The Haunting of Seacliff Inn (1994 TV Movie) User Reviews (23)

The Haunting of Seacliff Inn: More Lifetime original than Scyfy

[Platypuschow · 5/10 · 28 February 2018]

Remember when the Scyfy channel called themselves Scifi? Back in the good ol' days. Well back then they made 1 horror for every 10 scifi movies they made and this is an example of their quality.

The Haunting Of Seacliff Inn stars Ally Sheedy and tells the story of a couple of city slickers who move to small town america in order to start a guest house. Shortly into their time there strange things begin to happen and......you know the rest.

It's not a bad effort but truth be told it felt more like a Lifetime original than a Scyfy one. Full of melodrama including a cheating husband and constant bickering it's not your standard ghost themed movie.

Certainly PG rated and with nothing that would truly constitute as horror this is aimed at a certain demographic and I don't think I was it.

The Good:

Has a certain charm

Well made

The Bad:

Ally Sheedy is hit and miss as usual

Cheating antagonist, again!

Can we seriously have a horror movie where the pet doesn't die please?

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Horror pets need to join a union or something

Rather Bland Haunted House

[aesgaard41 · 4/10 · 25 January 2001]

MIGHT CONTAIN A SPOILER: I like haunted house movies, but once and awhile one comes along that actually has something new. This is not one of them. The script has the same worn-out themes of hidden rooms, mysterious deaths, kooky neighbors, weird histories and the disbelieving husband who discovers the truth in the end. A mysterious woman and a wierd dog are tagged on to the script without much of an explanation as Ally Sheedy (looking eerily like a young Kate Jackson) and her husband, William R. Moses, dump their life savings into a house that predictably burns down in the end. There is some spooky ghost behavior as a radio comes on by itself, but there is nothing scary about this movie except for some convincingly fake spirit photography.

"He tested the local pot harvest!"

[bensonmum2 · 4/10 · 25 June 2015]

A young couple buys an old house overlooking the ocean and intend to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Bui shortly after taking possession of the house, weird things start happening - a worker is electrocuted, a bathtub mysteriously overflows, a guest goes missing, and the couple's dog dies. Are these random occurrences? Or, is there something else going on? Obviously, with a name like The Haunting of Seacliff Inn, it's not hard to figure out this mystery.

While there were a few moments I enjoyed, the movie has too many problems to overcome to be called good. A predictable script, a very weak ending, very few scares, and a really lame subplot involving marital issues are just a few of the more obvious issues I had with the movie. While most of these can probably be traced to the movie's "Made for TV" origins, they are problems nonetheless. I saw some potential, but the TV limitations on budget, writing, and content were too much.

There were, however, a couple of things I liked about The Haunting of Seacliff Inn that keep it from being a disaster in my eyes. First, the cast is at least adequate. While I've seen her do better work, Ally Sheddy is decent enough in the main role. And second, I'm a sucker for a haunted house movie. They're a real weak spot with me. And while this one isn't great, I've got to give the movie a point for trying.

Yuppies came, they saw, they were vanquished by... ghosts???

[Eric-1226 · 2 November 2003]

Wonderful movie in which California yuppies, largely on a speculative whim, buy a wonderful old 19th-century mansion and attempt to turn it into a profitable bed & breakfast joint (which they name "Seacliff Inn", hence the name of the film).

Little do they realize that the old inn is infested with spirits of the past, some of whom are hell-bent on revenge and destruction.

The movie has great filming locations (Mendocino, Northern California coast), a nice "supernatural" atmosphere, lots of old-style architecture, and should be a delight to anyone who loves the California coast, antiques, old-style architecture, the sea, ghost stories, etc. etc.

Ally Sheedy's character (Susan Enright) is probably one of the most spoiled and grating female characters I've encountered in film in a long time, but thankfully her negative vibes are countered by the lovely "ghost lady", Sara, portrayed by Lucinda Weist. There's also a really scary dog in the movie, who's appearances are well-timed for shock and horror value. Louise Fletcher (remember her from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest??) also has a poignant role in the film.

Nicely done ghost story, should appeal to anyone who likes ghosts, hauntings, the supernatural. Also fun to look at around Halloween time (which is when I last saw it).

I hoping for a lot more of this movie

[atinder · 3/10 · 2 August 2013]

The Haunting of Seacliff Inn (1994)

I find this bit silly, a couple who see house that they liked but old lady still there, that night the lady is killed and is found the next day.

So they get House that quick and they want to make in a Hotel thing. Few odd thing happen at times but there to far part and that really that effecting at all and it kind of drag in some part of the movie.

Which dose make a bit boring at times and there near the last 15-20 minutes thing start to kick off again and They tried to turn a very slow movie in to a very pace movie for few minutes,

which I Don't think flowed that well with the rest of the movie at all

It was not that scary or creepy at all, it was Ghost story one or two spooky moment that really.

3 out of 10

Dull as dishwater haunted house drama.

[poolandrews · 3/10 · 28 January 2006]

The Haunting of Seacliff Inn is set on the picturesque Californian coast & starts with Susan (Ally Sheedy) & Mark Enright (William R. Moses) looking to buy some property with the idea of converting it into a seaside inn when Susan spots a beautiful old house sitting on a cliff overlooking a beach. The house is owned by Lorraine Adler (Maxine Stuart) who says that she doesn't want to sell but Susan has set her heart on it & decides to go back the following day to try & change her mind. Susan discovers Lorraines body & according to Sheriff Tomizack (Shannon Cochran) she accidentally slipped & hit her head resulting in her death. Susan & Mark buy the house of Lorraines daughter Caroline (Jay W. MacIntosh) & begin the building work required to turn the house into an inn ready for paying customers. However strange things start to happen like an electrical incident in which a workman is injured, a menacing dog keeps turning up, the gas & water are mysteriously left on & that old haunted house standby doors opening on they're own, spooky stuff eh? Susan senses something is happening, as she begins to research the house's history she finds it has a somewhat dark past that needs to be laid to rest once & for all...

Co-written & directed by Walter Klenhard I thought The Haunting of Seacliff Inn was a reasonable ghost story but was just a bit too dull for my tastes. The script by Klenhard & Tom Walla is far too pedestrian for my liking, nothing significant happens for long stretches, in fact when I think about it nothing particularly significant happens during the films entire 90 plus minute duration. It's all rather predictable, plodding & uninspiring stuff throughout. There's no real threat to anyone, nothing that dangerous or sinister happens, no-one is killed apart from Lorraine & as a whole it's more of a family ghost film. The character's are serviceable but not that likable, the break down of Mark & Susan's marriage is both predictable & awkwardly handled. The character of Sara (Lucinda Weist) the ghost is almost surplus to requirements & does nothing terribly important. The house's dark past is far from exciting & the film ends rather limply. On a positive note it tells a reasonable story competently enough if you like slow burning films such as this.

Director Klenhard films the nice Californian coast line with aplomb & the house itself makes for a nice location but otherwise the film is bland, flat & utterly forgettable so it comes as no surprise that The Haunting of Seacliff Inn was made-for-TV. Forget about any scary ghosts, any violence or anything you might be looking for in a horror film because this is one extremely tame film.

Technically the film is fine but wholly unadventurous, there's nothing particularly wrong with it but nothing particularly good about it either. Average stuff from start to finish. The acting was OK but no-ones going to win any awards for it.

The Haunting of Seacliff Inn isn't the type of film that really appeals to me as I found it far too slow & contained far too much melodramatics & not enough horror or scares. I'm sure there are people out there who may get something out of this film but it's not for me I'm afraid so as a consequence I can't in good heart recommend it.

Rather uninteresting ghost story.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 5/10 · 30 August 2005]

A young couple escape the city and purchase an old Victorian house, intending to establish a bed and breakfast inn and revitalize their troubled marriage.Little do they know,they're sharing the house with an evil ghost tortured by a shocking secret.Fear and tension build when they discover a hidden room off the attic and find clues to the horrifying history of the home's first owners."The Haunting of Seacliff Inn" is a mildly interesting old-fashioned ghost story.The film is almost never scary,albeit the wolf-like dog looks pretty creepy.The production values are great,the acting is surprisingly good,but there is not enough tension for my liking.Admittedly the female ghost is undeniably sexy,but not menacing at all.So if you want to see a truly eerie ghost story check out "The Woman in Black" instead.5 out of 10.

Shadowy spook shocker set on seacoast

[helpless_dancer · 7/10 · 1 November 2001]

Fun yet run of the mill spook film set in a haunted mansion on the beautiful California coast. It has the usual creaking doors, creepy attic, unexplained happenings, and a mean ghost. Fairly good, but I done been there and had a better time when I did.

There's one thing I don't watch

[beckaction · 4/10 · 12 May 2014]

This movie is doing okay until the dog gets killed in a gut wrenching scene. Actually I didn't like the sweet old lady dying in in a pool of blood with her eyes open in a home where she'd raised her children and grandchildren and was so happy.

But the dog...I just don't think they really needed this scene. Actually I'd seen this movie years ago and forgotten about it. The scene with the dog was the only thing that stayed with me and it hasn't left my head for decades. Just went to watch the movie again and drat - didn't know until it got to that same disturbing scene. Clicked it right off. Now it will disturb me for another 20 years.

charming, powerful, lovely

[Ruthbasilisk-1 · 7/10 · 27 February 2008]

having watched a couple of films starring Ally Sheedy recently, this one gave me a nice and relaxed evening entertainment, although it is an eerie movie by content. All characters were decent and sympathetic to me. The main characters are vital young adults in Jeans and boots. The film is also starring a beautiful wild landscape. One can almost smell the salty fresh air. Sheedys character is, although she is sensitive to the spiritual vibrations emerging, a self-confident and realistic person with good senses of humor, not whining and screaming. I don't know, why her characters have to die so often in her films. I love it, when she survives! This time she does - love is stronger than ghosts...

Flawed horror flick that leaves me wondering more about physics than about the story line

[btg-810-920456 · 3/10 · 18 March 2014]

How do these ghosts from a long time ago seem to understand how our modern day technology works-and how to use it to kill us? I have a thing about ghosts that seem to have superhuman strength. I think ghosts are scary and could possibly do things to the minds of people with active imaginations but from what we know about ghosts today, I do not see them physically assaulting people or attacking them with bludgeoning weapons.

The movie attempted to redeem itself with good horror movie music, good acting and one hell of a sexy ghost but in the end you just can't make a good ghost movie that has too much unfinished business that does not have to do with ghosts.

A simple haunted TV movie.

[OllieSuave-007 · 6/10 · 23 July 2018]

This is a simple TV horror movie, with the generic script of a haunted house - young couple converts an old house into a bed and breakfast, but their plans are hindered with strange events in the building and in the surrounding areas.

The acting was OK and the plot's pacing was steady, with smacks of thrills and suspense here and there, but nothing that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Too many sappy moments between the two character leads, which takes away from the horror element of the movie.

Overall, an average TV horror flick.

Grade C+

Spooky!!!!

[selwitelsd · 3 July 2002]

Excellent plotline and terrific acting jobs by Ally Sheedy (Susan Enright), and William R. Moses (Mark Enright). Chilling story about a couple who buy an old Victorian mansion and turn it into a bed and breakfast. They leave their jobs in San Fransisco to save their marriage, but upon buying this house, they get more than they bargained for! Someone or something wants them out of the house and big black doggie isn't any help! This film is chilling!

Haunting TV ghost flick on the magnificent shores of Northern California

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 15 July 2015]

Released to TV in 1994, "The Haunting of Seacliff Inn" stars Ally Sheedy and William R. Moses as a couple who move to coastal Northern California to start a bed & breakfast after purchasing an old mansion. Curious things start to happen as they discover their new abode to be haunted. Lucinda Weist plays their alluring first guest while Maxine Stuart plays a New Agey neighbor. James Horan is also on hand.

While this is a TV movie (USA), the production values are quite good, particularly the stunning coastal locations. The first 35 minutes are pretty routine, but things pick up when the couple receive their first guest, a mysterious writer (Weist). From there the story's compelling to the end. The subplot about the couple's troubled marriage is well done: The husband had an affair back in San Francisco and it simply takes time & attention to win trust back, which is hard to do when there's a ravishing half-naked brunette hanging around. Will they stay together?

This is more of a haunting ghost movie than horror flick. So don't expect hardcore horror and all that goes with it. If you enjoy movies like "The Fog" or "The Amityville Horror," particularly the remakes, you'll probably like "The Haunting of Seacliff Inn."

The movie runs 94 minutes and was shot in Mendocino and Adolpho Camarillo Ranch, California.

GRADE: B

EXPLANATION ***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further unless you've seen the movie)

Sara Warner (Weist) returned from the dead likely at the behest of the male ghost doing the actual haunting, Jeremiah Hastings. Her mission was to seduce the husband, Mark, away from his wife, with the intent of breaking up their marriage. The husband, however, finds the moral strength to resist and rejects Sara. Her purpose thwarted she simply returns to the dead. She committed suicide in 1882 by drowning herself at the beach so that's where she goes. Now Hastings takes matters into his own hands.

Scary (not)

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 23 January 2023]

No pun intended - I do wonder sometimes how titles are being thought of. Or maybe I should just read more about the movies I ... no I won't do that. But if you come into this, thinking this is proper horror ... well you will be quite dissapointed. Be aware that this is more like a drama, with some ... well spooky moments, then you will be fine.

It has quite the interesting cast. Especially if you watch it knowing quite a few of the cast members. They grow up so fast, don't they? If the ghosts don't come to get them that is - no pun intended again. The story is well told and there is some love in the air ... well amongst other things of course. Pacing is a bit slow, even though the movie is not that long ...

LUCINDA WEIST WAS A SEXY GHOST!!

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 21 August 2003]

This film kept me guessing throughout the entire picture, the photography and location was simply beautiful. Ally Sheedy(Susan Enright) "A Good Night to Die"'03 and William R. Moses(Mark Enright)"The Painting" '02 picked out a very old beautiful Victorian Home with a hidden Widows Watch room with all kinds of treasures from the past history of the occupants. Susan and Mark wanted to start a nice BED & BREAKFAST and have a new start in life after Mark had an affair and they were drifting apart as husband and wife. The home is also occupied by spirits who are troubled and wish to do the same to Susan & Mark. Lucinda Weist(Sara Warner)"Net Worth",is really a mistress Ghost from the past and tries to capture Mark's heart and soul with very tempting scenes. Sara finally decides to take a nice swim into the ocean and leaving plenty of questions unanswered. Veteran actress, Louise Fletcher," One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,'75 tires to help Susan cope with all the mysterious things that happen in this mysterious lovely haunted B&B!!!!

Hauntingly Good!

[say1978 · 26 October 2001]

The Haunting of Sea Cliff Inn, I've got two words for you, WATCH IT! Ally Sheedy stars as Susan, a television producer who has decided, with her husband, a big-time photographer, to take some time off, move north and start a bed and breakfast. Susan, Ally Sheedy, spots a house on a cliff and is drawn to it, but too bad it's not for sale. At least not until the old woman living there dies there, mysteriously the very night that Susan voices her desire to own it. Her wish is granted and she and her husband move in several months later. While readying the house for paying guests strange things begin to happen and Susan gets weird feelings that someone is watching. A "boarder" shows up mysteriously and vanishes one night just as mysteriously. A mean dog prowls the night, busting through the large glass window in the office almost killing Susan's unbelieving husband. It isn't until after they've had a big fight and Susan's husband has accepted a job in the city that he begins to believe her, the picture with a man standing in the background was helpful too. So Susan is tied to the house after all and he knows that he only has a matter of time before something awful happens and he loses his wife forever. I'm not giving away the ending, it's up to you to find this movie on and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

spooky and chilling

[kirk_bones · 8/10 · 27 January 2006]

For a PG rated film made for television this is spooky and very chilling movie. A couple of yuppies want to move away from the rat race and open an inn,bed and breakfast to us English.They find the perfect house but it has a problem,there is an old lady living there.The old lady suddenly dies mysteriously and so they buy the house. At the start of the film when the old lady's radio and TV turn on mysteriously ,you get the feeling that something or someone also occupies the old house. The couple,Ally Sheedy and William R Moses,move in and start renovating the house quite happily and then things start to happen.An electrician,working on the house gets electrocuted,log fires start to go out suddenly and they encounter an evil black dog.Add to this mixture an attractive lodger who vanishes and a wind blowing in the attic during an intimate moment and you have the makings of a classic ghost story. The thing i really liked about this film were the camera angles and long distance shots that give you the feeling that you are seeing things through the eyes of the entity. This film did have a few potholes .The biggest one being that you never find out why the lodger suddenly appeared then vanished and what her purpose for turning up was in the first place. On the spookiness scale I definitely give this film 10/10. Overall I give this film 8/10 due to the fact that I thought the ending was a bit weak. That being said,if you want a film that sends a few chills up your spine and brings you out in goosebumps then take a look at this one.I promise you wont be disappointed.

Creepy!!!!!!!!!!!

[ADORA · 10/10 · 6 April 1999]

Boy this one really gave me chills! Don't watch it by yourself! When you do see it watch out for the dog he is eeeevil!

Pretty Good Ghost Story

[ladymidath · 8/10 · 24 January 2023]

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for these kinds of ghost stories. Genuinely.scary stories that rely on acting and a good story rather than endless jump scares or unnecessary gore. Ally Sheedy and William R Moses are fine as the Enrights, a married couple who decide to open a B&B in Mendocino. They find a beautiful old house and that's when the haunting starts.

It's always a joy to see the late Louise Fletcher, and she is great here. The rest of the cast are fine, with Lucinda Weist as Sara Warner really standing out.

This is pretty much a Lifetime horror movie, but that's fine, they have made some pretty good one the last few years. This is a movie you can curl up under your favourite comforter and enjoy.

Interesting.....

[Velvet Rose · 21 October 2000]

I like just about any kind of ghost movie, so of course I liked this one, but I can think of a few better ones that I've seen. I would definetley reccomend it to anyone, but I did not really understand the importance of "Sarah Warner", except for to add a ghostly chill and mysteriousness. If you haven't seen it, I would, but bring some tissues, because there are a few sad moments in it! ~Velvet Rose~