The Haunting Of Hill House

[andy-hughes]

The original film version of this famous novel is one of my favourites, and I am re-reading it now and very much enjoying it.

It;s not a long novel - less than 250 pages, but I am sure I have read a 'shorter' version years ago which I found disappointing - have i dreamed this, or are there two different versions of this book?

I do recomend you read it if you like your horror subtle and suspenseful, likewise the original black and white film version. Ignore the re-make - dreadful.

[jno]

I only know of the one version; but is it possible there was a 'novelisation' of the film, as sometimes happens?

If you haven't read her short story The Lottery, try it - it's great.

[swedeheart]

Thanks andy-hughes and jno, I'm adding this to my bookmarks, sounds very interesting indeed:)

I didn't have you down as a Reader's Digest junkie andy-hughes, but there it is, volume 41 spring of 1960... http://en.wikipedia.o...igest_Condensed_Books ;-)

[andy-hughes]

Thanks jno - it's not a novelisation, because that occurs when a screenplay is turned into a novel, rather than the other way around.

Thanks swedeheart - I wasn't aware it was an abirdged version - certainly no RD connection I was aware of - but that could explain why I found the first time i read the novel so unsatisfying. The full verion is far better, and the screenplay is largely lifted from it - an excellent film as i have mentioned.

[jno]

I know, andy, but sometimes a film that's been adapted from a book gets turned back into a book again, only shorter (I'm struggling to think of examples but I recall that sort of thing happening back in the 60s) - as it's done to cash in on the success of the film it counts as a novelisation, rather than a simple abridgement as the Reader's Digest version might have been. Either could have happened in this case.

[LeMarchand]

It's a long shot, but Richard Matheson's "Hell House" has a lot in common with Jackson's book. Is it possible that you have the two mixed up?