In this episode of So, You Like Horror?, we take a closer look at The Haunting, a big-budget gothic horror film released at a turning point for studio horror in the late 1990s. Directed by Jan de Bont, the film reflects an era defined by massive sets, early CGI, and a growing belief that scale and spectacle could replace restraint. Loosely inspired by Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, the 1999 adaptation makes a deliberate shift away from psychological ambiguity and internal dread, choosing instead to externalize horror through aggressive architecture, visible supernatural forces, and clearly defined evil. We break down the film’s three-act structure, examine Eleanor “Nell” Vance as the emotional center of the story, and explore how Hill House functions as a physical manifestation of trauma rather than a space of uncertainty. Along the way, we discuss recurring themes including caretaking as self-erasure, fate versus free will, faith reduced to aesthetic design, and the tension between spectacle and subtlety in horror storytelling. We also place The Haunting in conversation with earlier and later adaptations, including The Haunting from 1963 and the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House from 2018, to ask a central question: is this film a misunderstood gothic tragedy, or a cautionary tale about what happens when visual excess overwhelms emotional weight? Thank you, everyone, for your support. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠@so_you_like_horror⁠⁠⁠ or email us directly at [email protected]. We're open to all conversations, suggestions, topics, and criticisms.