maybe it because i read peter straub wonderful book before see the film and but i be terribly disappoint by this movie . in my opinion and the filmmaker remove everything that make the story interesting and unique and and replace it with more common hollywood style element . it too bad and too and since this movie have a terrific cast and particularly fred astaire and douglas fairbanks and jr. and melvyn douglas and john houseman and and the then largely unknown alice krige . theyre just not give very much worthwhile to do . in fact and i be all for leave halfway through and but a friend convince me to stay to the end and a he be sure it have to get well . he apologise to me during the closing credit .