Central State (2006 Video) User Reviews

an unfortunate piece of history

[orchidaceae-69585 · 7/10 · 29 March 2018]

My mom worked at CSH from 1984 to 1992. I remember going to work with her in the summers. It was a gruesome place where people were horrifically treated senselessly. My mom almost didn't make it out alive either.

It was so-so

[jaberwokky · 6/10 · 31 October 2007]

There is obviously a lot of passion pro and con for this film. Right or wrong, everyone has a right to an opinion. At the risk of getting banged up for my opinion, here it is. A friend let me borrow her DVD and I have to say it was just so-so for me. Both of us wanted to see more history about the profession and how Central State came to be what it is/was. This information is not clear/contained in the film. There are tons of records at the Indiana Commission for Public Records which could have helped this film.

The paranormal part was OK, too. Of course any old state hospital is bound to have stories, but I didn't think that the film showed any compelling evidence pro or con.

I can't agree with a few other reviews that this was a "10" film or that the film was "cutting edge". The approach, I guess, wasn't for everyone. It was really just an urban legend film for me- another nice piece to put into Indiana's film bank.

This is not the greatest film.

[angleblack-70639 · 3/10 · 18 October 2016]

Central state: Asylum for the Insane is a documentary that goes behind the scenes of an abandoned Central State Mental Institution in Indianapolis, Indiana. This film is not great and is surprising that the producer has such credibility and film knowledge considering the production quality. The producer, writer, and editor Dan T. Hall started this documentary after filming at the asylum for a different film, not mentioned, when he witnessed an abnormal formation in the curtains that seem like a screaming face. He gathers a team of investigators to research and find out what happened to the asylum that closed in 1994. The team included witness, experts, and film makers. Experts included: John H. Mcgrew Ph.D. and demonologist, Tracy Bacon. Dan T. Hall is also known for other movies such as Asylum, The Lost Footage, and The haunting of Fox Hollow Farm.

Even though Dan T. Hall has experience with movie making and understands the business of filming, the documentary is not efficient for the genre of this documentary. It was horribly scatter minded and hard to comprehend. The cinematography of this documentary is weak and does not interest viewers as well as it could. The design of the film is to jump scenes and edit the video to "try to be scary". In all reality, if the video started with back story then went to witnesses and conclude with personal encounters/ investigation, I believe the film would have been more interesting and organized. With the film being disorganized it was more difficult to follow and made the film unsuccessful.

The documentary opens with the director's curiosity after his movie production has interferences and difficulties which I think was fine, but then it immediately turns to the information gathering and the opening of the institution. With the introduction the film scatters back and forth between interviews, investigations and old video footage. This unorganized film work uses camera effects such as angling and speed to enhance "scare factors". These "scare factors" could be things like orbs of spirit energy, voices, or shadow movements, in which sometimes can be questionable of which it originates. Through out the documentary there is a patient that is unknown and tells stories of what happened either to him while in the institution or to others. Patient "x" maybe the one of two things the film makers successfully did in this film, which was to add scare effect through actual experience. The other thing that is complimentary to the film is the ethos established through experts such as John H. McGrew and not limited to Tracy Bacon. The film ends with a short overview of knowledge gained about the asylum and acknowledgments to the films sources and supporters.

This film is fitted to those that are curious about stories behind an old asylum. It is not a good source of entertainment as a horror film by no means. There is a lack of surprise and trill when watching the film. The scare factors are taken away from the film by not giving personal experience, which in my opinion is a terrible route for Dan T. Hall. The only entertainment that can be gained is that of fascination with the topic. For a film that came out in an Imax theater it could have been better. I personally would not recommend this film unless you are just curious.

Creepy place good film

[Spiderpigboy · 8/10 · 6 November 2007]

We watched this over the weekend. My friend rented it from the library. I never knew what this place was exactly. The film takes a look inside what was once a thriving mental institution in Indianapolis, Indiana. The filmmaker was there filming a family movie when things began to happen to the equipment some of which is documented in the film. Then there was this face in the window, unexplained and creepy. It looked like an old guy screaming. That got my attention! Then there was the old black and white footage from the sixties. It showed a sad side to this place. Figures in the shadows some barley moving. MY favorite part was the exploration of the tunnels, there was once five miles of tunnels in this place and they must have covered most if them. But what is still unexplained is the shadow on the wall. Not even the paranormal investigators could figure it out. I liked this film and so did the rest of those that were watching. This would be a good film for a Halloween party or maybe if you just wanted to look inside an old mental institution. C.

An inspired piece of film-making

[decolores31 · 10/10 · 6 November 2007]

A well-rounded documentary, Central State balances historical footage of this Indiana insane asylum with firsthand accounts by individuals who were employees and/or patients there. It also takes a compelling look at some of the Central State ghost stories that persist long after the closing of the institution in 1992. Add to this the camera techniques the director used to create unusual angles and perspectives and some spine-tingling EVPs, and you've got an up-close tour of the grounds past and present with a high creep factor tossed in for good measure. This is different in a good way than other documentary-style programs with a paranormal bent. Bravo!

Compelling and Interesting look at Central State

[pjohnsonfamily · 10/10 · 23 October 2007]

I had seen this film last year when it came out at the IMAX. It was a sell out crowd. I really didn't know what to expect but had heard rumors of Central State since I was a child. This place was a mental institution that was closed in the early 1990's. Several stories have circulated about abuse and haunting but I wanted to see first hand what was going on there. The opening of the film the director talks about making family movies and being on the grounds for that purpose when things started to happen to the crew and to the director. The first shot of the face in the curtains is really creepy, it looks like an old man screaming.

I really didn't know much about the history of the place and the old footage form the sixties gave an excellent view into the past of Central State. I didn't know they had all those patients, 3000 or more. some were children, and only nine doctors.

I thought the tunnels were especially interesting, over nine miles of them. I couldn't imagine being in there like they did in the film. That looked very unsettling to me.

I liked all the ghost busting things in the film and the paranormal people were really interesting to watch and were available at the screening to talk with.

I Just went back and saw this again at the IMAX a year later and still found it interesting. I like the way it was edited and the music was really good.

I am a fan of things that are cutting edge and this is a film I think that is cutting edge. I didn't know the DVD was out but I am going to buy it.