Like others on this site have been saying, it seems as though the entire cast and crew were in desperate need of a paycheck, and released 'An American Haunting' just in time to cash-in on the current witch revival that has been flooding through horror movies for the last ten years or so.
Donald Sutherland does an acceptable job, but he really does just seem bored to death the entire time. Sissy Spacek hardly speaks throughout the entire film, and it seems like she is just there to have in the background and to have her name on the poster. The imagery is nice, and the art direction is well-done, but the horror scenes are just dismally boring and over-played. I don't know how many times we see doors slam shut, blankets pulled to the floor, windows thrown open for no reason, seeing things that aren't there, it's like every abominable horror cliché is thrown at you five or more times before you notice that nothing has really happened. The ending of the movie is just absolutely ridiculous, and is really the worst thing about the entire film. I hope to god that someone does the story of the Bell Witch justice one day and gives us an actual horror movie, because 'An American Haunting' views like a cheap, quick way to make a couple dollars.
AN American HAUNTING ----6/10
(Why can't I capitalize the entire word American, hmmm IMDb???)
Donald Sutherland does an acceptable job, but he really does just seem bored to death the entire time. Sissy Spacek hardly speaks throughout the entire film, and it seems like she is just there to have in the background and to have her name on the poster. The imagery is nice, and the art direction is well-done, but the horror scenes are just dismally boring and over-played. I don't know how many times we see doors slam shut, blankets pulled to the floor, windows thrown open for no reason, seeing things that aren't there, it's like every abominable horror cliché is thrown at you five or more times before you notice that nothing has really happened. The ending of the movie is just absolutely ridiculous, and is really the worst thing about the entire film. I hope to god that someone does the story of the Bell Witch justice one day and gives us an actual horror movie, because 'An American Haunting' views like a cheap, quick way to make a couple dollars.
AN American HAUNTING ----6/10
(Why can't I capitalize the entire word American, hmmm IMDb???)