THE PARANORMAL PASTOR: Number 8: Hell House LLC (2015)

Hell House LLC gives us realistic phenomena then falls apart at the end with too many exaggerated occurrences happening all at once, by JD Hill.

This is by far one of my favorite found footage films ever. It’s one I watch at least once a year, usually around or leading up to Halloween. The plot follows a documentary crew as they travel back to the Abbadon Hotel to investigate its past tragedies. Five years ago, an unexplained malfunction at a haunted house killed fifteen people on opening night. The crew seeks answers…and what they find is spine tingling scary.

The main thing this movie gets right is how it deals with incidental evidence. Most “fake” paranormal movies show you outright what to fear. Hell House doesn’t. Everything creepy is slight and happens in the background. Figures appear off-center and out of focus. At the time, the investigators don’t notice any of it. This is often how it goes in real cases where evidence is found later during reviewing pictures or recordings.

Hell House also does a great job with the long-term exposure escalation. For example, when paranormal investigators begin, whether it be at an historical site or a residential home, things often progress slowly. Night one can start off quiet. Minor anomalies soon start to pop up that can (but not always) follow some sort of pattern formation. This can then lead to more of an escalation in phenomena. The film sticks to this blueprint. The first night there is unease over a few odd happenings. Then we notice subtle movements and environmental changes that people start to notice. Late in the film, the phenomena targets people.

Another realistic thing I like about the film is it shows the propensity for human error. What I mean by that is there are no ancient prophecies or no instant curses placed on the characters. Instead, issues start because they begin ignoring rules, moving objects, and letting their ego override their caution. They stay there despite the numerous red flags being waved at them. Investigators will tell you most bad things happen in cases where people stay too long and ignore the red flags the spirits are giving you.

Speaking of investigators, how does the film hold up when it comes to investigator psychology? What I mean by this is how realistic are the reactions of the people experiencing the phenomena? Quite convincing in my opinion. Early on, the crew putting on the haunted house are overconfident in the face of the anomalies going on and try to dismiss it. They joke and laugh to cope with what they are experiencing. By the time they acknowledge what is really happening, it’s too late. 

Now, let’s examine the phenomena presented in the film. How does it hold up? Is it realistic or over-dramatized? Much like The Medium, it’s accurate until the end. Early on and midway through the film, the phenomena are exactly what shows up in real paranormal cases. Apparitions are seen from the peripheral, disembodied voices are heard, and objects are repositioned subtly. There’s an oppressive atmosphere that gives birth to sleep disturbances as well.

            Then things fall apart in the final act. The film loses its realism when it does what so many other paranormal movies do in the latter part: too many phenomena converging at once. As I have said before, real cases do escalate, but rarely do you have multiple intense phenomena happening all at the same time. Near the end, Hell House gives us full on visual apparitions, direct attacks, group panic, and lots of environmental chaos. This is what investigators would classify as multiple case types collapsing all into one event. This is a highly uncommon occurrence. It’s worth mentioning again how rare visible full-bodied entities are in paranormal investigation. You rarely see them clearly…in person or on camera, and they almost never interact openly. In my 28 years of investigating, I have seen a full-blown apparition only once.

Also like The Medium, investigator restraints fly out the window. Early in the film we see some caution, review, and reassessment. As it progresses, we see panic, splitting up, and ignoring protocols. Real teams usually get out before this stage because escalation itself is a warning that you need to chill and be done for the time being.

Hell House steps ahead of The Medium because the insanity at the end isn’t as chaotic and cinematic. While it breaks from reality, it doesn’t go quite as far. Overall realism score for Hell House LLC is 3.3/5. If for some reason you are a horror fan and haven’t seen this movie, you need to remedy that now!

Known by his fans as “The Paranormal Pastor”, JD Hill brings a unique and original touch to the dark fiction genre. His twenty plus years in ministry have afforded him the opportunity to encounter people from all walks of life and in a myriad of situations. These experiences have leaked into his stories in numerous ways. He is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and has four children.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.