Helll House

[Jackie]

This was a verrrry scary movie back in the 70's ..maybe early 80's look it up on Netflix

[Larry]

Read this recently, great stuff! Never sen the movie tho.

[Stephen]

How similar is this to Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House?

[Sheila]

Steve wrote: "How similar is this to Shirley Jackson's House on Haunted Hill?"

Other than both being about haunted (or maybe haunted in the Jackson novel) houses, they're not at all similar! Hell House is a horror novel that's fairly bloody, if I remember correctly.

[Gerd]

Not very, King's Rose Madder is pretty much only a riff on The Haunting of Hill House, but Matheson is going in a different direction although he does use a fairly similar starting point.

And yes, it's a pretty graphically violent story, not one of his subtler works there.

Btw.: The movie is scary fun, not a "Hill House" but it is still one of the greater "Haunted House" stories if you can get over the typical 70's appearance.

[Valerie]

Great book, great movie. The movie isn't too far from the book. I wouldn't mind seeing a remake. Buy without CGI. It ruins the realism.

[Pandora]

I found the book to be exactly what I wanted a deeper version of the movie. I did love the movie but, I am big fan of Roddy McDowell.

It is young adult novel but, one of the scariest books I ever read was Breathe by McNish. I kept turning to the cover and saying to myself okay Breathe it is only a book. Basicallly it combines vampirism (not with the blood though), ghosts, and hell.

Another YA book that has one scene that will drive you up the wall is Neal Shusterman's Unwind. His Full Tilt is also pretty good.

Shirley Jackson is also good. I enjoyed her We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Of course if is Masterson you enjoy check his others works. I enjoyed his short story collection Nightmare at 20,000 Feet Horror Stories by Richard Matheson. I discovred the short story of 20,000 feet was even better than The Twilight Zone epsiode. I got this book on my Kindle. I don't know if it is in print. There was also a great intro by Stephen King.

I know mostly YA and children horror because I am charge of finding horror books for the children section. Not an easy task. I could also suggest the author Robert Cromier will type you up in knots. The only thing is that Cromier will always find the worst possible ending for story. Great story but, endings that make you want to scream.

[Lauryl]

Interesting that someone posted a discussion thread for this. I thought that Hell House was really...well, I found it really annoying, frankly. I feel like a lot of the "horror" of Richard Matheson's work is related to his own fears as a straight, white guy at the end of the Era of Straight White Guys. "Hell House", in particular, seems to me to be an uncomfortable response to women's lib and to the sexual revolution. Thoughts on this, anyone?

[Lauryl]

I really loved "We Have Always Lived in the Castle", too. Great, great book.

[Gerd]

Lauryl wrote: ""Hell House", in particular, seems to me to be an uncomfortable response to women's lib and to the sexual revolution. Thoughts on this, anyone?"

How so?
It's been a while that I read that novel, but it only struck me as standard fare 70's horror back then. However, it is an interesting point you make there, because Matheson quite frankly spoke about his above mentioned fears in "The incredible shrinking man" (a far better work than his "Hell House" btw.)


Pandora wrote: "I discovred the short story of 20,000 feet was even better than The Twilight Zone epsiode. I got this book on my Kindle. I don't know if it is in print."

As it happens I got that story as bonus section in my copy of "The incredible shrinking man" (current Tor print)

[Lauryl]

It's been a while since I've read it, but from what I can recall, one major part of the "horror" that is unveiled about Hell House was that it used to be the scene of a lot of freaky bacchanalian sex parties, and that somehow, the protagonist's wife gets drawn in by this. I kind of remember being a little disappointed at the time...like, "Oh, sex. Is that all?" I'd have to go back and re-read to remember all of my thoughts on it, I think.

I haven't read "The Incredible Shrinking Man", but the title alone could be seen as being pretty revealing of Matheson's personal fears! (Ha!) I will have to read that one. I found the experience of reading Hell House fairly unpleasant, but I did enjoy some of his other stories. I enjoyed reading"I Am Legend" very much, even though that, too, seems to be about the fear of obsolescence in the face of "new" multiculturalism.

[Gerd]

Lauryl wrote: "I enjoyed reading"I Am Legend" very much, even though that, too, seems to be about the fear of obsolescence in the face of "new" multiculturalism."

Didn't look at it that way when I first read it (back then I was fascinated by the novelity of his vampires), but you're right. The "horror" of the novel is certainly not vampirism but being singled out and hunted down by a hostile society, and the inability to change and adapt to a new time.


I think Matheson reached so much popularity by the fact that his stories feel very revealing about himself and very honest about his fears and human weaknesses, it makes it easy to identify with his characters; it's no wonder that King cites him as a influence on his writing.


Did you read his "Lover when you're near me" (from the collection "Born of Man and Woman")?
I think you might enjoy that more than "Hell House", although the first time I read it (round age twelve or thirteen) I found the topic more disturbing. :)

[Holly]

Interesting to read other people's interpretations of the themes and sub-themes of this novel. My own take on a theme might be totally coming from deep left field, but I realize that my perspective might be a little off from the mainstream. One thing I seem to be reading here is Matheson contemplating the future of Christianity going into the new millenium. The house is a symbol of sin and sinners; the story is all about who will prevail: the intrepid paranormal investigator (Science), the mystic medium (Religion), the cynical medium (Apathy).....or, the house.

[Lauryl]

Holly, interesting line of thought. I am not a Christian, but I could easily see both of our interpretations being valid at the same time. :) A lot of Christians, esp. more fundamentalist style protestants, might see the sexual revolution and the loss of christianity as being part and parcel.

[Holly]

Lauryl wrote: "Holly, interesting line of thought. I am not a Christian, but I could easily see both of our interpretations being valid at the same time. :) A lot of Christians, esp. more fundamentalist style pro..."

Lauryl;
I am not a Christian either, so maybe that makes me more analytical about Christian themes in literature?

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

I've just finished this book, what film version would you recommend watching?

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

That trailer looks fantastic, sold!!! Thanks very much.

[Feliks]

Its good quality product. Look at who the author is.

The curious thing is that most slightly-fuzzy 1970s horror movies are bound to be more effective than a modern CGI digital horror movie. The more abstract an artwork is, the more it affects our subconscious. If you want a modern movie made by a computer with everything in it artificially created--sharp edges--no ambiguity--no fuzziness--no 'dream-like' quality--you have something that just lies there flat, lifeless, and dead.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Got the movie, just waiting for the time to watch it now.

[J. Dallas]

Holly wrote: "Interesting to read other people's interpretations of the themes and sub-themes of this novel. My own take on a theme might be totally coming from deep left field, but I realize that my perspectiv..."

A very thought provoking interpretation, Holly. I have to agree with you.

[Gordon]

Not my favorite of RM's work as haunted houses at this point aren't very interesting; I'd say his short stories are amazing.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

I watched the film last weekend, impressed of how much I remembered,so think it was fairly close adaption. There were a few things that seemed different

[Natasa]

I totally loved this book! Couldn't stop reading it once I started.