🖋️ Plot Overview:
Elizabeth Woods is an investigative journalist who is waiting for the chance to prove herself. But her presence at a rotten murder scene becomes the start of the worst nightmare of her life. Shattered by the horrible scene, she decides to leave the city for a while and moves to a little town with hopes of ascertaining sanity. What she gets instead is a haunting and blood soaked home which she is not able to completely grasp its calling to her.
Elizabeth began to settle in the new house when she started to hear strange noises and catch fleeting visions of shadows. Initially, she wrote these off as figments of her imagination but when she started to see spirits of the departed the off limits zone was crossed. The past crimes were apparently still lingering in the air and this home tucked the house thick and old with the ambience of anger shouting injustice from its dilapidated walls. Elizabeth became the unwillingly chosen mouthpiece to all justice needed.
Based on sinister dreams, an individual tries to understand a story of a family that used to live within a house and had a tragic end. As more information about the past is collected Elizabeth begins to realize that the history of the town was much darker than she ever fathomed. Working alongside Professor Channing and Detective Joshua Freeman, she uncovers a gruesome tale of treachery, prejudice and vengeance. However, with the ghosts’ power increasing, she is required to face her greatest terror if she has any hopes of making it through the confrontation with a dark spirit with vendetta.
đź‘» Themes and Atmosphere:
A Dead Calling is a film that expertly explores the delicate intersection and relationship between the guilt, the trauma and the living and the dead. The film manages to pose the question, What is Justice if it goes without being served? The setting makes the viewer slightly uncomfortable as the film’s atmosphere is gruesome and the surroundings feel worse and gloomier making the film even more frightening. The haunted house is a character of its own with creaking floorboards, walls haunting whispers and mist like shadows that continue to trail Elizabeth.
Both psychological concepts as well as supernatural aspects makes this film gripping. Elizabeth seemingly has no control over her forces which draws her deep into the her town’s history which is a rather grim one. But the climax in itself is utterly gratifying as the puzzle is thrilling to solve and keeps the audience on the edge.
đź‘Ą Cast and Characters:
- Alexandra Holden as Elizabeth Woods — A determined journalist who moves to a new town to escape her trauma, only to be pulled into a deadly mystery.
- Bill Moseley as Detective Joshua Freeman — A mysterious detective who helps Elizabeth navigate the case, though his intentions aren’t always clear.
- Leslie Easterbrook as Chief Nathan Woods — The town’s police chief, who seems to know more about the house’s dark past than he’s willing to admit.
- Sid Haig as Professor Channing — An eccentric paranormal expert who warns Elizabeth of the danger she’s facing.
đź’ˇ What to Expect:
In my personal opinion, I believe A Dead Calling is worth watching thanks to its intriguing character development and gradual escalation of tension. The film dives deep into the overly saturated genre of horror, focusing more on the psychological aspect while also tackling the global undertones of the genre as community coefficients.
We can expect a riveting story which is laced with unexpected ghostly encounters, chilling whispers in the dark, and an influx of private bay-style mysteries. The tales of pain hidden deep within, it’s often the scars left behind that our past loves the most.
🎥 Trailer Breakdown:
The trailer begins rolling with Elizabeth shifting into her new apartment but feels an uneasiness around the place. It flashes images of spooky silhouettes and strange sounds along with the remnants of the horrific murder that occurred there. Detective Freeman and Professor Channing appear at the scene to caution Elizabeth on the haunted history of the house as the film intensifies to an epic bout with the spirit seeking revenge.
Gloomy landscapes, dimly lit hallways and chilling sweeps of the wind sets a classic thriller vibe to the trailer alongside the amurder mystery plot.
đź’€ Fun Fact:
Sid Haig, Born December 14, 1939, in San Francisco, California, USA is a well known US horror actor appearing in the films House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects. He is well known for his role in A Dead Calling as Professor Channing. He manages to add depth and fear in the story.
