A Haunting in Connecticut

Zoombie

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But do you know what my complaint about it is?

Its billing itself as "based off a true story"

Yeah.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT.
 

mscelina

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But do you know what my complaint about it is?

Its billing itself as "based off a true story"

Yeah.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT.

and how do you know that it's not? hmmm? where you there? did you live in the house?

It's very easy to attach your personal belief systems onto people you don't even know and make the assumption that they are liars. Of course, that's not necessarily the nice thing to do, now is it?

I've read several accounts of this story and seen the Discovery Channel show about it too. The family involved seemed like very nice, very sincere people who were also dealing with the serious illness of their son (cancer) at the time these events allegedly took place. Tarring them with the bulls*it brush seems a little harsh to me.

But yeah, the movie looks hokey to me. It's a wait for the DVD movie in my world.
 

Zoombie

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I'm a skeptic. That's my job.

Till someone proves that ghosts are real, I'm going to suggest that there might be a more rational explanation for everything that happened.

But rational explanations just don't make nearly as entertaining movies.

I have no ill wind to the family...something weird happened during a horrible time in their life...and now a bunch of media vultures are making a fat profit off of it.

I don't know about you, but that strikes me as unethical at best.
 

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I'm actually disappointed by the reception its getting. I love a good haunted house story and I thought the trailer for this one was looking very promising. Standard horror movie fare, for sure, but if it's done well, I'm all for it.

As it is, I still might go see it. I really like Elias Koteas and Virginia Madsen.
 

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I have no ill wind to the family...something weird happened during a horrible time in their life...and now a bunch of media vultures are making a fat profit off of it.
Actually, if you read the account of Ray Garton, the guy who wrote the book, it's likely the family getting a fat profit off a very iffy story. It's not even clear if the boy had cancer or was just a punk with drug and attitude problems.

Still, that doesn't mean their fiction couldn't make a fun scary movie.
 

Zoombie

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And people wonder why I'm a skeptic!

Jeeze...at least it could make a nice movie, though I am not a fan of "haunting films".

If I were ever in them, I'd just burn the house down. Cause...fire is pretty...
 

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Celia Cyanide

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I'm a skeptic. That's my job.

Till someone proves that ghosts are real, I'm going to suggest that there might be a more rational explanation for everything that happened.

It isn't really a "more rational" explanation. It's just a different one. In the case of this particular haunting, it was probably not very true, considering it was investigated by the same paranormal researchers as the Amityville House. But people believe in all kinds of things without proof that they exist. It's only irrational to believe in something that has been proven false.

Having said all of that, I caught a free preview screening on Wednesday with Lantern Jack, and we thought it was an entertaining little horror movie. Much better than what Hollywood has been putting out lately. The actor who played the son was quite good. We read some of the negative reviews, and I have to say I think some of them disliked the film because they were annoyed by the fact that it isn't really true. One thing about it, though...it isn't really a "true story," but its characters were based on real people. This made the characters much more interesting that many Hollywood horror movies. They weren't stock characters. I liked it.
 

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Well, good!

I just wish they'd downplay the supposed base in real life and just play it as entertainment.
 

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We read some of the negative reviews, and I have to say I think some of them disliked the film because they were annoyed by the fact that it isn't really true
I have to say that did take some of the sparkle off Fargo for me. When I found out the Cohen brothers just put the claim of 'everything but the names is true' claim just for giggles, I was most annoyed.

But with this one, at least I know in advance.
 

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I don't know guys, I'm just back from seeing this and I thought it was quite good. The two lead actors were excellent, especially Kyle Gallner who I don't recall seeing before, but look forward to finding out what else he can do. It did a couple of things so much better than most haunted house stories, if it doesn't bother you that it wasn't a 'true story'.

The usual first hurdle in a haunted house story, once you've found an audience willing to check most of their disbelief at the door, is the problem of why in the hell would the characters stay through more than about ten minutes of the fun house terror? 'The Haunting in Connecticut' takes care of this admirably. It cuts the oh-come-on factor by 90%. That's an achievement.

And the second thing is the boo tactics. Most horror and suspense fans have run out of tolerance for random cats jumping out to scare the shit out of you for no good reason. This film employs an interesting slant on that. There's enough obvious lead-in to a scare that when the jump-out-and-getcha moment comes, it's to goose the characters, not the audience. So you still get to flinch in your seat, but you don't feel like an ass for having done it. You don't get the impression this director had a great disdain for his patrons.

I haven't seen as good a horror flick in the theatres since I don't know when. Your mileage may vary, but don't write it off on general principles.
 
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brainstorm77

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They covered this story on the show A Haunting on The Discovery Channel.
 

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I can't wait to see it. Whether it's true, partially true or total bull, I don't care. I just want a movie that scares me a little. :)
 

Lyra Jean

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I love the show A Haunting. I seen this one. The woman must have changed her mind about knowing that it was a former funeral home cause in "A Haunting" she said she knew it was. Unlike what she said in "A Current Events" clip.

When I watch "A Haunting" I tend to believe that what the people are going through believe it is real. Whether it is real or not is up for debate. The Amityville Horror researchers have been on a couple of "A Haunting" and I think it's their attachment to "The Amityville Horror" that I really don't believe in what they say.

I have learned how to cleanse a house of spirits. Sage stick anyone? I'm going to watch the movie but due to money will probably wait for it on Netflix.
 

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I live in CT, so the local news ran a story on the house when the movie aired. They said there's a big controversy as to whether or not the family made the whole thing up, and that the family living in the house now has never had any problems.

I have no opinion either way. Certain things I don't question.
 

brainstorm77

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I love the show A Haunting. I seen this one. The woman must have changed her mind about knowing that it was a former funeral home cause in "A Haunting" she said she knew it was. Unlike what she said in "A Current Events" clip.

When I watch "A Haunting" I tend to believe that what the people are going through believe it is real. Whether it is real or not is up for debate. The Amityville Horror researchers have been on a couple of "A Haunting" and I think it's their attachment to "The Amityville Horror" that I really don't believe in what they say.

I have learned how to cleanse a house of spirits. Sage stick anyone? I'm going to watch the movie but due to money will probably wait for it on Netflix.

Bump the story changes up to dramatic effect :)
 

kristie911

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The Amityville Horror researchers have been on a couple of "A Haunting" and I think it's their attachment to "The Amityville Horror" that I really don't believe in what they say.

Ed and Lorraine Warren (he died a couple years ago, I believe) were considered in the paranormal community to be leading experts in the field of demonology. She is still fairly active as far as I know, though she's getting up there in age.

Doesn't mean you have to believe them. :D But they are highly regarded in paranormal circles.

Of course, if you don't believe in any of this stuff...I guess that wouldn't matter. :)
 

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For some reason, putting that 'veneer of truth' on a fictional story makes it waaaaay scarier for me than it would be otherwise. Even if I can repeatedly tell myself rationally that a story is made up, if it's presented as 'Real Stuff That Really Happened', it freaks me out, despite the fact that I don't really believe in people or places being haunted.

That said, half the bus stations in LA have a DISGUSTING poster of the kid from the movie barfing some enormous grotesque flower and I have to say it's put me off the film. Nothing takes the shine of eating takeout in the car on the way home from work like a huge poster of fantasy-horror movie vomit.
 

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Ed and Lorraine Warren (he died a couple years ago, I believe) were considered in the paranormal community to be leading experts in the field of demonology. She is still fairly active as far as I know, though she's getting up there in age.

Doesn't mean you have to believe them. :D But they are highly regarded in paranormal circles.

Of course, if you don't believe in any of this stuff...I guess that wouldn't matter. :)

I do believe in Ghosts and the paranormal. I did not know that they were highly regarded in paranormal circles though. I haven't really delved into the community or such. I'll reconsider my opinion.
 

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I am not sure whether or not the story is true or not. From what I have seen in documentaries / read in the papers and on the net it sounds iffy to me but hey, who knows right?

I do want to see the movie however for two reasons.
1)It was filmed in the city I live in :D
2)Several people I know are in it. A friend of mine's children (twins) play ghostly children and some other local actors as well so I would like to see it more in support of them.
 

justme

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Ed and Lorraine receive mixed reviews within the paranormal community. Lorraine was just on Paranormal State last week.