An American Haunting (2005)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Courtney Solomon

Writers:

Brent Monahan (novel)
Courtney Solomon (writer)

Release Date:

5 May 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Possession Knows No Bounds

Plot:

Based on the true events of the only case in US History where a spirit caused the death of a man.

Plot Keywords:

Haunting | Tennessee | Curse | Schoolteacher | School

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	John Bell
Sissy Spacek	...	Lucy Bell
James D'Arcy	...	Richard Powell
Rachel Hurd-Wood	...	Betsy Bell / Entity Voice
Matthew Marsh	...	James Johnston
Thom Fell	...	John Bell Jr.
Zoe Thorne	...	Theny Thorn
Gaye Brown	...	Kathe Batts
Sam Alexander	...	Joshua Gardner
Miquel Brown	...	Chloe
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Elder #1
Shauna Shim	...	Anky
Madalina Stan	...	Ethereal Girl
Philip Hurd-Wood	...	Partygoer (as Phillip Hurd-Wood)
Vlad Cruceru	...	Richard Bell (aged 6)

Also Known As:

An American Haunting - The Billwitch Story (Philippines: English title) (poster title)
Cauchemar américain (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense terror sequences and thematic material.

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

UK | Canada | Romania | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | USA:PG-13 | Finland:K-15 | Malaysia:18PL | Indonesia:Dewasa | Taiwan:R-12 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | USA:Unrated | Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

MediaPro Studios, Bucharest, Romania

Company:

Allan Zeman Productions

Trivia:

The movie is actually based on a true story. Andrew Jackson is quoted as saying, "I would rather take on the entire English Fleet than stay one night at the Bell House." He later formed a group of men to test the rumors of the Bell haunting. Their findings are documented in M. V. Ingram's 1894 book, An Authenticated History of The Famous Bell Witch. This movie was based on the book by Brent Monahan,The Bell Witch: An American Haunting the Famous Bell Witch.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In a night scene where the light from the candles and fireplace are systematically blown out, James Johnston immediately picks up his Bible and begins reading in the dark.

Quotes:

Richard Powell: This... enity... do you believe that it can read your mind?
John Bell: No. But I do believe that it can hear our conversations, that’s how it knows our every move.
Richard Powell: But it is only on this property!
[Richard raises eyebrows suggestively, showing that if they leave without saying a thing, the entity probably wouldn't know, nor follow]

Movie Connections:

References Monster (2003)

A really dreadful movie.

Based on the true story of the Bell Witch (an apparently well documented case in the US), An American Haunting is another absolute clunker from writer/director Courtney Solomon, the man who gave us the equally lamentable Dungeons and Dragons six years ago. I'm not in the habit of dishing out the lowest possible score to movies I review on IMDb, but this tedious tale of malevolent spirits is an exceptionally bad film that truly deserves a roasting.

Set in the early 1800's, the film centres around the Bells, a well-to-do Tennessee family who suffer from a series of 'terrifying' supernatural attacks after they are cursed by a local woman (believed by some to be a witch). Betsy Bell (Rachel Hurd-Wood), the youngest daughter is repeatedly targeted by the spirit; she is dragged by her hair, lifted off the floor, and slapped. Her father also suffers badly and his health deteriorates. Despite their best efforts, nothing seems to stop the awful disturbances.

After introducing the characters and establishing the basic premise, the film lapses into a succession of repetitive and not-in-the-slightest-bit-scary scenes in which Betsy is abused both physically and mentally by the 'ghost'. With risible special effects and some terrible directorial decisions (the pathetic ghostly POV is simply woeful), the film elicits more sniggers than screams.

Donald Sutherland sleepwalks his way through the role of patriarch, whilst Rachel Hurd-Wood comes off like a bargain basement Linda Blair, unable to convincingly portray the terror she is supposedly experiencing. Solomon, struggling to conjure up anything remotely creepy, chucks in a few obvious and ineffectual mechanical scares and then inadvisedly attempts a ludicrous 'twist' ending, which he completely botches.

A lot of people have criticised this film for not being true to the facts; I criticise it for being truly awful in pretty much every aspect.