Disney Irish
Premium Member
Its a movie based on a theme park ride, how serious should it take itself? Heck even the Pirates movies didn't take themselves too seriously and they did pretty well at the box office.
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Haunted Mansion
- Thread starter DCBaker
- Start date
CraftyFox
Well-Known Member
Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by the trailer. However, as someone with a background in theater costuming and production design, I couldn't help but notice a few things (complaining ahead).
(finicky rant over)! I'll try to save any further judgements until the movie is actually released.
As previously mentioned in this thread, the scale of the sets is really off. Not in an oversized Marc Davis concept art way but just sort of large and empty. This is most noticeable with the verandas and the too-tall third floor on the exterior as well as the stretching room. I understand that there are practical reasons (camera placement, etc) for these changes but I honestly would have preferred the 2003 route of redesigning the setting entirely with the Mansions serving as inspiration. On the costume side of things, there just seems to be a distinct lack of cohesion from design to design. Tiffany Haddish's outfit leans very heavily into whimsical, fantastical influences while Stanfield's character is in a much more grounded style. Obviously you can have characters with wildly different aesthetics but as a general rule of thumb it's best to keep some kind of thorough line. The wedding portrait seen at the beginning of the trailer is also very clearly of a modern, Regency-inspired empire waisted wedding gown rather than an actual historical or fantasy costume. Some members of the costuming community on TikTok have complained about Leota's flashback outfit but I for one am actually intrigued by the whole Russian/Alsace-Lorraine inspired folk costume though it seems more 18th century court dress than 19th century spiritualist garb.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Actually I was thinking the POTC films kinda did take themselves seriously enough. I’m talking about the typical Marvel style approach this trailer reeked of, full of sarcastic quips, not sarcastic like Jack Sparrow but sarcastic to say “we’re not taking this too seriously.”
Also “it’s based on a theme park ride, therefore it should be a dumb and bad movie” is a bad take.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
The TV movie version of Tower of Terror with Steve Guttenberg and Kristen Dunst was trying to see what it can do without the help of the Twilight Zone...
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I saw Poltergeist in the theater in 5th grade. One of my best non-Star Wars moviegoing experiences. Of course it scared me...and I love it to this day.
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
At least it’s a co-production so maybe that helps account for the budget. Would also help explain the bizarre casting that seems designed more for a social media campaign than narrative coherence. At first I thought they were trying to do a straight House on Haunted Hill update but maybe they’re trying to pair that with the star-studded mystery ensemble thing in the vein of Knives Out? I could see that being the thinking here…only with less brains.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Which is why I said Knives OutGlass Onion wasn't exactly high on brains.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
The best part of the 2003 movie was the opening credits. A period piece played straight with great music.
That's what would be good for a HM movie. It doesn't mean you can't have humor, but we've already had two contemporary HM comedies. It was time for something different.
That's what would be good for a HM movie. It doesn't mean you can't have humor, but we've already had two contemporary HM comedies. It was time for something different.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Except it will be more like Glass Onion.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
I seem one of the few pleasantly surprised by the trailer. The balance between goofy and scary seems good to me based on the trailer, and it's honestly more on the dark side than I thought it would be. It seems, at least, that they've made the choice not to try and aim for really young kids, which is probably wise. We shall see!
Screamface
Well-Known Member
There's a level of being fun, thrilling, suspenseful, surprising and emotionally engaging that the film should be. Scary is the wrong word.
I don't see at all how a stretching room in a film would satisfy any of that. The trailer satisfies nothing.
I know it doesn't fit the politics of the company but they should have gotten a veteran like Joe Dante to shepherd something like this. People don't make the sort of films this should be any more.
I don't see at all how a stretching room in a film would satisfy any of that. The trailer satisfies nothing.
I know it doesn't fit the politics of the company but they should have gotten a veteran like Joe Dante to shepherd something like this. People don't make the sort of films this should be any more.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
You're upset a film based on The Haunted Mansion features a stretching room?
MarvelCharacterNerd
Well-Known Member
See: Disney+'s Secrets of Sulphur Springs. Classic Disney family spooky goodness.
When I was a kid, Something Wicked This Way Comes and Fantasia both scared the heck out of me. As an adult, I came to appreciate Something Wicked. But Fantasia still really freaks me out. But I loved the 70's live action stuff that managed to combine supernatural and Disney really well - The Watcher in the Woods on the scary end of the spectrum and the Witch Mountain movies on the family end of the spectrum.
This trailer reminds me of a bad remake of Clue - which is an excellent (non-Disney) example of how to mesh comedy and mystery based on a beloved IP with a big cast really well.
First look at Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota.
More details on the film in the link below.
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ew.com
More details on the film in the link below.
See Jamie Lee Curtis' Madame Leota have a ball in 'Haunted Mansion'
See Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota in Disney's 'Haunted Mansion' crystal ball photo.
The Peanut Gallery
Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
She's a great choice for Madame Leota. Cautiously optimistic for sure.
yensidtlaw1969
Well-Known Member
First look at Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota.
View attachment 715526
More details on the film in the link below.
See Jamie Lee Curtis' Madame Leota have a ball in 'Haunted Mansion'
See Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota in Disney's 'Haunted Mansion' crystal ball photo.
I love her casting as Leota, but something in that still looks a little weird to me. The CGI feels a bit . . . inexpensive . . . and is the crystal ball distorting her face? Her proportions look off. Maybe things will be clearer when it's all in motion, I'm willing to give it a chance.
I did give the design a quick pass in Photoshop just for fun to see how she'd look with some tweaks, here's what I came up with:
Ghost93
Well-Known Member
I think this could be a great movie, but also am 100% convinced it should be a Halloween release. You'd think Disney would remember from its mistake in releasing Hocus Pocus during the summer of 1993.
By moving Haunted Mansion to October, they could also move either Elemental or Indiana Jones 5 from June to July, giving their movies more room to breathe.
By moving Haunted Mansion to October, they could also move either Elemental or Indiana Jones 5 from June to July, giving their movies more room to breathe.