The Haunted Mansion (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Haunted Mansion |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Rob Minkoff |
| Written by | David Berenbaum |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Mark Mancina |
| Cinematography | Remi Adefarasin |
| Editing by | Priscilla Nedd-Friendly |
| Studio | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 26, 2003 |
| Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $90 million |
| Money made | $182.3 million |
The Haunted Mansion is a fun horror comedy movie from 2003. It is based on the popular Walt Disney theme park ride. The movie was directed by Rob Minkoff and written by David Berenbaum. It stars Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, Jennifer Tilly, and Dina Spybey.
The film came out in the United States on November 26, 2003. It was Disney's fifth movie based on one of its theme park rides. Other movies based on rides include Tower of Terror (1997) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). The Haunted Mansion earned $182.3 million around the world.
Contents
Story of the Film
Jim (Eddie Murphy) and Sara Evers (Marsha Thomason) are busy real estate agents. They have two children, Megan (Aree Davis) and Michael (Marc John Jefferies). Jim works a lot and sometimes misses family events. To make up for missing his wedding anniversary, he plans a family trip.
Sara gets a call about a big house called Gracey Manor. It is in the Louisiana bayou. Jim wants to make a deal, so he takes his family to the mansion. There, they meet the owner, Edward Gracey, his butler Ramsley (Terence Stamp), and two other servants, Emma (Dina Spybey) and Ezra (Wallace Shawn).
Trapped in the Mansion
A big rainstorm floods the river nearby. Gracey lets the Evers family stay the night. Ramsley takes Jim to the library to talk about the house deal. But Jim gets stuck in a secret passage. Meanwhile, Gracey shows Sara around the mansion. He talks about his past and his lost love, Elizabeth Henshaw.
Megan and Michael follow a glowing light to the attic. They find a painting of a woman who looks just like Sara. Emma and Ezra tell them this woman is Elizabeth.
Uncovering the Mystery
Jim meets Madame Leota, a ghost whose head is in a crystal ball. He finds Emma, Ezra, and his children. They all go back to Leota for answers. She tells them that the mansion's people are ghosts. They are stuck there because Gracey and Elizabeth died too soon. They can only move on when the lovers are reunited. Everyone thinks Sara is Elizabeth reborn.
Leota sends the Evers family to the mansion's cemetery. They need to find a key that will show the truth about Elizabeth's death. In a crypt under a mausoleum, Jim and Megan find the key. But they accidentally wake up some undead creatures! Michael, who is afraid of spiders, helps them escape.
The Truth Revealed
Leota guides them to a trunk in the attic. Jim opens it and finds a letter from Elizabeth to Gracey. The letter says she truly loved him and wanted to marry him. This shows that Elizabeth was murdered. Ramsley then appears. He admits he killed Elizabeth to stop Gracey from leaving his family's traditions. Ramsley thought their love was wrong.
To hide his crime, Ramsley traps the children in a trunk. He then throws Jim out of the mansion.
Stopping the Wedding
Gracey and Sara meet in the ballroom. Gracey asks Sara if she remembers him, thinking she is Elizabeth. The room fills with dancing ghosts. Gracey shows his ghostly self. But Sara insists she is not Elizabeth. This makes Gracey doubt things. Ramsley still says Sara is Elizabeth. He threatens Sara's children to make her marry Gracey.
Jim drives his car through the mansion's glass room. He rescues his children and stops the wedding. He gives Elizabeth's letter to Gracey, showing Ramsley's evil plan. Gracey gets angry at Ramsley. Ramsley calls on dark spirits to attack everyone. But a fiery creature comes from the fireplace. It grabs Ramsley and pulls him away to face punishment. Gracey saves Jim from Ramsley.
A Happy Ending
Sara falls down, as Ramsley had harmed her. But the glowing light appears again. It enters Sara and is revealed to be Elizabeth's ghost! Elizabeth and Gracey finally reunite. Sara then wakes up.
With the curse lifted, Gracey gives the Evers family the deed to the mansion. He then goes to Heaven with Elizabeth, Emma, Ezra, and the other ghosts. The Evers family drives away for their vacation. Madame Leota and four singing busts they found are strapped to the back of their car.
After the movie credits, Leota says goodbye to the audience. She invites them to join the dead, just like in the Disneyland ride.
Characters in the Film
- Eddie Murphy as Jim Evers: A busy real estate agent who tries his best to be there for his family.
- Terence Stamp as Ramsley: The ghost of Gracey Manor's butler. He acts like a father figure to Master Gracey. He is later found to be Elizabeth's murderer.
- Nathaniel Parker as Master Edward Gracey: The ghost who owns Gracey Manor. He misses his lost love, Elizabeth.
- Marsha Thomason as Sara Evers: Jim's wife and business partner. She also plays Elizabeth Henshaw, Gracey's lost love who looks just like Sara.
- Jennifer Tilly as Madame Leota: The ghost of a fortune teller. Her head is in a crystal ball. She speaks in mysterious rhymes.
- Wallace Shawn as Ezra: The ghost of a clumsy footman who worries a lot.
- Dina Spybey as Emma: The ghost of a nervous but helpful maid. She seems very scared of Ramsley.
- Marc John Jefferies as Michael Evers: Jim and Sara's son. He is afraid of spiders.
- Aree Davis as Megan Evers: Jim and Sara's daughter. She is a bit impatient.
- The Dapper Dans as the voices of the Singing Busts.
- Deep Roy, Jeremy Howard, and Clay Martinez as the Hitchhiking Ghosts.
- Corey Burton as The Ghost Host (voice).
The film's main makeup artist, Rick Baker, appears as a ghost in the graveyard scene. Director Rob Minkoff's nephew also appears as a paperboy.
Home Video Releases
The movie was released on VHS and DVD on April 20, 2004. The DVD had special features. These included a look at how the movie was made. It showed how the zombies were created and how special effects were done. There was also a virtual tour of the mansion with Emma and Ezra. A deleted scene and funny outtakes were also included. The film was released on Blu-Ray disc on October 17, 2006.
