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THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING (2023)

Directed/Written by Dane Sears.
Starring Ted Ferguson, Timothy Morton, Audra Todd, Rich Williams, Jennifer Feldpausch, Tom Morton, Cody Clark, Stacey Gillespie

It’s Kentucky 1930 and a preacher (played by Ted Ferguson) is approached by a desperate family asking him to bless their house which they feel is haunted by haints aka unsettled ghosts. When the preacher arrives, things go from bad to worse as the house is indeed haunted and housing deep, dark secrets best left buried.

Produced by two of my favorite filmmakers Duane Graves and Justin Meeks (who were responsible for THE WILDMAN OF THE NAVIDAD, BUTCHER BOYS, and KILL OR BE KILLED), THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING starts out not like a haunted house movie, but a TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE movie. I’m not saying that there is a chainsaw wielding maniac with a taste for faces in the movie, but the way the film is shot and the palpable atmosphere that permeates THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING pays homage to the original TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE more so than I’ve seen any film do so since I’ve seen THE WILDMAN OF THE NAVIDAD. In THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING, you can feel the sticky, country heat, the flies buzzing around the actors, and the insects providing their own natural soundtrack to the film. On top of that, there are scenes that feel worn down and made with an indie feel that conveys an unnatural feel. There are scenes focusing on the moon that open and close scenes, pans and zooms that are somewhat unsteady—all giving the film a renegade feel, as if this is something made outside of the mainstream and accepting it wholeheartedly.

Like TCM, the violence in THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING is only hinted at. The film opens with a scene of absolute horror as we as the audience hear someone being assaulted in some way. While the violence is never shown, the sounds of screaming, struggle, and some kind of domestic terror is harrowing as the camera focuses on the decimated house the events most likely occurred in some time in the past. There are moments where the tormented ghost appears to the preacher and those are effectively spooky, but its these screams and hints of violence that really hits hard.

THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING is a slow burner. It basically is a story about a preacher going to a house three times, the third ending with a confrontation with a restless spirit which haunts the house. The ending feels somewhat wholesome and downright quaint. The acting is capable, but leaves a lot to be desired. But it’s the feel of THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING that really worked for me. Eventually, there will be another TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Usually, my biggest issue with these sequels is that while the chainsaws and Leatherface is there, the tone of the original is something no one seems to be able to harness. Well, the folks behind THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING have harnessed the unharnessable. It’s captured that dank, dark tone Tobe Hooper and Co did so well back then and reframed it into an intimate story about a small town haunting. From a standpoint of atmosphere and tone, THE HOPEWELL HAUNTING is a true gem.

Check out the trailer here!!