Acclaimed Horror Classic to Close Vincent Price Film Fest in Jaffrey
By: Macon Prickett Jun. 11, 2018
The Park Theatre's River Street Theatre (RST) closes its Vincent Price Film Festival with a screening of the all-time classic of the 50's horror movie genre with The House on Haunted Hill. It will play on Saturday, June 16 at 7pm.
Vincent Price is at his best in this ultimate campy horror film first released on February 17, 1959. Mr. Price had just come off his great success with The Fly in 1958. The House on Haunted Hill was written by award-winning novelist Robb White (Smuggler's Sloop, Deathwatch). It was directed by horror film master, William Castle (The Tingler, Straight-Jacket, Homicidal, I Saw What You Did). The story concerns eccentric millionaire Frederick Loren (Price) who invites five people to a party at his prison-like mansion. If they can endure the entire night, they walk away with $10,000 each. Each guest receives a party favor, a tiny coffin with a loaded .45 pistol inside. The fun begins the moment the mansion doors are closed... and locked.
During its original run, Mr. Castle devised a great "live" gimmick for theatre owners. At the appropriate moment during the film, a skeleton would fly through the audience (on a wire attached at the projection booth) from the back of the theatre to the front. Many people were so scared, they ran out of the theatre and never returned, some even passed out. There will be no flying skeletons at the River Street Theatre.
The film boasts a high critics' rating of "96% FRESH" at RottenTomatoes.com. The RST is presenting the film in its RESTORED original widescreen format in high definition.
Tickets for each film at the Vincent Price Film Festival are $5.00. More program and schedule information, as well as ticket purchases, can be found at www.riverst.org or by calling the RST Box Office (603) 532-8888. The after-hours box office can be reached by calling OvationTix at (866) 811-4111.
The River Street Theatre is located in downtown Jaffrey, New Hampshire at 6 River Street. The River Street Theatre is sponsored by Grove Street Fiduciary, Coca-Cola, the Board of Trustees of the Park Theatre, Janet S. Grant, Betty Locke, Owen Houghton and the James F. & Fernande Kelly Charitable Trust.
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