Runtime: This was a TV miniseries, so it was 183 minutes
Directed by: Tobe Hooper (RIP)
Starring: David Soul, James Mason, Lance Kerwin, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayres
From: Warner Brothers Television
I decided this was the way I would pay tribute to the late Tobe Hooper; I made a good decision, as I explain below:
It was only appropriate for me to see this movie last night; I wanted to tip my cap to the late Tobe Hooper and I went with a flick I hadn't seen before. As people here and elsewhere have praised the film I decided to give it a shot, and I had 3 hours where this could be seen uninterrupted, this is what I selected. It's not the European theatrical version that's available for streaming online but rather the original miniseries.
I imagine many knew more about the movie than I did before giving it a whirl... I only knew the basics and how “the big bad” looked, which was indeed creepy as F. But I'll be brief: a writer returns to his hometown in Maine, to write about “the old haunted house”, and that does factor into the plot, but more of it is related to James Mason coming into town, ostensibly to open an antiques store but he has quite the ulterior motive.
As this is 3 hours long, enough time is spent on the characters. I've never read the King book so I am just judging this by what I saw, and I definitely was entertained by this small town (of only 2,000 people) so it does make sense that certain people keep on running into each other or they know each other so they hang out often. The first act, of course I was tickled pink by the random love triangle between Julie Cobb (playing someone nicknamed Boom Boom Bonnie; the name says it all), George Dzundza's alcoholic character, and real estate agent Fred Willard, who wears hilarious 70's suits and as you discover in one scene, bright red silk boxer shorts. Even with such wacky moments, the movie was always creepy, especially once the story got going. A big compliment I can give is that the 3 hours flew by and it was easy to watch in one sitting.
It being made for TV was not a hindrance to me. I did not miss any violent gore or vulgar language; the focus on mood & atmosphere instead worked to make the film so spooky. Having a talented cast was a big asset... besides the people I already mentioned, David Soul-as the lead-showed he was more than just Hutch. There's also James Mason in a key role, Bonnie Bedelia, the legendary Lew Ayres, Ed Flanders, and Geoffrey Lewis. Plus, Elisha Cook Jr. and Marie Windsor have small parts but they used to be a couple, which is a great gag for those here well-versed in classic cinema.
Tobe Hooper definitely had a career of ups and downs and I understand some of his films were pretty bad. At least he had a classic, a very good film (albeit one where Spielberg at the very least had some influence on it), and several others worth seeing, such as this one, where his direction was quite solid; the final half hour or so is especially effective. I say that it being made for CBS and the length should not stop any horror fan from giving this a shot.
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