La mansión embrujada

First of all, I am a Disney kid that grew up going to Disneyland in CA every year. Since I am a fan of the ride, "The Haunted Mansion", I guess I expected this film to be good. When I heard the mediocre reviews, I backed off from watching it until I just bought it on DVD this past weekend. I was very surprised to find it a lot better than I expected. My kids loved it and have watched it about 3 times.

The sets were beautiful and intricate, the costumes and make-up are gorgeous and the special effects are amazing. Rick Baker "Monster Maker" is so talented and has done an impressive (as always) job creating a vision from the Haunted Mansion ride that he also admired.

If you are a fan of the ride, I would imagine that you would enjoy this movie as much as me.

The movie talks about a house seller (Eddie Murphy) , his wife (Marsha Thomason) and children , they are going to a haunted mansion inhabited by weird people : an owner (Nahaniel Parker) , butler (Terence Stamp) , servant (Wallace Shawn) and psychic (Jennifer Tilly) . They'll take on several dangers , eerie ghosts , scary skeleton and fantastic supernatural forces .

The picture mingles frightening happenings , frenetic action , mystery , tongue-in-cheek and there is horror but with humor , including a lot of references to the Disney theme park ride . From the start to finish fear and giggles are interminable . The film pays tribute to the picture ¨The haunting¨ but with laughs and fun . Much of the movie's plot is inspired by Phantom Manor, the version of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Resort Paris . Vivid as well as thrilling musical score by Mark Mancina . Colorful and brilliant cinematography by Remi Adefarasin . FX , especial effects , by means of computer generator , are of first class , similar to extraordinary make-up by Rick Baker , a number one in this category , as he won various ¨Oscars¨. The make-up designed by Rick for Ramsley -Terence Stamp- was to make him resemble Boris Karloff .

Many designs of the building designs were recycled from both of the Walt Disney attractions , the exterior was based off the original structure at Disneyland and the inside was a mix of both. The production picture was made with a main aim to advertising campaign as theme park attraction . The motion picture was regularly directed by Rob Minkoff (Stuart Little 1 and 2 , The forbidden game , The Lion King) . The film obtained enough success in the Box-office . The motion picture will appeal to horror comedy enthusiasts and Eddie Murphy fans . Rating : 5,5/10 . Average .

Eddie Murphy is great fun as usual & has always been a favourite of mine as i grew up watching his Classic 80's & 90's films. Since the 2000's, Comedy legend Eddie Murphy has become a more goofy but fun family friendly movie star as he's moved onto big budget family films like "Daddy Day Care" & "I Spy" & "Meet Dave" & "Dr. Doolittle 2" & the "Shrek" films, so Murphy has become a new Comedy star for a new generation of kids which is nice & has kept his Career very much alive & relevant. I've enjoyed pretty much most of his films & Murphy always cheers me up. My favourite Eddie Murphy movie would have to be his 90's Comedy CLASSIC "The Nutty professor" & i loved it's goofy-silly sequel & I've got big Nostalgia love for the first "Dr. Doolittle" film, but hey i like most of his films. This big budget supernatural fantasy family comedy-adventure is another great film to add to your Eddie Murphy collection. "The Haunted Mansion" is a beautiful looking film with some of the best & detailed products design I've ever seen in a movie, especially in a family comedy!!! The huge Haunted Mansion set is absolutely beautiful & visually stunning with gorgeous cinematography. The special effects are fantastic as this is a huge mega budget Disney production, so everything looks spectacular & the best of the best, like the Zombie scene that is done like a proper Horror movie sequence with fantastic looking Zombies created by legendary movie effects master, Rick Baker.

The simple story is about a busy realter (Eddie Murphy) & his family are summoned to a massive old mansion & discover it's haunted & must try to solve the mystery of the mansion. Also it's about Jim Evers (Murphy) realising he's been neglecting his family & wants to be there more & take them on an adventure but of course they end up at the "Haunted Mansion" it's a nice sweet funny family film but also a really great supernatural adventure with Horror elements. There's still a heart & that sweet Disney magic toward the end but it all plays out nicely. If you like Horror movies then this is a really nice watered-down version, thats still rich with stunning gothic scenery & a real spooky atmosphere complete with a rain storm & lightening. The Ghost effects are Awesome & very glowing & colourful.

A great fun ghostly fantasy comedy with a great Eddie Murphy. One of Murphy's best "Family" films.

Another nail in the coffin of Eddie Murphy's career, The Haunted Mansion is a slap-dash attempt to cash in on The Pirates of the Caribbean, an infinitely more successful and better film based on a Disneyland ride. There's just nothing here to write about--very little human drama and not enough computer wizardry to keep you from noticing you don't care about the humans.

About the only two things worth mentioning are Jennifer Tilly's fairly funny Madame Leota, a wisecracking Gypsy trapped in a bright green crystal medicine ball and Marsha Thomason, not for any acting ability but simply that she is beautiful and her beauty relieves some of the boredom.

Oh, well. At least it didn't have some character pontificating, "Follow your heart!"--the ubiquitous and hackneyed Disney message

If you like the Tim Burton's spooky kind of fun movies, this wont disappoint you.