Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15270 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-09-10
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

DVD Description
Based on true events that took place in Tennessee during the 1800s, An American Haunting tells the story of the only documented case in U.S. history (validated by the State of Tennessee) in which a spirit caused a person's death. With over 20 books written on the subject, and a town that still lives in fear of the spirits' return, the story is terrifying.

Synopsis
Based on the book AN AMERICAN HAUNTING by Brent Monahan, this horror movie details a ghost story dating back to 1817 Tennessee. Inspired by manuscripts documenting the only spirit-caused death in U.S. history, the film stars accomplished actors Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland as the mother and father of Betsy Bell (Rachel Hurd-Wood), an adolescent girl tormented by a mysterious spirit haunting the Bell family home. The spirit is thought to have been sent by Mrs. Batts, a witchlike neighbour who--after having a bitter dispute over property rights with Betsy’s father, John Bell--put a curse on John and his daughter. Even though John Bell was the one at fault, it is his daughter who bears the heaviest burden of this spell, being thrown about her room nightly, slapped, and even sexually abused by the mystical force in question. Most of the film takes place in the home, where Betsy’s parents, a local priest, and a local schoolteacher (with whom she has a flirtatious relationship) try their best to exorcise the demon away. While the film never fully explains what the spirit is or where it came from, it does propose one disturbing theory near the end that involves the nature of young female sexuality, echoing the theme of CARRIE, which also starred Sissy Spacek. But this theme is only vaguely hinted at as the story unravels.

Customer Reviews

Solid atmospheric ghost story that never lets up...
In An American Haunting, a heavily stylistic gothic mode piece, things really do go bump in the night. Well, not so much bump, but more like thrashing around. Along with banging noises in the attic, slamming doors and windows, spinning clocks, shaking beds, rabid beasts, disappearing children, the movie offers up a barrage of sights and sounds and spooky shocks.

Heavy on the atmosphere, An American Haunting is supposedly a true story of the Bell Witch incident of 1818-21, which is supposed the most documented paranormal event in America and the only case that officially attributed a man's death to a spirit. The film uses a present-day framing device in which an adolescent girl is haunted by nightmares of an invisible intruder after discovering an old journal, an ancient doll and an equally ancient letter.

When her mother starts reading the journal, the film flashes back to the early 1800's where the Bell family of Tennessee is in a spot of bother. Up until now, Mr. Bell (Donald Sutherland) has been a respected figure in the community but it seems that he has charged a certain Kate Batts (Gaye Brown) 20% interest on a loan and then used her failure to pay, to take the land he was renting from her.

The court offers a kind of quasi-religious judgment saying it was usury, but when the judges don't exact enough punishment, Batt's puts a curse on Bell and his beautiful teenage daughter Betsy (Rachel Hurd-Wood). It doesn't take long for spirits to appear and what starts out as something sounding like squirrels banging in the attic turns into a full-blown poltergeist as Betsy's covers are pulled off her bed and she's thrust around her bedroom hanging from her hair and smacked across the face.

Whilst Betsy's father gradually deteriorates, falling ill, and seems resigned to his fate, is wife Lucy Mother Lucy (Sissy Spacek) and son John Jr. (Thom Fell) are really concerned, but haven't a clue what to do. Documenting the unsettling events in his journal is Betsy's initially skeptical teacher (James D'Arcy), whose attraction to the girl is encouraged by Lucy for grim reasons made clear in the film's final moments.

The performances are all strong, especially from veterans Sutherland and Spacek, and the revelation when it comes is actually quite a surprise. The pacing is tight and the period detail and the sense of time and place is beautifully wraught. Pulse-quickening elements abound, from cinematographer Adrian Biddle's circular camerawork, in wintry Bucharest and Montreal locations, to the dynamic sound design and Caine Davidson's all-enveloping musical score.

Some may find the episodes where Betsy is being tossed around in her bed, dragged across the floor, held suspended in midair and slapped by an invisible entity, a bit silly. And there's a real question mark over how much of these events are actually true and how much has been embellished for the film.

Still, the movie manages to boast a gothic visual atmosphere that's quite appropriate for this type of story. Those eerie forests, dimly lit rooms, washed-out dreamscapes, and dark rainy nights really give you a creepy feeling and really help perpetuate the foreboding ambience that something is not quite right at Bell House.

Somewhat of a missed opportunity....but not bad
Must first of all say I disagree strongly with the first two reviews written for this DVD. This is a rather good film, however the story telling suffers a bit. I found myself thinking this is just another haunted house-story and I couldn't quite see where it was leading, or how the two stories in the film were connected. In fact I was tempted giving up on the film several times but didn't much due to to the superb acting of Sissy Spoacek and Donald Sutherland, who as always throw in a solid performance. However seeing the ending of this film made it all worth the while. It has one of those twists that make you see the film in a brand new light. For this very reason the film turns out to be a very interesting one, standing out from your average horror film. However I still feel the film is a bit of a missed opportunity due to the first 3/4 of the film. All things considered not a bad film but could have been so much better. There is a lot more potential in this story.

A good spooky film
The reviews this has got so far is wrong because this is a good film. It's got a good storyline and a good twist at he end. It might not be a masterpeice but its not trying to be its a film to watch at night and get spooked. If you love a ghost film then this will be for you.