House on Haunted Hill was the Avatar of its day -- infamously released with "Emergo" special effects technology. Which is to say, with a plastic skeleton released from the theatre ceiling at the key moment.
It doesn't really add anything to the experience other than novelty, but I was thrilled that the National Film and Sound Archive decided to recreate the Emergo effect for its Hallowe'en screening. The staff were in costume, the restaurant served novelty cocktails ("gangrene", "blood orange") and we sat on deckchairs under the stars. A fabulous evening and a fun movie made even better.
Intriguing b-grade horror flick about an eccentric millionaire offering $10,000 each to five strangers if they'll stay one night in a haunted house. It's creepy and misleading, with interesting characters and good performances all around. A few of the twists seem a little silly -- a pool of acid, just sitting there? -- but they're certainly unexpected. Well worth a look.