Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor

Last updated
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
Hell House LLC Origins- The Carmichael Manor.jpeg
Official release poster
Directed byStephen Cognetti
Screenplay byStephen Cognetti
Produced byJoe Bandelli
Starring
  • Bridget Rose Perrotta
  • Destiny Leilani Brown
  • James Liddell
  • Gideon Berger
CinematographyJosh Layton
Production
companies
Cognetti Films
Marylous' Boys
Distributed byTerror Films
Shudder
Release date
  • October 30, 2023 (2023-10-30)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is a 2023 American direct-to-streaming found footage horror film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. It simultaneously serves as a prequel to Hell House LLC (2015), and sequel to both Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018) and Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019), and is the fourth installment overall in the Hell House LLC franchise . It stars Bridget Rose Perrotta, Destiny Leilani Brown, James Liddell, Gideon Berger. [1]

Contents

Plot

The film depicts a documentary using found footage recovered from filmmaker Margot Bentley, her girlfriend Rebecca Vickers, and brother Chase Bentley. The three all died whilst spending four nights investigating Carmichael Manor, a remote house in Rockland County, New York, mentioned to be one town over from the Abaddon Hotel. The recovered footage was edited together by Margot’s friend Bradley Moynahan, who provides commentary alongside journalist Alice Harper. The film’s narrative provides connections to previous films and the franchise’s lore involving the hotel and cult leader Andrew Tully.

Margot and Rebecca travel to the manor to investigate the infamous Carmichael family murders that happened in 1989. The Carmichaels’ daughter Margaret, an actress, died in a car crash months before. Her sister Catherine and mother Eleanor were murdered, but her father Arthur and brother Patrick disappeared. Margot’s own interest in the paranormal began after a man in a clown costume tried to abduct her at a funfair when she was a child. Margot and Rebecca are joined by Chase, who has a history of psychosis and was drawn to help Margot following another episode. They find a locked storage room full of paraphernalia from the funfair, including three clown mannequins.

Learning artifacts from the hotel are being exhibited at a local antique store, Margot and Rebecca investigate. Rebecca recognizes a grandfather clock from the hotel, finding film reels, letters, and a cross pendant in a hidden compartment. Chase is frightened by the clowns and a masked woman, convincing Margot and Rebecca that the manor is actually haunted.

The recovered film reels are sent to Bradley, who includes them in the documentary, depicting footage recorded by Catherine prior to and after Margaret’s death; revealing Margaret to be the masked woman. Patrick survived the crash, but grows withdrawn and disturbed. Catherine gives him the pendant to protect him. Further footage reveals Patrick joined Tully’s cult with the hope to resurrect Margaret, moved the clowns into his bedroom, and kept Margaret’s costume as a memento. Later, the cult members invade the manor, where Catherine is killed by Margaret’s ghost.

In the present, Rebecca’s presentation to a real estate partner is disrupted by Catherine’s ghost. Though Margot agrees to leave the manor in the morning, Chase disappears overnight, leaving his possessions behind. Footage reveals Chase was approached in his bedroom by one of the clowns, who pursued and killed him. Margot and Rebecca leave the house, but find their car battery is dead. An attempt to walk to the nearest town through the surrounding woodland is thwarted by members of the cult, forcing the two to flee back to the manor.

Disturbing text messages from Chase drive the two women to flee into the car, but the cult members surround them. Returning to the manor once again, Margot hears Chase calling for her, leaving Rebecca, who is killed by Catherine’s ghost. Margot finds Chase’s eyeless corpse, before being stalked by the clown, who corners and attacks her. Patrick is identified as the clown and the one who tried to abduct Margot as a child. In a final scene, Patrick apologises to a camera, before yelling at an unseen man to be quiet, departing through a doorway into a red-tinted room, implied to be another gate to Hell as seen in previous films.

A mid credit scene features Alice mentioning the fair is coming back to town. An image of a clown is seen peeking through a window in the background.

Cast

Production

In October 2022, Terror Films announced that Stephen Cognetti is set to continue the Hell House LLC franchise with the prequel titled Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor. [2]

Filming

On April 15, 2023, Stephen Cognetti began filming. [3]

Release

The film had its limited release on October 24, 2023, and was released on October 30, 2023, by Shudder. [4]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 88% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.80/10. [5] [6]

Phil Hoad of The Guardian rates the film 4 out of 5 rating and he said: It isn't just Cognetti's solid deployment of the backstory that impresses; he and cinematographer Josh Layton also show a devious command of camera mechanics, vital to the subjective found-footage experience. [7] Maegan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gave the film a rating of 3.5 over 5 and wrote: While the effective, goosebump-inducing scares and refreshing expansion of the story feel like a return to form for this franchise, The Carmichael Manor is hampered by its found footage format. The intrepid Margot makes the familiar missteps into found footage trope territory that seals her group's fate. [8]

Sequel

In July 2024, a fifth installment titled Hell House LLC: Lineage was announced with a teaser trailer and will release in 2025. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Collector</i> (2009 film) 2009 American film

The Collector is a 2009 American horror film written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and directed by Dunstan. It stars Josh Stewart, alongside Michael Reilly Burke, Andrea Roth, Juan Fernandez, Karley Scott Collins, Madeline Zima, and Robert Wisdom. The film follows handyman Arkin O'Brien (Stewart) who, in order to pay a debt, decides to rob a house, only to find out somebody with far more sinister intentions has already broken in and rigged it with multiple traps.

<i>Drive Angry</i> 2011 film by Patrick Lussier

Drive Angry is a 2011 American action horror film in the exploitation cinema tradition, directed by Patrick Lussier, who co-wrote it with Todd Farmer. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner, Billy Burke, Charlotte Ross, Katy Mixon, and Tom Atkins. Photographed in 3D, the film was released on February 25, 2011.

<i>Curse of Chucky</i> 2013 American slasher film by Don Mancini

Curse of Chucky is a 2013 American slasher film and the sixth installment of the Child's Play franchise. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created the franchise and wrote the first six films. It stars Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Brennan Elliott, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnelle, Summer Howell, A Martinez, and Brad Dourif. The film grossed $3.8 million in DVD sales.

<i>All Hallows Eve</i> (2013 film) 2013 film by Damien Leone

All Hallows' Eve is a 2013 American horror anthology film written, edited, and directed by Damien Leone. The film is presented as a series of shorts that two children and their babysitter discover on an unmarked videotape on Halloween night, all of which feature a homicidal clown named Art the Clown. The film stars Katie Maguire, Catherine Callahan, Marie Maser, and Kayla Lian, with Mike Giannelli as Art the Clown. It incorporates footage from the 2008 short film The 9th Circle, as well as the 2011 short film Terrifier, both of which were also directed by Leone and featured Art the Clown.

<i>31</i> (film) 2016 American film

31 is a 2016 American action horror film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie, and starring an ensemble cast featuring Sheri Moon Zombie, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Meg Foster, Richard Brake, Jane Carr, Judy Geeson, E.G. Daily, and Malcolm McDowell.

<i>Hell House LLC</i> 2015 film by Stephen Cognetti

Hell House LLC is a 2015 American found-footage supernatural horror film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. It is the first installment in the Hell House LLC franchise. The film, shot as a documentary, follows a group of Halloween haunted house creators as they prepare for the 2009 opening of their popular haunted attraction, Hell House. Tragedy strikes on opening night when an unknown "malfunction" causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff. The film reveals the lead-up to the tragedy and what really went wrong that night, the details of which have remained a mystery to the public. The film was released on a number of video on-demand platforms, including Amazon Video, Shudder, YouTube, Vudu, and iTunes, on November 1, 2016.

<i>Terrifier</i> 2016 film by Damien Leone

Terrifier is a 2016 American slasher film written, edited, co-produced, and directed by Damien Leone. The film stars Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi, Catherine Corcoran, and David Howard Thornton. The plot centers on partygoer Tara Heyes (Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi), who become targets of the enigmatic serial killer known only as Art the Clown (Thornton) on Halloween night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art the Clown</span> Fictional character in the Terrifier franchise

Art the Clown is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the Terrifier franchise and related media. Created by Damien Leone, the character first appeared in the short films The 9th Circle (2008) and Terrifier (2011). Both shorts were included in the anthology film All Hallows' Eve (2013), which marked the character's feature film debut. In these early appearances, he was portrayed by Mike Giannelli before his retirement from acting. He was replaced by David Howard Thornton, who portrayed Art in Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022), and Terrifier 3 (2024).

<i>Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel</i> 2018 film by Stephen Cognetti

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel is a 2018 American direct-to-streaming found-footage horror mystery film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. A sequel to the 2015 film Hell House LLC and a second installment to the Hell House LLC franchise. Its plot centers around a group of journalists who have gathered to explore the Abaddon Hotel, which has once again been abandoned following the events of the prior film.

<i>V/H/S/94</i> 2021 horror anthology film

V/H/S/94 is a 2021 American found footage horror anthology film written by David Bruckner, and Brad Miska. The sequel to V/H/S: Viral (2014), it is the fourth installment in the V/H/S franchise. Set in 1994, the film acts both as a soft reboot and a prequel to the first three installments and comprises four found footage segments linked together by a fifth frame narrative directed by franchise returnees Simon Barrett and Timo Tjahjanto, in addition to newcomers Jennifer Reeder, Ryan Prows and Chloe Okuno. It is the first film in the franchise not to be distributed by Magnolia Pictures' Magnet Releasing label.

V/H/S is an American horror anthology franchise that includes seven found footage films, two spin-off films, and one miniseries. Created from an original story idea by Brad Miska, the plot centers around a number of disturbing VHS tapes that are discovered by innocent viewers and the possessive influence of the videos over those who see them. Realized by a collaboration of various filmmakers and different casts, the installments are mostly standalone in nature, though recurring elements indicate the same fictional villain as the source for all of its videos.

Terrifier is an American horror media franchise created by Damien Leone and consisting of slasher films, comic books, novels, and video games. The franchise mainly focuses on Sienna Shaw, a young woman destined to defeat the enigmatic Art the Clown, a demonic serial killer that inhabits the fictitious Miles County, New York. Additionally, the series follows the Little Pale Girl, a sinister entity accompanying Art, and Victoria Heyes, a disfigured survivor struggling with her mental health who the Little Pale Girl possesses, becoming Art's accomplice.

<i>Bad Ben</i> 2016 American film

Bad Ben is the name of a web series of independent found footage horror comedy films, the first of which released in 2016. The series has been written and directed by Tom Fanslau under the pen name of Nigel Bach. As of 2024, there are fourteen Bad Ben films. A fifteenth and final installment will release in October 2025.

<i>V/H/S/99</i> 2022 horror anthology film

V/H/S/99 is a 2022 American found footage horror anthology film produced by Studio71 and Bloody Disgusting. The sequel to V/H/S/94 (2021), it is the fifth installment in the V/H/S franchise. Set in 1999, the film features five found footage segments written and directed by Maggie Levin, Johannes Roberts, Flying Lotus, Tyler MacIntyre, and Vanessa and Joseph Winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Howard Thornton</span> American actor (born 1979)

David Howard Thornton is an American actor. He is known for his role as Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise, a role in which he appeared in Terrifier (2016), Mistress Peace Theatre (2020), Terrifier 2 (2022), Bupkis (2023), and Terrifier 3 (2024). He has had other various roles in film, television, and video games, including Two Worlds II: Pirates of the Flying Fortress (2011), Ride to Hell: Retribution (2013), Invizimals: The Lost Kingdom (2013), Gotham (2017), The Bravest Knight (2019), The Exigency (2019), Alma's Way (2021), and starring as the Mean One in The Mean One (2022).

<i>Hell House LLC: Lineage</i> Upcoming film by Stephen Cognetti

Hell House LLC: Lineage is an upcoming American found footage horror film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti. It serves as the last and fifth installment in the Hell House LLC franchise.

<i>Hell House LLC</i> (film series) Film franchise

Hell House LLC is an American found footage horror film series created by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. The series consists of four films and a fifth film scheduled to release in October 2025. The story of the first three films revolve around the fictitious and abandoned haunted house attraction Hell House LLC, originally known as the Abbadon Hotel. The series details the backstory of the hotel's history along with Hell House LLC's staff.

<i>Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire</i> 2019 film by Stephen Cognetti

Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire is a 2019 American direct-to-streaming found footage horror film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. The film serves as a sequel to Hell House LLC (2015) and Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018) and as the third installment of the Hell House LLC film series. It stars Gabriel Chytry, Elizabeth Vermilyea, Sam Kazzi, Theodore Bouloukos and Brian David Tracy.

References

  1. ↑ T, Amber (October 16, 2022). "Hell House LLC: New Franchise Entry Will Explore Origins of the Carmichael Manor". Fangoria . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  2. ↑ Squires, John (April 17, 2023). "'Hell House LLC Origins' – Filming Has Begun on Franchise Prequel". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  3. ↑ Hamman, Cody (17 April 2023). "Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is now filming". JoBlo.com . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  4. ↑ T, Amber (September 20, 2023). "Creepy Clowns Return In New Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor Trailer". Fangoria . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ Hoad, Phil (October 25, 2023). "Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor review – backstory of horror haunting". The Guardian . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  8. ↑ Navarro, Maegan (October 25, 2023). "'Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor' Review – A Scary Return to Form for the Franchise". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  9. ↑ Squires, John (2024-07-12). "'Hell House LLC: Lineage' Teaser Trailer – Fifth Installment Comes to Shudder in 2025". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 2024-07-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.