The Haunting in Connecticut and the divine Ms. Madsen

At the All-Star game party my buddy Tre asked me why I like horror movies. I gave him a coherent response, but the more I think about it, the more it simply comes down to this:

Most horror movies suck. I seem to be on a quest to find a really good, really scary movie not called The Exorcist. Once I find that, I think I'll be good for a while.

The Haunting in Connecticut certainly isn't the Holy Grail I'm searching for. It sucked. Royally. Beginning to end stink-a-rooni, softened by the fact that it was big budget and the folks involved really seemed to try. Try and fail, but try.

1.5 out of 4.

BUT . . . the movie did feature the lovely Ms. Virginia Madsen.

Oh, the thoughts the tween and teen Danny had about her . . . whoo. I'll spare you the puberty induced fantasies, but even now, Botox and all, isn't she just gorgeous?

One of my first sightings of Madsen was in Electric Dreams, a neat little '80's romantic comedy about a PC that gained sentience (if I remember, this milestone in evolution came about after soda was spilled on the keyboard). Of course the PC becomes jealous of its owner's new love interest (Madsen) and trouble ensues.

Loved the movie. Loved the Boy George soundtrack. I think I have the cassette of the music here somewhere, having special ordered it as a kid with my measly piggy bank money.







Oh, there was one scary bit about The Haunting . . . but it came from our own house. During one horror scene our screen door flew open and slammed against the side of the house, while the wind chimes I have on the inside of the wooden door began to ring.

Kind of spooky. But it still doesn't raise the movie's rating.