Wonderful character development!

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Blistering performances.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I seriously didn't sleep this morning after watching this, it was absolutely crazy! You didn't know what was going to happen next so you just keep watching and wait for the demon to cause some of his evil tricks to the doctor, his wife, the survivor and the medium. I wondered why they didn't call the police and get the bodies out of there? I mean why did the survivor and the wife rang off? They probably are gonna end up getting accused of killing the other two who were with them and not believe the demon was the culprit who killed them. The ending really did leave you unanswered questions in your mind, I just wonder what happened next. Im not asking for a sequel but I would've loved to have found out what will happen to the two bodies! Roland Culver who did the demon was really good, he really reminds me of that actress who did the other demon in the original Exorcist film. They would be a good match together somehow haha!Its a really good horror film, although I wouldn't recommend to someone who is very highly sensitive to seeing dead bodies to take a look at this. I give this a rating of 8/10!

This was everything I could have wanted in a 1970's haunted house movie. Firstly, the movie jumps IMMEDIATELY into Barrett (played by Clive Revill) being asked to investigate the house — the backstory is all explained after they've arrived. The atmosphere throughout the entire movie is just SO good. The thick fog when they arrive at the house, the music, the use of light and shadows, the deliciousness of 70's era film, even the house itself… all perfect. This movie doesn't rely on special effects or even gore to make itself known, which I think is impressive since it definitely delivers. The ghostly shadow in the shower comes to mind right away, as well as Florence's (played by Pamela Franklin) first sitting when she channels a desperately violent spirit who bellows "GET OUT OR I'LL KILL YOU ALL". Shuddering just thinking about it.Ultimately I'm always a huge fan of the whole science vs. paranormal debate and this movie is 100% centered around that. Barrett is dismissive and skeptical of any thought of spirits or hauntings, despite the evidence being all around him, and is convinced that he can rid the energy of the house with his devices… but the look of genuine fear, superbly acted, when he realizes he has failed, and says "I do not accept this!" is just awesome to behold.But the real star, in my opinion, is Ben (played by Roddy McDowall), the physical medium and the sole survivor of a previous stay at the house. He is just fantastic the whole way through, but his battle with Belasco at the end is amazing — he is wild and desperate and taunting and the energy around the whole scene is crazy.Solid movie all around — a classic for a reason!

It's always interesting to watch older movies. This movie probably predates the majority of IMDb users including myself.Hell House, as it's dubbed, is a mansion haunted by the spirit of Emeric Belasco. Four people have gone there to draw out this spirit and solve the mystery of Hell House.The movie is more of an erotic horror. The spirit seems absorbed with cohabitating with the medium, Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin), and causing Mrs. Barrett to philander with the male medium, Ben Fisher (Roddy McDowall). When Belasco's spirit isn't behind some sexually charged event he is trying to hurt people. Some real S&M stuff. And this from a man that was born in 1879 England; you'd think he'd be more enlightened and sophisticated.For a 1973 movie it provided a few scares--mostly in the jump scare form. The movie was more mysterious than scary. I see how it paved the way for a very similar movie titled "The Entity" which came out in the early 80's. The Legend of Hell House wasn't that legendary after all.

In order to discover the facts about survival after death, aged millionaire Rudolph Deutsch (Roland Culver) hires physicist Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive Revill) to investigate the notorious Belasco house, a supposedly haunted mansion that was originally home to infamous sexual deviant Emeric Belasco, who hosted orgies that reputedly involved acts of cannibalism, vampirism, bestiality and necrophilia.Accompanied by his wife Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt), mental medium Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin) and physical medium Ben Fischer (Roddy McDowell), Barrett sets about trying to prove that there are no malevolent spirits at work in the house, and that any spooky happenings are merely due to a build up of negative energy over the years that can be dissipated via the use of a massive metal contraption with assorted dials and twiddly knobs. Of course, it ain't as simple as that…Adapted for the screen by Richard Matheson (from his novel 'Hell House'), and directed by John Hough, The Legend of Hell House is an undeniably atmospheric film (an incredibly moody score helping immensely), with a cool set-up and a great collection of characters, but it is sorely in need of a lot more scares. Much of the action is unnecessarily talky, making the film something of a bore rather than the thrilling spook-fest the wonderful title promises.Even the film's creepiest scene—a shadowy figure lurking in Tanner's shower cubicle while blood runs from under the glass—somehow manages to disappoint. The film's silly climax reveals the real reason for Belasco's supernatural rage, and it's a howler; I imagine that laughter was probably not the intended reaction.To be honest, the scariest thing about the whole film is just how yellow Tanner's teeth are: doesn't she own a toothbrush?