User reviews

As a child this movie always scared the daylights out of my sister and me whenever we saw on TV. In fact, in my mind it has always been *the* horror movie of my childhood. After finally discovering its name and seeing it again decades later, I was relieved to see I don't have to be embarrassed to admit that. Sure it's 50 years old, has mediocre acting, and those hokey "subliminal" images, but I still find the situations, especially the woman's dream, haunting. And, though you'll probably think you know what the surprise ending is going to be, there's one or two little twists yet to go. You have to give the filmmakers credit for trying to produce something a bit more psychologically satisfying than the usual 1950's horror movie did.

Worth checking out if you like thriller movies. Just don't spend too much on it!

This film deals with a young gal who has bad dreams about a haunted house which have put her in a sanitarium and her husband is trying his best to help her with this problem.

The husband takes his wife to a house that looks exactly like the haunted house in her dreams and this is when the story becomes interesting with mysterious people making appearances who claim to be owners of the house and even the care taker of the house becomes a dark side to the story.

Good acting, with plenty of surprises and great for a 1958 film classic. Enjoy.

Although the practice of using subliminal advertising--that is, flashing messages on a movie or TV screen for a fraction of a second, too quickly to register with the human brain but capable of having a subconscious effect--was banned by television stations and by the National Association of Broadcasters in 1958 (and, years later, was claimed to be ineffective), it wasn't in time to prevent the first big-screen film from using the technique. That picture, originally released under the artier and more appropriate title "My World Dies Screaming," and years later, for home viewing, as "Terror in the Haunted House" (a somewhat misleading appellation), turns out to be an interesting enough little film that hardly requires this tiresome gimmick (presented as "Psycho-Rama" here!). In it, we meet a pretty newlywed, Sheila, who has been going to a psychiatrist in Switzerland to cure her of recurring dreams involving an old house, and, most particularly, of a flight of steps in that house leading to a cobwebbed attic. And when Sheila's new husband, Philip, brings her to America to stay at that EXACT SAME HOUSE, her nightmares become a living reality, and the viewer is thrown into a state of confusion about whether Philip is trying to help his new bride or, a la "Gaslight," perhaps drive her insane....

For a cheaply made "B picture," "My World Dies Screaming" is surprisingly effective, and most of the credit for the film's success must surely go to Cathy O'Donnell in the lead. O'Donnell, who most viewers might remember from the 1946 classic "The Best Years of Our Lives" as well as for appearing in the cult item "They Live By Night" and the excellent film noir "Side Street" (both from 1949 and both costarring Farley Granger), is truly excellent here, lovely and appealing, and appearing in every single scene of the film. Gerald Mohr, playing Philip, gives a nicely ambiguous portrayal (many viewers will remember him from the following year's "The Angry Red Planet"), and the film's other three performers (Barry Bernard as Sheila's shrink, John Qualen as the house's uberstrange caretaker, and Bill Ching as Philip's cousin) are all fine as well. Harold Daniels directs his picture competently, eliciting chills on a regular basis, although it must be said that the film seems a bit eerier in its first half. Still, the mystery of Sheila's nightmares, and her familiarity with a house she's never been in, is a fascinating one, and keeps the viewer involved throughout; to the film's credit, the resolution of that mystery entails a surprisingly complex backstory that does manage to tie up every loose end. As to those subliminal messages, they ARE visible, although only a frame-by-frame viewing on your DVD player will reveal their contents. Basically, they consist of demon masks with the following captions: "Scream." "Scream Bloody Murder." "Prepare To Die." And "Die Die Die." (One message, very amusingly inserted by the DVD manufacturer, exhorts us to "Buy Rhino Videos Every Day"!) As I mentioned before, these flashes of...something become hokey after a while, and the film is good enough to stand on its own without them. It's nothing great, surely, but is an engaging entertainment nevertheless. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to wrap up this little review and run down to the grocery store. For some strange reason, I've just developed a sudden urge to purchase popcorn, Goobers and Raisinets....

This stinker was filmed in "Psychorama" which means there were subliminal "messages" in it.They were images flashed too fast for the eye to see like skulls,bats etc to make you scared. Supposedly the government banned this film for 26 years as a result of this process.Yeah, right.(This movie sat in a vault somewhere because it was so freaking bad).Johnny Legend "restored" those images and you can see them for a split second on the screen.They are ludicrous.Images of Richard Nixon naked would be scary but not these foolish cartoons.

What little plot there is revolves around a woman and her nightmares about a rundown house. She and her new husband go to America and guess what house they move into.Then weird unscary stuff happens and she wonders if she is going out of her mind or is her husband up to no good.It boils down to ax murders and repressed memories.By the time any of this comes forth you'll be pounding your head against the wall to stop the pain.

The plot isn't anything you haven't seen before. The acting is somewhat below par as only the actor playing the husband isn't wooden or hammy.There is almost as much bull^%$# in this movie as in a politicians speech.Again evilskip's rule of thumb:Too much dialogue on exposition leads to screaming boredom.After 20 minutes you'll be looking for the fast forward or the rewind.Skip this abomination.

Adding the review because no one seems to have noted that this is a pure Gothic romance story: a relative-less, advocate-less female with what may or may not be mental illness, two men, one of whom is good and the other evil, but we can't tell which is which, all at an isolated old house, the hereditary curse, the oddball retainer, blah blah blah. Straight to the Gothic formula, only missing fog.

This is not a very good treatment of the genre, however. We know all along which man is the nice one and which the evil. The female is so stupid and weak, I can't care if she dies or not (this is the most dated part of the movie--you couldn't get away with a female lead like that today). Lots of exposition disguised (but not well) as dialog and the ludicrous cartoon "subliminals." Taken seriously, the plot doesn't work at many levels. In particular, that psychiatrist needs to get disbarred. The casting is odd--the female and male hero played together as children, but the actors look 15 years or more different in ages. The woman screams far too often, and it's just irritating.

Not so bad it's good for a laugh. Just bad. Want a decent Gothic movie? Rebecca or your choice of Wuthering Heights. Or read Barbara Michael's charming metagothic novel, Houses of Stone (a Gothic novel about hunting for an old Gothic novel manuscript). Want a bad 50's horror movie that makes you laugh at how bad it is? Lots to choose from. This is neither fish nor fowl.

I will start off by saying that I, personally, enjoyed this movie VERY much. Yes...Sadly, I must place emphasis on the word "personally" because I seem to be the only experimental/nostalgic-viewer that shares this optimism...drag!

I praise this movie for it's decent, but at times in-consistent acting, music-score, and wonderful plot! The male-lead, Philip (Gerald Mohr) was VERY good through the picture especially. The female-lead (and ONLY feature female at that), Sheila (Cathy O'Donnell) had some dull and predictable character moments (characther moments not at all uncommon for Female roles in 1958).

As for the ***"Subliminal Messages"***, they were nothing more than a minor headache at best, and were used VERY sparingly. (Incedently, I own this movie on a Rhino Home Video cassette and took the liberty to view the "subliminal messaging" in slow motion). I found some of the ORIGINAL messages were quite vivid and disturbing once they were slowed-down, but it seems that AT SOME POINT later on, after Rhino Home Video had apparently bought rights to this movie, decided to implement their own messages during the last ten minutes before the climax...("Rent Rhino Videos Every Day" was my favorite) HAHA! Very funny, guys at Rhino! You sure know how to use media...(Kinda scary if you think about it)...

Anyway, after looking beyond the fact that, YES, this movie is OLD, you will discover a VERY true and stirring romance that I REALLY was able to identify with. The idea that you might have met your wife, or girlfriend, or loved-one many many years ago, then became suddenly separated from them during childhood (when young-love is the most impressionable and dream-like)...and then to have met that same person again in the future, not remembering who they were, and yet you fall in love with them just the same :)...if that makes sense!

Seriously, watch this film and try to imagine yourself in Philip's position. What if YOU searched high and low for your long lost loved-one, only to find them decades later in a deteriorating mental state...and only YOU can bring them back to reality! Very moving indeed, I love it!

When you look at it, this is just another typical 50's bad horror flick that bores it's audience to death before the ending unfolds. As for the psychorama technique, I hardly noticed it, and when I did it was more of an annoyance than a scare. Stay away from this yawner.

This was one of the better B movies of the 50's. The film " Terror in the Haunted House " from 1958, is a creepy little movie with some fine performances by Gerald Mohr and Cathy O'Donnell. She plays a newlywed to husband Mohr, who has recurring dreams about a house she has never been to, or so she thinks. While this house isn't haunted, there is plenty of terror associated with it. With "weirdo" caretaker Jonah lurking about, you can understand why O'Donnell thinks she is losing her mind. I won't spoil the fun, and there's plenty of it in this film, so sit back and enjoy the plot twists and turns and the creepy and foreboding atmosphere! Try to ignore the "Psycho-Rama" gimmick, which flashes subliminal images and words across the screen. It might have been cutting edge back in 1958, but seems silly and unnecessary today.

I have included this film on my list of Ten Best Horror Films of the 1950's. Enjoy!

Apart from the novelty of 'Psycho-Rama', I cannot see much reason to watch "My World Dies Screaming". It's a pretty bad film--with many reasons to dislike it.

"My World Dies Screaming" begins with Sheila (Cathy O'Donnell) working through some recurring dream with a hypnotherapist. However, like in all the other attempts, she is unable to see how this all ends. After her discharge, she is taken by her new husband, Philip (Gerald Mohr) to Florida ostensibly for their honeymoon. However, soon it becomes obvious Philip has some agenda, as he ends up taking her to the very same old home she keeps seeing in her dreams! What gives? This film has several serious problems working with it and the novelty of Psycho-Rama* isn't enough to save it. Cathy O'Donnell, who could deliver a nice performance (such as in "The Best Years of Our Lives") was just awful here--as she way overplayed her character. It was almost laughable when she emoted and the director SHOULD have coached her through this or re-shot the scenes. Other scenes he should have re-shot involved nighttime scenes--which ranged from daylight to dark night alternative--just like Ed Wood infamously did in "Plan 9 From Outer Space"! Additionally, the film alternated from very boring to being very, very talky. Most of the plot was actually explained near the end through exposition--a very, very sloppy indicator that the writer was not competent. All in all, I wanted a fun, campy horror film but it was only dull.

*Psycho-Rama consisted of supposedly subliminal pictures appearing throughout the film--such as warnings that a scare is about to occur. With a DVD machine, it's easy to stop and see them clearly. However, in a funny twist, Rhino Video added one of their own--encouraging the viewer to watch more Rhino releases! Cute but also completely disproved to have any real impact on audience behaviors.

Terror in the haunted house resembles a William Castle horror film it has gimmicks,subliminal messages during the film.they flash images of skulls and cartoon monsters and even the word scream in blood red colors,but this movie is pretty good without the subliminal messages.its creepy and pretty entertaining,it stars Gerald Mohr who a few years later starred in the great b movie the angry red planet.and Cathy O'Donnell(related to Rosie?)and William Ching.a new bride is having visions of a haunted house,well nightmares and is later on a trip with her new husband to America from Switzerland.to an old plantation mansion that turns out to be the house from her nightmares, its kind of like the screaming skull only much better.i seen this years ago on VHS from rhino video when they redid all the subliminal messages.and if you run it in slow motion you can clearly see these goofy and cartoonish subliminal images.as a fan of b movies and old horror movies i enjoyed terror in the haunted house,even though it is not as great as the infamous house on haunted hill.but alas it is better then the screaming skull and yes the really inept hillbillies in the haunted house.i recommend terror in the haunted house.7 out of 10.

While the film is watchable to the degree that it does have a story about a woman returning to a house she has seen in her dreams, the ultimate feeling left upon the viewer after seeing this is that it wasn't anything special in any way. The budget is suitably low. That means there are no special effects to speak of, save the house which on the outside looks creepy with huge decaying palm trees but looks rather nice(save the wallpaper in the bedroom) inside. The acting talent is indeed meager with no one giving a good performance. The female lead Cathy O'Donnell is adequate, but the guy that plays her husband is awful. He is the kind of guy that grates on you and you want something to happen to him fast. That was one wish un-fulfilled. His name by the way is Gerald Mohr(he looks kind of like a young Morton Downey Jr.). The most interesting performance is given by John Qualen as an old caretaker. He is at least acting with some ability and able to make a unique characterization. The story is not anything special either as it tells about a woman reliving her past and surrounded by people she cannot trust. Nothing new there nor is it done any differently than countless of other times. The major claim to fame of the film is that it was filmed in Psychorama which is when subliminal pictures pop on for seconds and then disappear. Too bad they didn't disappear altogether as they are very aggravating because you are trying to see what they are, and when you do, you say, "Hey, it's a painted face of a red devil...Big Deal!" At the very least, that will give you something to think about as you watch the film.

Married couple Sheila (Cathy O'Donnell) and Philip (Gerald Mohr) travel from Switzerland to Florida for a relaxing break in a rented property. To Sheila's horror, the house is identical to that which features in her recurring nightmares. Coincidence? Or does hubbie Philip have a hidden agenda?

The plot for Terror in the Haunted House feels extremely dated, like a product of the '30s or 40's rather than the late '50s (remember, the groundbreaking horror of Psycho was only two years away). In order to add a little pep to proceedings, the makers resort to one of those lame gimmicks so prevalent of the time, in this case 'Psycho-Rama', subliminal images (a cartoon face with a rat in its mouth!?!) and words (Scream Bloody Murder!) designed to unsettle the viewer. They don't work.

With its uninspired story-line, overly verbose script and overwrought performances, this film is unlikely to set chills running up the spine. Psycho-Rama might be wholly ineffective as a way of creeping out the audience, but it at least provided me with the challenge of trying to pause the film every time an image or phrase appeared—far more fun the film itself.

4.5 out of 10, rounded down to 4 for some of the worst day for night filming I have seen: it looks like they didn't even try.

This member of the "World's Worst Movies" is just freakin' BAD. Changing the title to "TERROR IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE" strikes no fear. A newlywed couple prepare to move into an old house. Upon first sight, the bride(Cathy O'Donnell)remembers it in her nightmarish flashbacks. This movie claims to be one of the first to use subliminal messages as a gimmick...ho-hum. Strictly low budget and forgettable. Also in the cast are Gerald Mohr and John Qualen.

Pretty easy to figure out if you've seen a lot of movies where the poor wife is left to decide whether to go in "that" room. In this one a couple newlyweds come to live in a house. It turns out that the woman has been in Switzerland since she was seven. She has been having recurring dreams and they take place in "this" house. When they get there they are greeted by a spooky caretaker who makes cryptic comments about previous residents. We suspect the husband is up to something shady. Of course, one must question why he would get married just to bring this poor neurotic woman to the place occupying her incredible fear. The owner of the house wants her out of there because he knows it can't be healthy for her. But, while a lot of clichés are here, this is a decent movie with lots of twists and turns. I won't even comment on the stupid subliminal junk that is imposed on the video.

I saw this under the title Terror in the Haunted House. I didn't know anything about this movie and I didn't bother to look up any information about it. So, I presumed it could be some creepy ghost story like The Haunted. But nevertheless I didn't have to disappoint. Well, maybe a little bit because I learned what is the Psycho-Rama and subliminal message in the film.

The story first seems simple but as more the movie grows the more peculiar and more complex it goes. It has so much plot twists that even M. Night Shyamalan would be envious. The film builds up the tension and pace so fast that the ending seems to comes too abruptly. And I will go that far and call this movie little bit Hitchcockian.

But remind, this is more a suspense-thriller than a horror film. Otherwise it would have been decent movie but those ridiculous subliminal messages(?). Why were they needed anyway?

Overall My World Dies Screaming is nice entertaining B-flick with great performances.

Many of the reviews I have read complain that this film is boring or mediocre. I think they are forgetting that it was made in 1958. Considering that, I thought it was very exciting for its time. I certainly loved the acting, but that too is very much in the style of the 50s.

It is the plot twists that make the movie worth watching today (That is, for normal people, not just nostalgics like myself.) You know that the woman is not evil, but what about the two men, Phillip and Mark, and that servant Jonah? Just when you think you have them figured out, the movie flips them again. If you follow it, and don't get too easily bored by the 1950s effects and black and white, I think you will be surprised by how it turns out.

I gave it 9 out of 10. It was a masterpiece of its time and still entertaining today, though I might suggest watching it more as a mystery/drama than a horror film. My only complaint is the title itself, for I was hoping for a haunted house, but there was nothing supernatural about it. No ghosts or ghouls or anything. Ah yes, and I stopped noticing the 'subliminal messages' about 15 minutes into it. They really serve no purpose.

SOO SPOOKY!!! "Terror in the Haunted House" is a really great movie! that i highly recommend! It has great acting, good special effects, and is scary(at times) but also has a funny twist to it. At times there were flashing funny cartoon

faces that would pop out

during some of the scary, suspenseful scenes, but they were out of place

and didn't really go with the plot of the story. Besides that, Cathy O'Donnell was excellent in the film! I think that this movie and "The Best Years of Our Lives" were her two

best films. If you want a thrill but also want to laugh, then I recommend this movie!

Sheila Wayne (Kathy O'Donnell) has reoccurring dreams about an old, foreboding house. Recently married, she and her new husband move to Florida. Their house . . . well, it's the house of her nightmares. She quickly learns that this house is a place of evil, a place where bad things have happened. But how did Kathy end up in this house? How is it that her husband just happened to find this house? Who's crazy, who's sane, and what actually happened in the house?

Terror in the Haunted House (or My World Dies Screaming - which i prefer) is like cross between Hitchcock's Rebecca and the dreadful The Screaming Skull. Unforutnatley, our movie has more in common with the latter than it does Hitchcock's masterpiece. I'll start by saying it's not the worst movie in the world. This isn't much of an endorsement, but you could certainly do a whole lot worse. But make not mistake, it's still pretty bad. Here's a quick list of some of the things that bothered me:

1. Sheila Wayne - The screaming got old real quick. And for a woman in peril, she's not very sympathetic. After a while, I didn't care what happened to her. She was just so annoying and stupid.

2. Acting - Some of it is plain old bad. In particular, William Ching gives a totally wooden and unnatural performance. No one talks like that in real life.

3. Gerald Mohr - He's a decent enough actor, but he's miscast here. The New York accent really got in the way. No way was I buying the notion he grew up in Florida.

4. Predictable - The director does everything he can to throw the viewer off the track regarding who's crazy and who's not. But it's all so obvious that it backfires. I could spot the baddie almost immediately.

5. Psycho-Rama - Was William Castle associated with this movie? The constant subliminal images were about as annoying as Sheila Wayne.

With all the problems I had with the movie, I think I'm being generous in rating Terror in the Haunted Hiuse a 4/10.