The Possessed (2009)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Directors:

Christopher Saint Booth
Philip Adrian Booth

Writers:

Christopher Saint Booth (writer)
Philip Adrian Booth (writer)

Genre:

Documentary | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Born 1846, Died 1865, Returns 1877

Plot:

Based on the True Story, The Watseka Wonder, America's first documented possession in 1870. A chilling story of a 13-year-old girl from the small town of Watseka, Illinois who became possessed by spirits of the insane dead.

Plot Keywords:

Watseka Wonder | Possession | Dead | Possessed | Lurrancy Vennum

Cast

Christopher Saint Booth	...	Himself - Filmmaker
John Zaffis	...	Himself - Demonologist
Philip Adrian Booth	...	Himself - Filmmaker
Keith Age	...	Himself - Ghost Hunter
Troy Taylor	...	Himself - Ghost Writer
Rosemary Ellen Guiley	...	Herself - Ph.D / Paranormal Author
Gabriel Saint Booth	...	Young Michael
Christina Molina	...	Mary Roff
Steven LaChance	...	Himself - Author, The Uninvited
Ava Belew	...	Lurancy Vennum
Bill Chappell	...	Himself - Inventor
Reenie Varga	...	Mrs. Roff
Dewi Morgaine	...	Herself - Possessed Girl
Michael Jones	...	Himself - The Sixth Sense Boy / Possessed Victim
James Long	...	Himself - Bishop
Kathy Reno	...	Herself - Glore Museum
Marcus TallBull	...	Himself - Possessed
John Whitman	...	Himself - Roff House Owner
Matthew Udall	...	Dr. Stevens
Rob Johnson	...	Himself - Manteno Historian
Rick Hayes	...	Himself
Janet Pierce	...	Herself - Grandmother
Scott Anderson	...	Himself - Vennum House Owner
Anita Tall Bull	...	Herself
Denice Jones	...	Herself - Author, The Other Side

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Spooked Productions

Decent Documentary

Possessed, The (2009)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The third documentary from Spooked Productions who specialize in taking a look at real life cases. Using actual photos, recreations and experts on the matter, this film takes a look at what has become known as the Watseka Possession. In 1865, Mary Roff became possessed and eventually died. Twelve years later another girl in the town, Lurrancy Vennum, became possessed with what appeared to be the spirit of Mary. I think the success of a film like this is going to depend on the person actually watching it. Speaking for myself, I love watching these true story cases and the stuff that we'd see on Unsolved Mysteries years and years ago. In order for a film like this to work I think it's important if the person watching actually believes something like this can happen and I do. Now, the most important thing is for the movie to be creepy and this one here does have some effective moments but not enough to be a complete winner. The actual case on display here is a very interesting one and the mystery surrounding what actually happened is something the filmmakers really focus on and I think they milk it for all its worth. Seeing some real items that were used on "crazy" people back then was quite eerie especially one chair that was used to "calm" people but some people could end up spending six months just sitting there. The one big negative is that other possessed stories are inter cut into the main one and I think this was a problem. These side interviews take away from the main story but the side ones are also so small that we never really get to learn too much about them. There are rumors that this story was one of the major influences on what would become THE EXORCIST so fans of that film might be interested in checking this one out.