is very talented, and they are stars either on the rise or in their peak; there is really no interest in the film. I wanted this DVD for one reason and one reason only…to hear the sound. I personally enjoyed it’s “counterpart” movie, The House on Haunted Hill, a lot better and I don’t blame the actors or the director. Let’s face it…how intellectually devoid of plot was Speed or Twister? We wanted to see a bus ramp a freeway and hear what it would be like to be inside a tornado, right? So while The Haunting comes up short on many levels, the technical qualifications are indeed there…
Video: How does it look?
The Haunting DTS is shown in it’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the choice of Director Jan de Bont. Being a Dreamworks title, the image is a glorious anamophic transfer that looks great on any TV, big or small. While the movie is dark in nature and dark physically, the colors are not challenged at all. The fleshtones are natural and well-lit (considering the circumstances), there is not a hint of artifacting, color saturation or compression artifacting at all. This is one reference quality picture. Hands down.
Audio: How does it sound?
Ok, let me preface this by saying that if you do not own a subwoofer, then you may as well not buy this disc. Being the world’s first DTS ES encoded disc, the DVD sets a new standard for audio and how it should sound on a movie. While it differs a bit from movies like Saving Private Ryan, in the sense that you have little bullets whizzing by and activating every channel, this will simply amaze you with it’s depth and ambiance. The LFE (sub) channel is on an almost constant “standby” mode for the entire feature. Just a little tidbit, the 6.1 is for a rear center channel, so you truly have that “surround” experience. When the house starts to come alive, so does the sound. Groans, wood breaking and literally all hell breaking loose all make for what is one of the best soundtracks that I’ve had the chance to listen to. If you have DTS, you should have this disc!
Supplements: What are the extras?
At one time, I heard that this disc would include a feature-length commentary with the director, but it’s out and it doesn’t have one…This is essentially the same disc that was released almost a year ago with the added benefit of an even better soundtrack. Catherine Zeta Jones, who isn’t too hard on the eyes, will walk you through a featurette, so that’s worth a look. In addition, look for a trailer, production notes and some cast bios. A full-fledged special edition it’s not, but the audio and video are something that you simply must experience.
