The Haunting (1963)

Despite being championed by Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese as one of the scariest movies of all time, The Haunting doesn’t rely on jump scares or terrifying monster reveals, unlike the hokey 1999 remake. Instead, Robert Wise’s film takes its time and revels in ambiguity, never allowing the viewer to truly know what’s behind the swaying chandeliers, the loud banging, or the sounds of a girl crying. We learn that the stately mansion does have a tragic backstory when a group is brought there for a paranormal study, including a psychic (Claire Bloom) and a lonely woman who claims to have personal experience with the supernatural (Julie Harris).

What The Haunting lacks in traditional frights makes up for in atmosphere: ominous low angles, a sharp monochromatic palette, and the ornate Gothic surroundings of the sprawling manor. The camera itself has a ghostly presence, observing the characters from afar with a curious tension, using widescreen to capture the lopsided rooms, always leaving us uncertain whether something strange will appear.