‘The haunting has come back home’
American Poltergeist is a 2015 American supernatural horror film directed by Mike Rutkowski from a screenplay co-written with Nicole Holland (executive producer of The Ouija Experiment and its sequel). The working title was The House of Lizzie Borden.
For its British Point Blank DVD release in September 2015, the film was retitled The Haunting of Borden House.
Main cast:
Simona Fusco, Donna Spangler (Dinosaur Valley Girls; Roots of Evil), Luke Brandon Field (Blackwood), Aaron Lee (Paranormal Movie), Ashley Green Elizabeth (Incarnate; Muck), Nicole Holland, Nikole Howell (After School Massacre), Nicholas Talone, Jakob Renken, Shawn Michael Lukaszewicz, Elwie Apor Harris, Arthur Richardson, Rich Rossi, Felix McNulty.
A group of university friends moves into a vacation home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Suspicious of Diana Eastbrook, the owner, Taryn feels a strong connection to the house and finds herself at the centre of what just seemed an urban legend…
Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk
Reviews:
“A last-minute twist tries to add a little spice to the narrative, but it’s too little too late. The dialogue is below par and isn’t helped by the pick and mix acting on display. And it’s all so unnecessarily serious. Perhaps if the film, like its young protagonists, loosened up a little and embraced its camp potential, we could be on to something.” HNN
“There are a few good scares in the third act, but otherwise this is just another low-budget horror movie that fails to cover up its many failings, including a poor cast and a constant feeling of ridiculousness.” Kevin Matthews
“Early on there’s the usual noises off-camera and lights flickering and some bog-standard set-up pieces but it is really only when the ghostie properly appears that it gets interesting. All the murders mostly occur off-camera too … The makeup effects on Lizzie are reasonable enough and although it’s not likely to get the hairs on the back of your head moving it’s a fairly enjoyable low budget ghost story.” I.R. Kerr
“At barely seventy minutes minus credits, Borden House still struggles to engage you as much as you’d like […] There are flashes of technical proficiency with a few nicely framed shots, but only seconds away is a slice of poorly recorded audio or a hammy performance to dash any hope of this feature rising from the doldrums of mediocrity.” The Schlock Pit
“Though nothing commendable occurs on any cinematic level, the overall wretchedness makes for a pretty fun time. Moves quickly through its powerful stupidity, and creates quite a few unintentional laughs.” Splatter Critic
“The production looks good, even when considering its aesthetic missteps and its occasional negligence in regard to production design. The execution is dynamic and makes the whole Lizzie Borden mythology sink in, however complex. It makes the most of its environment and its cast.” Tales of Terror
Choice dialogue:
“Michael says I have a boogeyman complex but I just think it stems from my ‘Helter Skelter’ obsession.”
Cast and characters:
• Luke Brandon Field … Michael
• Donna Spangler … Dianna
• Simona Fusco … Zoe
• Nikole Howell … Niki
• Aaron Lee … Mr Borden
• Nicole Holland … Lizzie
• Rich Rossi … Forensics Chief
• Ashley Green Elizabeth … Taryn (as Addy Green)
• Nicholas Talone … Officer Alvarez (as Nevada Vargas)
• Arthur Richardson … Police Chief
• Jaime Sarchet … Jenna
• D’arcy Ludwig … Grandma (as Darcee Ludwig)
• Jakob Renken … Scott
• Rebbekah Vega-Romero … Stacey (as Rebbekah Vega Romero)
• Elwie Apor Harris … Amy
• Amy Green … Michelle Borden
• Felix McNulty … Grandpa
• Shawn Michael Lukaszewicz … Kevin
Technical details:
• 78 minutes
• Audio: Dolby Digital
• Aspect ratio: 1.33: 1
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