For someone who watches a lot of horror movies, I can get easily scared. It probably sounds paradoxical to also admit that I don’t exactly enjoy the feeling of being scared; however, I digress. That being said, context is always important when it comes to what might freak me out, as I’ve built up a tolerance to most horror movie tropes; however, there are one or two specific types of horror that still get me every single time. The first: anything that is based in reality, such as serial killers and psychological thrillers, will make my heart race and look around every corner. Although it’s the second one that blends supernatural horror with real-world situations, that truly sends shivers down my spine. Which brings us to Netflix’s latest Docu-series, True Haunting, which explores stories within the second camp.
Produced by horror visionary James Wan, who co-created the Saw and Insidious franchises and single-handedly brought the Conjuring universe to the world, True Haunting follows two hair-raising horror stories through a series of interviews, with some spooky (albeit dramatized) bits in the middle to elevate the horror. Netflix has blended scary movies with a Dateline or 20/20 format, providing audiences with plenty of scares and a strong desire to watch from behind a blanket. From a haunted dorm to a house filled with plenty of ghostly and dangerous apparitions, True Haunting comes at the perfect time of the year. Although… you might want to watch with all the lights on…
[Warning: light spoilers from Netflix’s True Haunting are below!]
Ghostly realities in True Hauntings
I think there’s something inherently scary about hearing a story straight from the mouth of someone who’s lived it. As an avid true-crime consumer, there’s a level of horror that comes with listening to those who have survived a horrific event. However, there’s another layer of terror that comes when those events involve evil spirits bent on causing as much chaos as possible. Across the five-episode first season, two distinct stories are told: “Eerie Hall” and “This House Murdered Me,” both of which tell of people and the hauntings that almost ruined their lives.
“Eerie Hall” follows the story of Chris Di Ceasare as he embarks on his freshman year at Geneseo College. An avid runner with a bright future ahead of him, Chris was ready to take on the world, that is, until he started hearing voices that he couldn’t explain. So begins a slow spiral down, as those around Di Cesare begin to question his sanity, while Chris attempts to convince his friends and family that something spectral is coming for him.
As the story unfolds across the three episodes, things only get worse. Other students begin to witness the horrors Chris spoke of, and some even drop out of the university, leaving no one safe. Can Chris and his friends get to the bottom of what is happening, or is he to fall victim to the vengeful spirit roaming the hollowed halls of Geneseo College?
“This House Murdered Me” feels more in line with a Conjuring tale, beginning with a young family moving into their dream house. Falling in love with the Victorian-style mansion, April and Matt put all their money down to get it. Their excitement to begin their idyllic life in this picture-perfect home with their children is intoxicating; however comes to a quick end when things take a turn for the worse.
As the children begin hearing voices and communicating with an invisible friend who seems more sinister than not, April and Matt aren’t sure what to do. Needing to work to pay the bills, they spread themselves too thin, leaving them open to attacks from the other side. As a shadowy spirit begins popping up on their property, it’s a mad dash to figure out what is going on before it’s too late. Can this family save their house from the spirits that possess it? And exactly what horrors took place within the walls of this home?
The perfect amount of chills in this Netflix series
As I stated in the intro, I am easily scared, and Netflix’s True Haunting was definitely a series that made my heart race. Much like other docu-series, True Haunting ramps up the suspense through creepy background music and dramatized bits laced throughout. It’s like watching a horror movie only to be reminded that what happened is real to the people who lived through it, each time an interviewee pops up on the screen. It becomes increasingly difficult to suspend disbelief and step back from horror’s unfolding, which only heightens the excitement for the series and the heart-palpitations it elicits.
One way I measure how good a horror project is, is by how well it sticks with me after I’m done watching. Am I able to go to sleep after watching it, or do I need to turn on something funny to take my mind off of it? Am I able to walk through my dark house without a flashlight, or do I need to run as fast as possible to bed and jump under the covers? Okay…that last one might be a slight exaggeration, but you get the gist.
If a horror movie or show takes up space in my head long after the credits roll, to me, that’s a clear sign that it’s done its job correctly. Netflix’s True Haunting does just that and more. I found myself rehashing the stories days, if not weeks, after the release, conveying the sinister sense of doom that rose within me when I watched them. I constantly thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye, only for it to turn out to be nothing at all. The show impacted me the way scary movies can, haunting me in quiet moments throughout my day.
Utilizing that blend of realism and supernatural elements enhances the show further, making it feel more immersive and heightening the dread that washes over viewers. True Haunting might not be for everyone, but those who are well-versed in horror stories will definitely love what the series has to offer.
True Haunting is currently streaming on Netflix!
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