20131127: Horror Review--A Haunting at Silver Falls

A Haunting at Silver Falls

1. Fundamentals, reception.
1. American live action feature length film, 2013, NR, 96 minutes, horror, supernatural.
2. IMDB: 4.6/10.0 from 1000 audience ratings. Estimated budget: 2.5 million USD.
3. Rotten Tomatoes: 'No reviews yet,' 38% liked it from 140 audience ratings.
4. Netflix: 3.3/5.0 from 291,674 audience ratings.
5. Directed by: Brett Donowho.
6. Starring: Steve Bacic as Kevin Sanders, Tara Westwood as Anne Sanders, Erick Avari as Dr. Parrish, Alix Elizabeth Gitter as Jordan, Jade Ramsey as Heather Dahl, Nikita Ramsey as Holly Dahl, James Cavlo as Larry Parrish, James Ralph as Sheriff O'Leary, Tadhg Kelly as Robbie O'Leary.


2. Setup and Plot
1. Jordan's father died, so she comes to live with her aunt Anne, her deceased mother's twin sister, and her uncle Kevin.  She goes on a date with Larry Parrish; Larry ends up being arrested for drug possession, and Jordan gets a ride home from Robbie.  Larry is in line to be the school valedictorian, and Dr Parrish (Larry's father, a psychologist) is not amused.


2. Jordan starts getting nocturnal visitors; one leaves candy wrappers, the other tries to pull off the ring she found in the woods while fleeing the cops after the 'date.'


3. Larry tries to help Jordan get the ring off.  It seems to work, but then the ring gets back on, somehow.  Jordan's new parents bring up the things (an Hermes scarf, money from Kevin's wallet) found in her underwear drawer.  The lock her in the bathroom using pennies while they have a night out by themselves.   Then the ghosts try to drown her.  Good planning there.  She's soaking wet but the bathroom is not.  Hm.  They give her some haloperidol, an anti-psychotic.  Oh, great.  She sees the one ghost in daylight now.


4. Her first visit with Dr. Parrish on a professional level does not go well.  She sees the ghost in his office, cannot take her eyes off of it, and cannot tell him about it.  The doctor knows she is lying and concealing.  Sigh.  At school, Larry and Robbie are competing over her.  Larry and Jordan ditch school and follow Jordan's ghost.  Larry calls her parents and the Sheriff, who then stage an intervention.


5. Jordan gets to meet Mr. Dahl, the father and the condemned killer of the twins, Heather and Holly Dahl.  These are the ghosts Jordan has been seeing.  Mr. Dahl gives her another ring, the second third of what used to be one ring.  After she gets home, Jordan puts it on as well.  She has quite the dream after that, featuring both twins.  They warn her that she is next.


6. Jordan finds the third part of the ring, and information that she did not expect.


7. Will Jordan make it out alive?


3. Conclusions
1. One line summary: Foster parents sometimes be very, very bad.
2. Four stars of five.


4. Scores
1. Cinematography: 8/10 Fairly good, but had a few problems, at least on Netflix.


2. Sound: 8/10 No particular problems.


3. Acting: 8/10 Steve Bacic was great; Erick Avari, an enduring favourite, was even better.  James Cavlo was beyond bad.  Except for him, I might have given this film a five of five. Alix Elizabeth Gitter was fine as Jordan.


4. Screenplay: 8/10 Liked the story.