The Hopewell Haunting (2007)

-Review by Nic Brown-

There is something creepy about an old, decrepit, abandoned house. The empty windows staring out at passersby like the eyes of a skull. The unkempt vegetation around the structure, hiding who knows what from view. They all add up to create an ominous atmosphere. Many a scary story has started with just such a setting, including Dane Sears’ short film: THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING.

THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING is done in the style of a short documentary that centers on an audio recording from the 1950’s. The recording is of an old rural Kentucky preacher (Tim Burch) talking about his experience decades earlier in the town of Hopewell, KY. The residents asked him to investigate an abandoned house that stands alone in a field. The house had a reputation for strange occurrences and the locals feared it.

The preacher, trusting in God, enters the home and spends the night there to see what he can discover. At first, there seems to be nothing out of the ordinary, (except for the fact that the last residents left behind their furniture when they “departed”). However, things quickly change and the priest is confronted with several strange events even before the sun has set. Once the sun goes down, the haunting becomes even more apparent as a restless spirit makes contact with the man of God, seeking his help.

THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING is a scary little short film. Part of the reason this film works is because of the style Sears chose to use for the feature. The entire film is shot as a ‘dramatic reenactment’ with little audio of its own. Instead the film relies mostly on the preacher's narration of the events (read by Adam Morton, co-writer & FX/makeup) from the taped interview. This allows the viewer to be given quick insight into the scenes while they are going on as the preacher explains what we are seeing. Imaginative cinematography and lighting also work to create a tense atmosphere as the viewer waits to see what is making the noises in the cellar and opening doors. In one particularly effective scene, Sears uses shadows and faint lighting to allow the viewer to feel what the preacher feels as he stares into the dark, open cellar door. Is there a figure standing there just in the shadows or is it nothing but a trick of the light?

THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING is a well crafted short film. There are a few ‘jump out of your seat’ type scares, but mostly it depends on building anticipation within the audience. Despite being a short film and not having much of a budget, there are some good special effects for the ghost and the well chosen locations add to the film’s creepy feel. Although the film does contain a few small logical gaps in it, such as the electricity still working in an old, abandoned, rural Kentucky home, these are easily ignored thanks to the engrossing story. Also worth noting is the musical score, which works well with the scratching voice over recording to enhance the film’s believability. In fact, it would be easy for this to pass as a legitimate documentary about a supernatural occurrence, rather than a work of fiction. So check out THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING, it may be a short film, but it makes a big impression.

www.quickhillfilms.com/hopewellhaunting