13 Nights of Hallowe'en 2010: Night #13 The Haunting In Connecticut

Ah! It's Hallowe'en! I hope it's red 'n' black, and slimy green for you. As always I have left the best movie for last. The Haunting InConnecticut is another movie based on a true story. Up until the haunting really shifts into high gear the story is fairly close to the original incidents. I was thrilled when I found out they were making this movie, and even more so when I watched the movie and saw what they had done. Let's start with our star Kyle Gallner. You may have seen him in Jennifer's Body and the Nightmare on Elm Street remake. He just makes this movie so much more. I wouldn't sneeze at Virginia Madsen either. She's been in Candyman, The Haunting, and The Prophecy. The rest of the notable actors in the movie's family include Amanda Crew from Final Destination 3 and Martin Donovan from Insomnia (2002) or on TV in Ghost Whisperer or Masters of Horror (2007).

A last mention on cast is the helpful reverend played by Elias Koteas who was also in The Prophecy with Madsen; otherwise you mightrecall him from Lost Souls, The Fourth Kind, Shutter Island or Let Me In (2010), or if you're really sharp in a small role in Apt Pupil. There is something I have to gush about in Haunting In Connecticut and it is one word... ectoplasm! It's right there on the cover. We're not talking green slime here, we're talking something much more textbook, and I for one love it. It's the icing on a very cool cake. Now, for those of you who don't know, this is a movie about a mother who moves her family into a house that was formerly a mortuary because the house is close to the hospital where her one son is undergoing an experimental cancer treatment. The place is haunted, but the how and why is all of the fun. Enjoy, and Happy Hallowe'en!

Mood: festive.

Music: This Is Halloween by Danny Elfman. MP3s

13 Nights of Hallowe'en 2010: Night #10 The Amityville Horror (2005)

As Hallowe'en draws near and the movies become about bigger, more spectacular, and more infamous hauntings on film. The AmityvilleHorror is probably the most talked about haunting on this continent popularised by the novel, original movie with several sequels, and now this recent remake. Scott Kosar wrote this Amityville Horror screenplay--also The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Crazies remakes. Amityville is one of the Platinum Dunes remakes. It stars Ryan Reynolds, and Melissa George who you may remember from Turistas and 30 Days of Night. They buy a house that is priced within their means because the previous family was murdered in it. Notable playing the role of one of Melissa's boys is Jesse James who definitely stood out in The Butterfly Effect. The priest in this remake is played by Philip Baker Hall from Lost Souls.

There is one scene in this movie that I want nothing more than to tell you about, but it would be such a spoiler. I almost hate tomention that it involves the character played by Rachel Nichols from the short-lived TV show The Inside, also from 2005, and a year later the movie The Woods. As a remake this movie draws comparison to the original, and a certain amount of ire. I'm a fan of this and the original. This one does it's own thing in some cases. It involves some aspects that are hinted at in the novel that weren't an issue in the original movie. It drops some aspects and scenes from both progenitors. Some of the changes could be interesting to see pursued in a sequel, though I have not heard anything about a sequel to this movie. You can save it for another night, but I thought the commentary track did a good job of explaining some parts that seemed a bit random.

Mood: excitable.

Music: This House is Haunted by Alice Cooper. MP3s

13 Nights of Hallowe'en 2010: Night #9 An American Haunting (director's cut)

Last night we had a pretty scary haunting movie. Well get ready for a much more impressive haunting. I won't mislead you, this is more of ahorror movie, which I think to a degree lessens the scares, but your mileage may vary. An American Haunting is loosely based on the real life haunting of John and Lucy Bell, played by Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek. The true story is one of the more infamous hauntings and fairly well documented given the time frame. The ghost was referred to as the Bell Witch. In 1819 General Jackson--yes later President Andrew Jackson--was even witness to the handiwork of the witch. Of course that isn't a part of the movie but wow, a U.S. president with an account of not only a ghost but a ghost witch. For reference as the title says I'm going with the director's cut. I cannot speak to the theatrical version.

Rounding out the cast is Rachel Hurd-Wood as the daughter Betsy Bell, and James D'Arcy who appeared in Exorcist: The Beginning (released just the year before)--that was the good prequel with the doctor and the hyenas--as the local schoolteacher. The general premise is that John Bell's house is haunted shortly after a land dispute with a woman considered by many to be a witch--FYI the witch woman had died before the real historical haunting. Betsy receives the worst of the torment from the very active ghost. The movie also opens and closes with scenes from the modern day. These scenes are a point of contention among some viewers. They are part of a small secondary plot added to the movie--at least I'd never heard it conjectured of the real story--which in itself sits unwell with some fans. I don't let it detract from the rest of this movie.

Just a final FYI, the real Bell Witch was frequently referred to as a poltergeist even though it spoke, among other vocal things, claimed the identity of the dead woman, and acted more intelligently, not to mention maliciously.

Mood: eager.

Music: Wake The Dead by Alice Cooper. MP3s