Fall is my favorite season. The changing leaves, the promise of cooler weather on the horizon, and yes, even pumpkin-spiced lattes, all make autumn a pleasant reprieve from the long days of summer. While typically associated with apple picking and festivals, the season brings a different tradition for me: horror movie marathons.
Starting mid-September, just about every night is horror movie night in my house. The horror genre gets a bad rap sometimes, thanks to cheesy slashers or over-the-top gore. And while those movies have their place in the genre, my favorite horror movie is one with no gore, no jump scares, and no masked killer anywhere in sight. 1963’s The Haunting (not to be confused with the terrible 1999 adaptation featuring Owen Wilson’s untimely death via stone lion) is a masterpiece of detail and storytelling. On the surface, this black-and-white classic, adapted from Shirley Jackson’s book The Haunting of Hill House, seems rather tame compared to today’s scary movies. However, the small details built into every aspect of this film create a simultaneously beautiful and terrifying landscape the viewer can easily get lost in.
Intricate details–from off-kilter sets with no right angles, low ceilings to create a sense of claustrophobia, and the use of a camera that wasn’t technically ready for production, causing distortions in the final filming–are what make The Haunting unsettling without having to show monsters or ghosts. It’s small details that, individually, don’t mean anything, but when they come together, the result is a final product that stands the test of time. This is true of The Haunting, but is also true in aspects of everyday life, work, and art.
Our fall issue of TOWN is dedicated to highlighting those small details that bring an overall sense of completion. From beautiful fall decor to intricate metalwork to game-ready recipes, it’s the little things that add up to a complete picture of a wonderful season.
