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The movie begins with all the makings of any good horror. Scenes like running and stumbling through the woods, nightmares, etc. It soons takes you back in time to early 1800's Tennessee. The actors, period costumes and scenery are suprisingly realistic. Sissy Spack performs like the star she as as John Bell's wife Lucy. Patriarch John Bell is played by Donald Sutherland. John's sins get him excommunicated from the church and brings a curse upon the Bell family. Shortly afterwards, angel faced daughter Betsy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) is tormented, attacked and physically abused by an unseen entity. Based on the Bell Witch legend of Tennessee, the tale itself is haunting enough, but an unexpected twist leaves viewers in unbelievable and gut wrenching horror as we are brought back into modern times. Not the standard horror flick but a genuine, thought provoking, shocker whose gut wrenching effects stay with you long after the movie has ended.Read full review
This movie was a really good ghost story, has a really cool ending to it, but it scares up a fw chills. It isn't really scary, but it's just one of those movies to watch. It's not as scary as The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a movie I think you would like if you liked this movie. The acting in it is really good, but what really got me was the scenery. I really like how it looked back in the colonial days and they did a really good job of putting that all together. The story plot is overall good. I would recommend this to you if you like ghost tales and horror with no gore. If you liked Exorcism of Emily Rose, When A Stranger Calls, and Darkness Falls, you will probobly like this. I hope you enjoy! Jordan Overall grade* B-
An American Haunting (2006) A decent movie, with a nice plot twist at the end that makes the entire movie worth while. The only problem I had with this film was the fact that it has several long periods where absolutely nothing happens. You'll find yourself reaching for the fast forward button more than once, but I urge you not to, you might miss something important. It has all the makings of a scary movie, the tense atmosphere, the music, the creepy noises, and so on. And when it's actually doing something it is creepy, I just wish that the movie would choose a pace and stay with it. Final Verdict: 3/5 Rent or Buy?: Even if you're a huge horror fan, this movie just isn't good enough to buy. However, don't listen to people who say it's not worth watching once, the ending is well worth the price of admission, and will have you cringing in terror for days.Read full review
Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek star in An American Haunting, a visually beautiful movie that could have used more punch in the thrill department. It is based on a true story - apparently the only record of a haunting ever killing a man, but even with the hollywood special effects, you'll find yourself fast forwarding through several lulls. I did appreciate the effort to recreate the early 1800's in costume and setting. But I was disappointed that Sissy Spacek's role was weak and undeveloped. Donald Sutherland's role was much stronger, of course and well acted. Rachel Hurd-Wood's performance as the daughter was believable but the viewer is continually waiting for the shadowy entity to appear. It would have been a much better movie for me if there were no allusions to child abuse. If you're a horror-addict you should definitely purchase it. If you're only a casual observer of the horror realm, I'd suggest The Exorcism of Emily Rose as the better choice in this category of 2006 horror DVDs.Read full review
The principle reason anyone would want to tell this story is that it is the supposedly the only early governmental documented case of a true haunting in America. Andrew Jackson himself came down from Nashville to investigate these claims and had been reported to have said that he could face 20 regiments of the Northern flanks himself, but said he would never stay in the Bell House again. Doing a slight bit of history might help trying to understand the direction of this movie. Just knowing there have been over 20 books written about the Bell Witch of Red River, TN helps to give this movie some integrity. The Town in Tennessee is now called Adams, where they are well famous from the telling of this story. This story was perhaps told as truth throughout the years, and came from hearsay and old wife's tale long before any of us were ever born, but there story had given much rise to actual proof of this haunting. Usually, on hauntings, PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. Being born of fear, this story takes place on a the backdrop of a time well forgotten and looked upon as just plain archaic. The Tennessee Red River community set in the early 1800s. We all are wondering where the movie might take us, however, the movie starts off under a modern day premise of an old doll and journal found in an attic in Boston and then flashes back to a time we are not yet familiar with. A dream of a contemporary teen-age girl whisks us back to a family trying to forge their way into their own lives and make better than the other town-folks they seem to so carefully care about. This GOD fearing community takes pride in their own dignity and struggle to overcome the daily obstacles. Yes as time passes, we learn that family is not all as it seems. The director takes very strong charge of telling the story and getting us used to characters, almost forcing us to care for their present problems and situations. After this, the haunting begins and culminates onto the screen as a fiendish reminder of how these people have no actual control over their own life, liberty, and (property) the pursuit of happiness. The cinematography is excellent, almost tin-type color of drab displaying a spooky, creepy feeling throughout the entire film. Spacek, Southerland, and the young girl all play wonderfully in their family spots and the son shows much courage and concern. The spirit that haunts this family and household will have you on the edge of your bed. Critically speaking, I'm not quite sure happened here to the script, but many scenes that made it to the unrated version and theatrical version may have wound up on the cutting room floor. As we may not gather on first viewing, we find that the around chapter 17 or so, that the father seems cursed more than others. Donald Southerland's character seems tortured by his on failures. It seems that, if you go back to the deleted scenes on this disc, you will find 3 to 5 alternate versions of the end to this movie which seem to point to Mr. Bel's as the culprit to these spiritual hauntings. It seems that alternate endings point more closely to the cause by zeroing in on an incestuous occurrence between Betsy and her father forced upon her by her father. Two alternate clips make this much more clear in an Ending labeled 15 years later in which the story unravels in the Young Schoolteacher's dream. 4/5 IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEWS PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO VOTE. CHECK OUT MY OTHER MOVIE REVIEWS IF YOU HAVE SOME TIME TO DO SO.Read full review
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