DVD Movie Rating for: Haunted Mansion

Rating for "Haunted Mansion" is 3 out of 5 stars

Movie Plot of: Haunted Mansion

On the day of their anniversary, workaholic and real estate agent Jim Evers and his wife Sarah recieve a strange phone call from a man called Ramsley. He requests that Sarah come to the mysterious Gracey Manor. Jim decides to turn it into an opportunity to check out a possible gold-mine in real estate, but to please Sarah, he claims it is a "family trip", bringing the kids along. Once there, Ramsley the butler insists that they stay, for a big storm is on the way. The Evers are introduced to Master Gracey, who seems strangely obsessed with Sarah. Jim goes off to talk to Gracey about selling, but ends up in a secret passage instead. The kids follow a floating ball to the attic, where they see a painting of a woman who looks just like Sarah! Jim and the kids eventually discover the mansion's dark secret from Madame Leota, a talking head in a crystal ball. She tells them that Sarah is in danger and to save her, they must "lead the ghosts to the light." After some spooky adventures and surprises, the family manages to save the manor and Sarah, all while learning a vaulable lesson about togetherness.

DVD Production Details of: Haunted Mansion

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Marsha Thomason

Director: Rob Minkoff

Format: Color, THX Dolby
Studio: Walt Disney Home Video
DVD Release Date: April 20, 2004

DVD Easter Eggs

None

Cast of the movie: Haunted Mansion

• Eddie Murphy .... Jim Evers
• Terence Stamp .... Ramsley
• Nathaniel Parker .... Master Gracey
• Marsha Thomason .... Sara Evers
• Jennifer Tilly .... Madame Leota
• Wallace Shawn .... Ezra
• Dina Spybey .... Emma (as Dina Waters)
• Marc John Jefferies .... Michael
• Aree Davis .... Megan
• Jim Doughan .... Mr. Coleman
• Rachael Harris .... Mrs. Coleman (as Rachel Harris)
• Steve Hytner .... Mr. Silverman
• Heather Juergensen .... Mrs. Silverman
• Jeremy Howard .... Hitchhiking Ghost
• Deep Roy .... Hitchhiking Ghost
• Clay Martinez .... Hitchhiking Ghost
• Bridget Ann Brno .... Tiki Lounge Customer (as Bridget Brno)
• Gregg London .... Tiki Lounge Customer
• Zach Minkoff .... Boy on Bicycle
• Shelby Grimm .... The Singing Busts
• Harry J. Campbell .... The Singing Busts
• William T. Lewis .... The Singing Busts
• Tim Reeder .... The Singing Busts
• Bob Hartley .... The Singing Busts
• Cat Eberwine .... Ballroom Dancer
• Jeremy Gilbreath .... Zombie
• Martin Klebba .... Happy Ghost
• Dorian Martin .... Water Zombie
• Michael McAdam .... Ballroom Dancer
• Derek Mears .... French Duelist
• Tessa Munro .... Ballroom Dancer
• Kelly Stables .... Queen Ghost
• J. Anthony Woods .... Zombie with Gold Key

Photo Gallery of the movie: Haunted Mansion

Click on one of the thumbnails to see the full size high quality photos, posters and wallpapers of Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy

Reviews of the movie: Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion is yet another Disney Movie based upon a Disney park attraction. Following on the heels of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Country Bears, Comes the Haunted Mansion, based on my favorite Disney ride.

Eddie Murphy continues his transformation into a family actor as he follows up his Dr. Dolittle and Daddy Day Care movies with yet another effort geared towards families.

Eddie plays Jim Evers a real estate agent whose ambitions are keeping him from spending time with wife and partner Sara (Marsha Thomason) and kids Michael (Marc John Jefferies) and Megan (Aree Davis). On the way to a long-postponed family weekend, Jim has to stop to case a new listing: a hulking gothic edifice with a cemetery for a backyard. The tear-down potential is great, but "Haunted Mansion" doesn't go that way.It goes inside, of course, where the master of the house, Edward Gracey (Nathaniel Parker), dresses in Dorian gray and seems a little vaporous about the gills. So do the butler, Ramsley (Terence Stamp), the footman (Wallace Shawn), and the housemaid (Dina Waters). I haven't even mentioned the crystal ball in the attic that contains the green, glowing head of Jennifer Tilly.

Edward takes one look at Sara and is convinced she is the reincarnation of his long-lost beloved Elizabeth, whom he couldn't marry for reasons the movie is too busy or too graceful to specify. Nor can I blame him, since Thomason, a trained British actress, has a delicate beauty that outclasses everything else here. No matter; Jim and the children have to rush around and find a key that opens a trunk that contains a letter that discloses the true villain of the piece.

Like "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Mansion" indulges every cliche of its genre, like the bust on the desk whose movable head opens the door to the secret passageway. That should be part of the fun, but it all feels as rote as Murphy's performance. The fluid editing, Mark Mancina's Danny Elfmanesque score, and some nicely calibrated special effects keep the film moving along, and Disneyland freaks will enjoy ticking off the bits of the ride that have made it on-screen, but there's none of the wild-card energy Depp and Geoffrey Rush brought to "Pirates." With his sepulchral stare and mortician's intonations, Stamp tries -- oh, does he try -- but he can't lift the movie up to his level.

Is it scary? In a theme-park sort of way: i.e., lots of "boo!" moments but nothing that really sticks. The only scene that might induce some bed-wetting is when Jim and Megan try to get the key from a mausoleum full of shambling corpses (it's like the "Thriller" video with better effects). But it's worth noting that neither of the kids seem particularly distressed by anything that transpires in "Haunted Mansion."

The real star of Mansion however is the house and its inhabitants as created by the famous creature creator Rick Baker. There are secrets in each room and hallway ? sliding walls open to reveal lost passageways; tombs cover entrances to elaborate underground caverns filled with zombies; statues and paintings come alive to reap a playful havoc. The heads of one particular group of statues slows down Jim Ever?s chicken race by singing entertaining tunes like a barbershop quartet would.

The DVD has pretty decent special features which bring its grade up a bit with multiple commentaries, bloopers, deleted scenes, making of documentary, and a few other goodies.

Good family horror movie...Not too scary, but scary enough to get the little ones hair standing on end.