HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL'
(First Time In SCREAMING Color!)
From; Legend Films
A William Castle/Robb White Production
Produced & Directed By; WILLIAM CASTLE
Starring; VINCENT PRICE
Co-Starring; Carol Ohmart, Richard Long,
Alan Marshal, Carolyn Craig.
Featuring; Elisha Cook & Julie Mitchum (Yes, Robert Mitchum's Sister)
Music Composed & Conducted By; Von Dexter Theme 'House On Haunted Hill'
By; Richard Kayne & Richard Loring.
Allied Artists Pictures 1958 &
Now Streaming on
'Prime-Video'. (No Charge.)
Hello Horror & Cult Fans,
Yes, it's me again. Your 'Screaming Skull' of Terror and all around 'Bone
Bitch', DITA DIRT NAP!
Bringing
you a 'WILLIAM CASTLE DOUBLE-FEATURE' that this weekend begins w/'HOUSE ON
HAUNTED HILL' and Week after Next with 'his 'Fright Flick; 'HOMICIDAL' but next
weekend it will be interrupted w/a 'BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE '- Review in Honor of our
recent 'Come-Back' Queen ,MADONNA w/her Only CULT-Flick called; 'A CERTAIN
SACRIFICE', Online in 'Dita's-Den' on 8/15/26, as Maddie turns 68 Years Young on
8/16/26,
Then comes 'WILLIAM CASTLE Flick'; 'HOMICIDAL Online on 8/22/26.
But tonight we Start with that ICON of HORROR, Mr. VINCENT PRICE and Director WILLIAM CASTLE, who DITA loves! He even hailed from my original Home town of St. Louis, Missouri, which DITA recently visited for her Mummy Dirt Nap's big 80th Birthday-Bash, Hon!
Also,
DITA bets some Horror Fans don't know that VINCENT even has his own STAR on ST.
LOUIS's OWN 'WALK OF FAME'. (The more you know!) St. Louis even 'had' a yearly
Haunted House attraction called 'House On Haunted Hill' named after the film as
well. Any-who, 2026 will 'USHER's in the 67th Anniversary of this well known
fright film!
Also this movie has been colorized and more importantly, fully restored
digitally in both black & white and color! See the Trailer for 'HOUSE ON HAUNTED
HILL' here, Hon>
https://youtu.be/JfSodgPQbFA?si=eZ9MUK1rtW56O9IH
Also see the 'Double-Feature' Trailer for WILLIAM
CASTLE's; 'HOMICIDAL>
https://youtu.be/oBPaCUS4jMs?si=tHyv1p0G9o1NV5ed Yes, you have a choice, so
please spare dear old DITA some movie fans soap box deliberations about
colorization.
Here's how I feel about the subject; some films ;
DITA likes to see colorized and I feel adds to the fun-ness of the film as in
this flick, and some times as in the case of 'PLAN 9' which also now comes
colorized, DITA prefers it, as I stated before, in another review in Black &
White for the artsy effect. Just depends on the film for me. Also colorization
is good some times for the younger generation IF they don't prefer most crappy
remakes of classic Horror films but want an updated feeling that colorization
brings in certain films............not all films, mind you.
Now on to more Vincent!
This Vincent flick is of course produced and Directed by one of 'DITA's
favorites WILLIAM (Gimmicks Are My Business) CASTLE!!!! DITA loves all of his
work and thus far Reviewed 4 of his wonderfully fright-ful flicks here in
'DITA's-DEN'.
They were; 'THE TINGLER', 'STRAIT JACKET' and one of DITA's favorites 'I SAW
WHAT YOU DID, AND I KNOW WHO YOU ARE' and now 'HOUSE ON HAUNTED
HILL' will make 5! More to come in the future as well, my little infected
SUN-BURNT Spider Bites!
Vincent Price couldn't have been a more perfect fit for this campy role of the
suave, eccentric millionaire who's married to a blonde, voluptuous gold digger.
A quote from the press kit movie poster sums it up beautifully; --Blood drips
from the ceilings, body-less heads talk and the dead walk!
IF
YOU HAVE A WEAK HEART, WATCH OUT!--says columnist LOUELLA PARSONS (DITA also
digs the cool art work on the 'movie-poster' for the film, that would make a
great T-Shirt.)
Note; to self-Put on Birthday Wish list for November; Must have framed poster of 'House On Haunted Hill'!
One of the fun things in this film for DITA is simply that it has
a skeleton in it, a second cousin perhaps? Actually the skeleton was` used as
promotional gimmicks by William Castle in theaters called; 'EMERGO!' Mr. Castle
had skeletons suspended on wires that flew down over the audience when the
skeleton in the movie came on screen. Love it! This gave movie goer's a good
scare! Mr. Castle would have made a perfect beau for DITA!
Hold your tongue, Derek! DITA knows she's getting off track again!
Derek; 'The Vamperic-Announcer'; 'OKAY, OKAY!'
Enough about me, back to the story line. Vincent's wife who by the way, has a
habit of wearing everything from low-cut corsets (a purple one) to long,
flowing, revealing night gowns, decides to Host a Slumber Party in the haunted
house for 5 guests that will be locked in at midnight. Whoever stays until
morning will then receive $10,000 - 'IF' they survive! Horror, camp,
severed heads, supposed death by noose, moving walls, blood-dripping ceilings,
self- playing organs, walking skeletons and Hilarity ensues!
Now here are DITA's, 'THINGS TO LOOK FOR List;
*Scene at start of the film with guests arriving at 'Haunted Hill' in hearses.
(Cool and visually stimulating in color! Much like my Vamp-Hubby, Black-ula Jr.
Tee-Hee!)
*Bubbling Pit of Acid in the creepy basement!
*Skeleton slowly emerging from the afore mentioned bubbling acid pit. (Looks
much like DITA in a hot tub without her wig on! 'Crackers!)
*Wonderfully-creepy & atmospherically-effective musical score throughout the
picture. Especially in the scene with hearse's pulling up to House! Musical
Composers are listed in DITA's Movie Credits at the top of my
Review!
*COLOR, color, color! 'Sump-shoe-us' through out.
*Employee Girl who screams obsessively but.............. effectively in various
scenes! She also seems to have the 'pokes' or as DITA calls them
'headlights'.............on 'HIGH- BEAM', in most scenes thru-out this
Spook-House Chiller! (Should have won Miss Scream Queen 1958!)
*Hot guy from 'MA & PA KETTLE' Movies that plays a Test Pilot. (He played oldest
son of the 'KETTLES'.) DITA Likey!
*Gold digger wife-DEAD, hanging from noose. (Dita says; check her pulse.)
*Scary old lady, arms extended, gliding through basement in the dark, having a
very bad hair day. Derek ('The Vampiric-Announcer') suggests sending her to the
moon, I mean, a Make-Over! LOL!
*Any scene with Vincent's character and his wife arguing. Funny & catty,
ME-OWWW!
*The bizarre little man from Castle's film '13 GHOSTS, 'BLACULA', etc., who
plays CREEPY well!
Vincent Price is great in this movie and his voice is as usual, extremely
effective with just the right touch of terror! Bravo! They also have a typical
storyline involving the wife plotting against the hubby w/someone else.
I, DITA DIRT NAP give this Fun/Classic 'Fright-Flick' a 3 Skulls Out 3 Skulls
score which is perfect. I loved watching this film again!
Also remembered exactly what a great pairing Castle & Price were and how much
fun 'HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL' is to watch.
Watch it with a nice roaring fire in the upcoming 'Autumnal-Equinox' next month
on September 22nd ,mandatory popcorn and a oooey, gooey, extra cheese pizza!
Stream it tonight on
'Prime-Video!'
Loud, crashing, thunder-storm with lots of lightning is optional! Oh, tell the
Pizza Delivery boy that DITA likes her Pizza w/extra tarantula sauce!!
DITA; Whatta ya mean................Eeeewwwh? Also Click here to see ;VINCENT
PRICE perform the RAP from; Michael Jackson's; 'THRILLER'
on the Late Show w/the Late Joan Rivers>
https://youtu.be/RpEfX1IKEak?si=bXsXKI_TkFeaj51r
'Chainsaw-Kisses' From,
DITA ('Chilling, Thrilling Sounds Of The Haunted House') DIRT NAP
(Click here to hear that Infamous LP, of the Same Name REMIXED, Dear>
https://youtu.be/M03vASJNU9o?si=zG0USFHBfXfdfA1r
Scare-Mail; FaceBook.com/DitaDirtNap
Or write; 'DITA' in the Subject Line to;
DDN1965@LIVE.COM
P.S. Watch a VINCENT PRICE Tribute Video here>
https://youtu.be/lNyF8X9sf5Q?si=WWKX-FIBr1qnlOe-
And watch a Tribute Video to WILLIAM CASTLE Here>
https://youtu.be/Z6RtAZxm21A?si=A5YuufF5gu7J9pkU
As usual, Please Check out these DITA-Suggested Sites as Follows;
www.legendfilms.com
www.somethingweird.com
www.shoutfactory.com (Hexcellant
Selection of various DVD's including Classic & Cult TV Shows, etc.! DITA
like-y!!!)
www.mymoviemonsters.com
www.elvira.com
www.vincentprice.com
www.facebook.com/vincentprice
www.thenewbev.com (DITA &
RENFIELD's Favorite Haunt!)
www.radiohalloween.com
www.cinespia.org (Infamous
'Hollywood Forever Cemetery' Outdoor Movie Screenings.)
www.electricduskdrivein.com
www.spookyworld.com
www.fangoria.com (Latest Issue of it
all about 'VAMPIRES' is Still Out on NEWSTANDS Now, like; 'PAVILLIONS Grocery
store and CVS Pharmacy Drug Stores, etc. RENFIELD Reads DITA'S Copy every time
we sit in line outside the 'NEW BEVERLY CINEMA' waiting for the doors to open.)
www.madonna.com
www.facebook.com/DJDugGraves
(Listen to DUG GRAVES RADIO HORROR SHOW Every Friday Night, Hon!)
www.afi.com
'THIS REVIEW DEADICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ONE OF 'DITA's FAVORITE
HORROR DIRECTORS; WILLIAM CASTLE
Creature Feature © D. Dyszel 2026
and by
Dick Dyszel - Voice Actor