Haunted Mansion - Ride vs. Movie

[Walt's Ghost]

Tonight on ABC, the haunted Mansion movie was on. As many critics didn't like the movie, I was expecting something horrible. I was quite surprised to find that I enjoyed the movie. Also, I had heard that the movie didn't have enough refrences to the ride, or something like that, but I found that almost everything on the ride was in the movie, except for the stretching room. How come you ride goers didn't like the movie? And whats all this about a "story behind the ride"?

[CelestialImperium]

You're joking right? This movie was almost as bad as battlefield earth...and that is as bad as they come!! I never heard anyone say it didn't have not enough references but it seems they tried to put TOO MANY references. It wasn't memorable and not even Eddie Murphy could save it.

[Walt's Ghost]

I can't say it was GREAT. It was no pirates, but It wasn't as bad as many of today's comedies like RV, or the Spy Kids Series. It was overall, enjoyable! Eddie Murphy wasn't even over the top, which was good! Too many references? I don't unerstand. They all fit. But what I really want to know is why people don't like the movie's story, but they like the ride's better!

[Dan - Tasmic!]

I liked the movie!!! It was hilarious!! But, it was a flop lie Country bears Jamboree!! Love all the ride references!!! Like "Welcome Foolish Mortals" and "My way!" It can never really compete with POTC.

One thing I don't understand, is what is the storyline for the ride, anyone knows??

[CelestialImperium]

Maybe you have to be a SUPER DISNEY FAN to like the movie because everyone else sure didn't (INCLUDING ME)

[dpdilla]

i have been wanting to see it and i keep thinking i'll just buy it, but it would have been nice to DVR it and not waste the money... eventhough it usually goes for a dollar on eBay haha.

[Walt's Ghost]

I recommend just renting it...although I almost never watch a movie more than once. And please post the rides original story if you have it.

[MasterGracey]

The Haunted Mansion featured incredibly stunning set and costume design and great special effects, but the family-comedy the film was trying to be was what killed it.

Eddie Murphy should never have been in this film, the film should never have been the simple comedy that it was, and the film should never have taken place in a contemporary setting. The Haunted Mansion should have been a full-on period-piece, and more drama than comedy - a la Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, and it should not have been set in the present-day with only backstory that takes place in the antebellum period.

The Haunted Mansion was a missed opportunity, no doubt. It would have been more successful had it be truer to the experience you get in the attraction. Much of the attraction is moody, disconcerting, and creepy. Not until you get to the graveyard does the attraction really turn into a character-driven humor show, and the film should have been truer to that with a majority of it being moodier, creepier, darker story and settings, rather than an in-your-face comedy with a washed-up Eddie Murphy.

[Abominable Snowman]

Ride=Awesome
Movie=Crap

That is all

[elly]

Ride=Awesome
Movie=Crap

That is all

ditto

[doombuggy driver]

The Haunted Mansion featured incredibly stunning set and costume design and great special effects, but the family-comedy the film was trying to be was what killed it.

Eddie Murphy should never have been in this film, the film should never have been the simple comedy that it was, and the film should never have taken place in a contemporary setting. The Haunted Mansion should have been a full-on period-piece, and more drama than comedy - a la Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, and it should not have been set in the present-day with only backstory that takes place in the antebellum period.

The Haunted Mansion was a missed opportunity, no doubt. It would have been more successful had it be truer to the experience you get in the attraction. Much of the attraction is moody, disconcerting, and creepy. Not until you get to the graveyard does the attraction really turn into a character-driven humor show, and the film should have been truer to that with a majority of it being moodier, creepier, darker story and settings, rather than an in-your-face comedy with a washed-up Eddie Murphy.

I totally agree!!!!!

I think the reason they made it a comedy is so kids could also enjoy it. If it was too scarry for the kids I don't think Disney would have done it.

[Datameister]

The Haunted Mansion movie produces conflicting feelings in me. MasterGracey, you're absolutely right that the film is visually a masterpiece. For casual ridegoers, much of it appears to be taken right out of the ride, though more discerning eyes will pick up on all the changes that were made.

But the idea of the film is stale, IMO. The whole workaholic-dad-who-needs-to-learn-the-value-of-family is a good lesson in real life, but not one that needs more big screen presence. Ironically, the film works in retrograde motion to the ride--the first three-quarters of it or so are mostly for (supposed) laughs, with a spooky atmosphere on the side. In the last quarter, it turns nasty and becomes focused purely on the evil side of things. The ride, in sharp contrast, spends quite a while being simply creepy. Claude Coats' set designs--the feel of which is not transfered too well to the film--are king for the first half or two-thirds. Then the ballroom and attic transition us to the revelation of the silly nature of the graveyard scene--turns out these ghosts just want to come out and socialize. (Another concept totally lost in the movie. In the ride, the ghosts have retired to the Haunted Mansion, so why would they leave? In the movie, they can't wait to get out, but are tethered to the house because they "can't find the light" and they're "trapped." Can you smell the baloney from here?)

Oy, I got SO excited about this movie when I saw trailers for it. I was extremely skeptical about the choice of using Eddie Murphy, but I was still hyped over the recent release of the excellent POTC:TCOTBP. I thought the Haunted Mansion would feel almost like a sequel--vastly different place, time, and characters, but still feeling like part of the Disneyland franchise. But those two movies could not be any more different.

I still rent the movie from time to time...for the visual aspects. It's funny...when I first saw the movie, I felt like the mansion itself was taken right from NOS at Disneyland. Then I compared it to photos--I hadn't been to the park in a while--and realized how different they really are. Like all other aspects of the film, the mansion really is "inspired by" the ride...not taken directly from it. They don't even follow the same architectural style! It's Greek Revival vs. Italianate!

[jimmay]

As a man who firmly ranks Hanted Mansion as my all time favorite ride; the fact is, the film version is overly simplistic, cliche-ridden, lamely acted, and a thouroughly uninspired film.
Eddie Murphy sounds like a bad charicature of his Shrek persona, and, as much as I love her, Jennifer Tilly, was thoroughly wasted in this film.
In short, the movie really, realy sucks.

[PragmaticIdealist]

The only good part of the film was the prologue.

[NeverNeverland]

I saw this on TV last night too for the first time... It was a pretty bad movie.
The best part was the ride references - even a few lines from the ride was in it.

BTW, I think the stretching room was where he hung himself.