Full Circle (aka The Haunting Of Julia) (1977)

After losing her daughter (Sophie Ward) in a tragic accident, her mother (Mia Farrow) has a nervous breakdown. After her recovery, she leaves her emotionally cold husband (Keir Dullea) and moves into a new house. But something horrible happened in that house many years ago and the evil is still present. Based on the novel JULIA by Peter Straub (GHOST STORY) and directed by Richard Loncraine (MY HOUSE IN UMBRIA). A ghost story rich in atmosphere that plays out more like a mystery than a horror film though it is that, too. Straub's books are difficult to adapt for the screen and this is the only novel besides GHOST STORY (1981) that have made the transition to the screen to date. There have been some changes from the novel: the film's Julia is more innocent than the Julia of the book, a major (and wicked) character who survives in the book is killed off in the movie, etc. There are no jump scares which might bother some die hard horror movie fans but Loncraine provides an atmosphere of dread and an unsettling mood which works for me! A strong central performance by Farrow clinches it. A perfect example of an arthouse horror film. With Tom Conti, Jill Bennett, Cathleen Nesbitt, Robin Gammell and Nigel Havers.