Frightening and Creepy
American Haunting is a Great Ghost Story

Good ghost stories are rare in cinema these days. Most horror films manifest monsters and maniacs rather than the subtle situations a story about spirits suggests. While An American Haunting is anything but subtle at times, it is not the horrific experiences that resonate with the audience. Rather, it is the quiet moments of a 19th century family trying to cope with the supernatural that make the most impact.

An American Haunting
Betsy Bell (Rachel Hurd-Wood) finds herself at the mercy of vengeful spirit in the historic horror story An American Haunting. (Freestyle Releasing, 2006)
Directed by: Courtney Solomon
Written by: Brent Monahan and Courtney Solomon
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Rachel Hurd-Wood, James D'Arcy, and Matthew Marsh

Rated PG-13 (for intense terror sequences and thematic material)
Running time: 91 min.

FilmGuru's Rating : 8 out of 10.

The story begins in the present day with a girl who is running from an unseen pursuer. Screaming, the girl finds herself awake and in the arms of her mother. As the girl lies down again, the mother returns to her study and reads some old letters.

The letters are written by Lucy Bell (Sissy Spacek), the former matriarch of the family. The story shifts to Tennessee in the early 19th century. John Bell (Donald Sutherland), has been accused of cheating a neighbor out of her land. Bell is convicted of usury (lending money at ridiculous interest rates) by the church. The land is returned to his neighbor, Kate Batts (Gaye Brown), but the profit he made from selling the timber is his. Batts curses him for it.

The oldest Bell child, Betsy (Rachel Hurd-Wood), has been having trouble sleeping. Strange noises and goings on have plagued her at night. Her mother tells her that she is dreaming, but it becomes clear that something unnatural is happening. Betsy continues to be more distant. Like someone sleepwalking, she seems disconnected from the world around her. Soon the entire family sees the horrific truth as Betsy is suspended in midair and slapped repeatedly by unseen hands. They try to find someone to assist them with their problem, but the local schoolteacher (James D'Arcy) plays Scully to their story and tries to find a rational explanation.

Based on a true story, An American Haunting tells the account of the Bell Witch, one of the most documented spirits in early American history and (if the publicity can be believed) the only case of a spirit being named as the cause of a man's death.

The version of the film that American audiences see is much different from the one first shown in the UK. Director Courtney Solomon recut the film after it was shown to audiences in an attempt to perfect the color design, story, and music. The end result is a film that some describe as more haunting than the original edit.

An American Haunting is an excellent tale told well. It moves from creepy one moment to frightening the next. My only problem with the film is the story set in the modern day that bookends the historic story. The audience doesn't get the complete story there (and ultimately doesn't need it). Rather than giving the story a twist, it seems like a poor attempt to set up a sequel.