The final day of October is here, bringing the final entry in our 31 Days of Halloween festivities with it. Tomorrow brings the post-Halloween blues, but for today, let’s revel in the best holiday of the year. Though Thursdays have been dedicated to witches in horror, we’re bending the rules a smidge for something holiday-centric with a visit to the Abaddon Hotel.
Abaddon, as in a biblical place of destruction, bottomless pit, realm of the dead, or angel of the dead, depending on the text. Besides, there’s a long-running correlation between witches and devil worship, so the theme still applies.
It doesn’t get more seasonally appropriate than a seriously spooky documentary-style film set in a haunted house attraction over Halloween: Hell House LLC.
Synopsis: Five years after the opening night of a haunted house attraction results in 15 unexplained deaths, a documentary crew sets out for answers. They find a surviving employee with terrifying footage that sheds light on what happened that ill-fated night.
Key Players: Ryan Jennifer Jones is Sara Havel, the Hell House employee the documentary crew interviews. Danny Bellini, Gore Abrams, Jared Hacker round out some of the fellow Hell House employees. The documentary crew is led by producer Diane Graves, played by Alice Bahlke.
Why It’s on the List: Found Footage and documentary-style horror tends to elicit instant groans or shrugs. The craze seems like it’s well worn out its welcome. Every once in awhile, though, it sparks to life again with a film that delivers on the scares. Hell House LLC more than delivers. While its low budget is clear, that doesn’t stop writer/director Stephen Cognetti from packing a serious punch in terms of scare crafting and utterly foreboding atmosphere. The labyrinthine corridors of the Abaddon Hotel are an effective setting for giving you chills. And that clown…
Clown Visitations: Why are clowns so creepy? This. This is why.
Where You Can Watch: Hell House LLC is currently available to stream on Shudder, Prime Video, and Tubi. If you’re feeling up to a marathon, Shudder has the entire trilogy.
Happy Halloween, everyone!
