Scary, scary film

Film director Robert Wise died. He must have had good genes; he lived to 91. A lot of you are probably thinking, "Who?" Well the man did nothing short of making millions and millions of us happy. He directed the "The Sound of Music" (you just read those words and see Julie Andrews twirling on that Salzburgian mountain top, don't you?) If you adjust for inflation (which I am sure you love to do in your spare time), it's the 3rd biggest moneymaker of all time after "Gone With the Wind" and "Star Wars."

Now, I understand a lot of people turn green when I mention this movie. They loathe it. The perkiness of the motherless munchkins, the idea that harmonizing can soothe a Nazi soul and chirpy, pixie-haired Julie Andrews.

But I, like millions of us around the globe, love the movie. I refuse to apologize for loving it. I admit, the Von Trapp kids get to be a bit much after the tenth viewing. What I really like about the film is you can imagine that problematic Maria and uptight Captain Von Trapp really fall in love. The film gives them time to get to know each other and change each other. Plus, I love "Do Re Mi." Anyway...I will change no one's feelings for "The Sound of Music" so I'll move on.

What I really want people to see is Wise's 1963 horror film "The Haunting." Dutch hack Jan de Bont, maker of "Twister," incompetently remade it a few years ago with Owen Wilson and Lili Taylor. De Bont thought the film needed lots of special effects to make you jump, but Wise was, well, wise enough to know you don't need to see much to be scared out of your mind. Mainly some walls shake and you hear some eeire noises as you get more and more terrified. Go out and rent it this weekend in tribute to Mr. Wise.