Their story starts off with john bell having a heated argument with a woman who is rumored to be a witch. However, the bell witch did exhibit more than a passing interest in young betsy bell. In the early 1800s, a family is torn apart after attracting the demonic attention of the bell witch. The bell witch haunting 2004 the bell witch haunting 2004 dr acula. For all the wrong reasons, american haunting is a horror. The legend of the bell witch john bell, a farmer from north carolina,along with his wife and children settled in northern robertson county tennessee in 1804. The true story of the bell witch of tennessee concerns wealthy john bell donald sutherland, who lives with his wife lucy sissy spacek and daughter betsy rachel hurdwood in the sleepy community of red river.
Portier says that, newton is a brilliant young actor and a pleasure to work with. The movie stars donald sutherland as john bell, sissy spacek as his wife lucy and rachel hurdwood as their daughter betsy. Mar 16, 2015 the incident is also caught by her parents, john bell donald sutherland and lucy bell sissy spacek, who now know the evil they are dealing with. In other genre work, spacek has appeared as samaras biological mother in the ring two and appeared as lucy bell in an american haunting, based. Spacek has described badlands as the most incredible experience of her career. The bell witch web site online home of the bell witch. Sporting donald sutherland and sissy spacek in the cast and supposedly. It was a cruel and noisy spirit, given to rapping and gnawing sounds before it found its voices. Delightfully creepy movie that offers a possible explanation for the bell witch legend. There was no story to give the movie depth and the only way to be some what interested with the movie is if you read about the bell witch haunting before you make the mistake of buying. An american haunting production notes 2006 movie releases. There have been two other bell witch movies, the bell witch.
It seemed that kate had two main reasons for visiting the bell home. Bell witch movie based on eyewitness accounts from richard bells manuscript our family trouble and charles bailey bells book the bell witch of tennessee. The latter is an extensive 406page account that contains discussion notes and a wealth of history, theories, and perspectives about the legend. Here begin the flashbacks about lucy bell sissy spacek, whose family is cursed by neighbor kate batts gaye brown over a loan dispute. Spacek received international attention after landing her breakthrough role in terrence malick s badlands 1973, in which she played holly, the films narrator and a 15yearold girlfriend of massmurderer kit martin sheen. Donald sutherland john bell, sissy spacek lucy bell, rachel hurdwood betsy bell, james darcy richard powell, matthew marsh james johnston, thom fell john jr. Every bump in the night and walk through the woods builds suspense in this old fashioned ghost story based on the. It stars donald sutherland, sissy spacek, james darcy, and rachel hurdwood. Bell witch religion, spiritualism, and occult the bell witch was, in fact, not a witch at all. Sissy spacek turns into a violent terrorist when she joins a radical political bunch, leaving her comfortable middleclass lifestyle far behind. Between the years 18181820, the bell family of red river, tennessee was visited by an unknown, unseen presence that terrorized the family. Rent an american haunting 2006 on dvd and bluray dvd. The movie claims that there have been over 20 books written about the bell witch, but in reality there are fewer than 15, the legend is littleknown outside tennessee, and it wasnt. Aug 02, 2014 known throughout tennessee as old kate, the bell witch took up residence with john bell s family in 1818.
Even the movie an american hauntingwith donald sutherland and sissy spacek said on its advertising the true story of americas death by a ghost. This is what many people believed, and from then on, this unseen force was called kate the bell s witch. Donald sutherland as john bell sissy spacek as lucy bell. The incident is also caught by her parents, john bell donald sutherland and lucy bell sissy spacek, who now know the evil they are dealing with. The curse shows itself as an evil force that brutally, and frequently, attacks young betsy bell rachel hurdwood. Donald sutherland and sissy spacek were wonderful as usual but rachel hurdwood. The film was produced in 2006 and starred sissy spacek and donald sutherland. Based on the true events of the only case in us history where a spirit caused the death of a man. A normal, loving family by all accounts, the uneventful lives of the bell family begin to take a dark turn when strange noises around the farm are followed by the arrival of a black wolf with. In 1818, a neighbor curses the prosperous bell family for their greed and soon they are haunted by a poltergeist that eventually takes possession of pretty teen daughter betsy hurdward.
Powell james darcy comes around when the crucifixes start flying off the walls. Being the eyewitness account of richard powell concerning the bell witch haunting of robertson county, tennessee 18171821, edited by brent monahan new york, 1997. The latter is based on brent monahans rendition, the bell witch. With these voices and its supernatural acts, the bell witch tormented the bell family. Theres a dark, abiding mystery at the center of an american haunting, and its how on earth major stars such as donald sutherland and sissy spacek were talked into appearing in this film. Oct 30, 2015 worst acting either donald sutherland or sissy spacek, two great american actors, have ever been forced to produce. An american haunting 38 movie clip ghostly attack 2005. Bell witch haunting dvds, bell witch photos, bell witch legend, bell witch play. Bell witch article about bell witch by the free dictionary.
Its allstar cast includes donald sutherland, sissy spacek, james darcy and rachel hurdwood. To date, it is the only recorded case in american history where a spirit of entity has caused the death of a human an american haunting is based on true events documented by the state of tennessee. Rent an american haunting 2006 starring donald sutherland and sissy spacek on dvd and bluray. Jun 23, 2016 heres my favorite sequence from an american haunting 2005 an old fashioned ghost story, based on actual events that took place in tennessee in the early 1800s. An american haunting, starring donald sutherland and sissy spacek. The incident is also caught by her parents, john bell donald sutherland and. When asked who and what it was, it gave different identities. See more ideas about sissy spacek, classic films and carrie white. Its very good from a movie standpoint and they did a good job with casting, he says of the movie starring donald sutherland and sissy spacek. An american haunting 28 movie clip the first haunting. As a kid, sissy spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods.
Itself the spawn of the exorcist, emily rose was an interesting twist on the hoary possessed teen genre in the way it juxtaposed its story against a. The bell witch web site is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the legend of tennessees infamous bell witch by presenting useful and well. She is the recipient of various accolades including an academy award, three golden globe awards, two critics choice movie awards, a screen actors guild award, and nominations for four bafta awards, three primetime emmy awards, and a grammy award. The bell witch project in a blatant attempt to cash in on the surprise success of the exorcism of emily rose, hollywood has adapted the story of tennessees bell witch into a loud, silly movie with the unwieldy title an american haunting.
Worst acting either donald sutherland or sissy spacek, two great american actors, have ever been forced to produce. Heres my favorite sequence from an american haunting 2005 an old fashioned ghost story, based on actual events that took place in tennessee in the early 1800s. No wonder sissy spacek is a little squeamish about horror movies. Were not lost we get a lot of publicity, says tim henson, an adams historian and curator of the adams museum and archives. The script is doa, the performances struggle to reach the level of community theater, and. The bell witch or bell witch haunting is a legend from southern united states folklore, centered on the 19thcentury bell family of northwest robertson county, tennessee. When a 21stcentury girl begins to suffer from nightmares, her mother discovers shes been reading a diary and begins reading it herself. I know they are two different stories, but the blair witch is what got me interested in the bell witch. Richard williams bell was the one from whom most of the bell witch stories came. A rare good suspensful film without unnecessary gore. An american haunting ist ein horror thriller aus dem. They lived a quite peaceful life here for the first years.
This movie was produced, written and directed by courtney solomon. An american haunting, which documented a real case of a spiritual haunting that actually wound up with someone dead. Pat fitzhugh has written two books about the bell witch. Donald sutherland and sissy spacek star in an american haunting, a visually beautiful movie that could have used more punch in the thrill department. It once stated that it was the witch of a neighbor woman named kate batts.
As the sadistic spirit singles out the youngest daughter of the bell. Parents john sutherland and lucy spacek try to fight the evil spirit. Rent an american haunting 2006 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. The bell witch article about the bell witch by the free. The twist killed the movie, we are supposed to see a haunting, prolly done by witch. Based on the true events of the only case in us history where a. Also more than 40 books have been written about the witch. The bell witch haunting 2004 classic horror film board. An american haunting, which documented a real case of a spiritual haunting. Betsy bell rachel hurdwood is again attacked by the ghost, though much more violently this time. I thought it was a great movie and i would watch it again. Richard williams bell was the one from whom most of the bell witch stories came, henson says. Based on the true story of the bell witch of tennessee, an american haunting tells the story of a spirit which attacked the wealthy and highly respected bell family for four years, eventually causing the death of one of its family members.
An american haunting is a horror film directed by courtney solomon. An american haunting, which was in turn based on the tennessee legend of the bell witch. Newton is a film veteran at fifteen having starred in six hallmark feature films as well as xfiles the movie, the runaways, and the bricklayer, opposite sidney portier. An american haunting is based on true events documented by the state of tennessee.
I learned about the novel when i accidentally met the author at a distancelearning training at rutgers university. May 03, 2006 donald sutherland as john bell sissy spacek as lucy bell. It is based on a true story apparently the only record of a haunting ever killing a man, but even with the hollywood special effects, youll find yourself fast forwarding through several lulls. An american haunting dvd, 2006, unrated edition for sale. The bell witch story was the inspiration for the movie an american haunting starring sissy spacek and donald sutherland. Bell witch expert, expert on the bell witch, paranormal, ghosts, authentic story of the bell witch, pat fitzhugh, demonic possession, reese witherspoon, witches, ghost hunters, paranormal investigators, reese witherspoon, the bell witch, an american haunting, the bell witch haunting, blair witch, bell witch movie, bell witch stories, paranormal. Next to her father, betsy was a primary target of the entitys abuse. The story is based on a novel by brent monahan titled the bell witch. According to legend, from 18171821, his family and the local area came under attack by a mostly invisible entity.
Watch an american haunting online 2006 movie yidio. May 05, 2006 john and his wife, lucy spacek, are horrified, and even a skeptic like handsome young schoolteacher mr. The story of the bell witch, which crosses over into folklore, has influenced a number of movies including the blair witch project and an american haunting. It had many of the attributes of a poltergeist but was more of a mischievous spirit. Their farm consisted of 320 acres of rich farm land that laid along the red river. With donald sutherland, sissy spacek, rachel hurdwood, james darcy. Known throughout tennessee as old kate, the bell witch took up residence with john bells family in 1818.
The horror film an american haunting was based on the novel the bell witch. In 2010, canada released bluray as title an american haunting was region abc all regions. An american haunting is a 2005 horror film written and directed by courtney solomon and starring donald sutherland, sissy spacek, james darcy, and rachel hurdwood. A cringingly awful period ghost story, haunting is amateur hour all around. Sporting donald sutherland and sissy spacek in the cast and supposedly based on true events validated by the state of tennessee as the only case in us history where a spirit has caused the death. The essential texts of americas most famous ghost story.
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