The Haunting

Name: The Haunting
Released: 1963-03-28

Released 28 March 1963

6.0out of 10

No. 698 on the Scare Scale

Based on 1 rating

Trailer

Where to stream it

Streaming data from JustWatch.

Dr. John Markway recruits three strangers for a sleep-disorder study at the eerie and isolated Hill House. It soon becomes clear his real interest lies in the mansion itself and its sinister history, as they are forced to confront the nature of its horror…

How it scares

Each kind of scare is rated out of 10. Hover over a score, or use the info button, to see what it means.

Gore
4.0 out of 10,Moderate
Blood, injuries and body horror shown on screen. Violence that happens off-screen barely counts.
Gore 4.0 is moderate (3-4 on the scale):
- Visible blood and wounds in a few scenes
- The camera cuts away before the worst of it
1. 1-2Mild
2. 3-4Moderate
3. 5-6Strong
4. 7-8Intense
5. 9-10Extreme
Creepy
7.0 out of 10,Intense
Unsettling images, atmosphere and things that feel wrong. Not sudden shocks (Jumpscares) or waiting for something to happen (Suspense).
Creepy 7.0 is intense (7-8 on the scale):
- Deeply unnatural sights, sounds and movement
- Unsettling for most of the film, with little relief
1. 1-2Mild
2. 3-4Moderate
3. 5-6Strong
4. 7-8Intense
5. 9-10Extreme
Jumpscares
4.0 out of 10,Moderate
Sudden shocks designed to make you jump, usually a fast movement or a loud noise. Not slow-building dread (Suspense).
Jumpscares 4.0 is moderate (3-4 on the scale):
- A handful of jumpscares that land
- Spaced out, with long gaps between them
1. 1-2Mild
2. 3-4Moderate
3. 5-6Strong
4. 7-8Intense
5. 9-10Extreme
Suspense
4.0 out of 10,Moderate
Tension and dread while you wait for something to happen. Not the scare itself when it arrives (Jumpscares or Gore).
Suspense 4.0 is moderate (3-4 on the scale):
- Tense scenes where the outcome is uncertain
- Broken up by calmer stretches
1. 1-2Mild
2. 3-4Moderate
3. 5-6Strong
4. 7-8Intense
5. 9-10Extreme
Psychological
4.0 out of 10,Moderate
Horror that gets in your head: paranoia, madness, doubting what's real and ideas that stay with you. Not how a scene looks (Creepy) or feels in the moment (Suspense).
Psychological 4.0 is moderate (3-4 on the scale):
- Unsettling themes, moral dilemmas or a character you can't trust
- Makes you think, without leaving you shaken
1. 1-2Mild
2. 3-4Moderate
3. 5-6Strong
4. 7-8Intense
5. 9-10Extreme

How the overall score of 6.0 is worked out

A film's three strongest kinds of scare count, with some weighted. Averages bunch up in the middle, so the result is then spread out from the average across every rated film.

Each kind of scare is weighted: gore loses a point, and creepy and jumpscares gain one.
- Gore 4.0 − 1 = 3.0
- Creepy 7.0 + 1 = 8.0
- Jumpscares 4.0 + 1 = 5.0
- Suspense 4.0, unchanged
- Psychological 4.0, unchanged
The average of the 3 highest (creepy, jumpscares, suspense): (8.0 + 5.0 + 4.0) ÷ 3 = 5.7.
The average film scores 5.4, and the gap from it counts 2 times, so scores use the whole scale: 5.4 + (5.7 − 5.4) × 2 = 6.0.