Four things Zak Bagans tells us at the beginning of the Demon House…
Zak Bagans’ Demon House begins more like a Hollywood horror film than documentary, but presents us with four fundamental pieces of information before we really know what’s going on. These are; that Zak Bagans is one of the most formidable paranormal investigators, researchers and demonologists in the world; that the demon house was reported on the news as one of the most compelling cases of demonic possession and exorcism in recent times; that before this case even came to Zak’s attention he had a dream about a particularly tall goat like creature that effected him in some way; and finally that once aware of the demon house Zak brought it straight away and this too was reported on the news.
Let’s pause for a second now and just think about the information you’ve been given literally in under five minutes. Firstly, you’ve been told that our hero in this story, Zak Bagans is one of if not the best at what he does in the world. You’ve also been advised that this case was so horrific that it made it onto the news, where they reported on demonic possession and exorcism’s, bearing in mind that generally we associate the news with reporting facts to us. Then you’ve been made aware of a dark dream where a particular dark character may be causing some kind of harm to Zak. Although this dream may not be related at all, it certainly is now. Especially as its beginning to fit the other information presented to us. This is all sealed by the last fact we are told, that Zak Bagans brought the house with the intention to find out what was going on there.
One could say the scene has been set and the characters ready to play their parts!
Not a review of the Demon House…
At this point you would likely be of the mindset that given the opening of this particular blog, I am probably about to give Zak Bagans’ Demon House a pretty poor review. In which case you would be wrong, as this isn’t a review of the film at all. Granted it’s a blog about the Demon House, but it’s certainly not what I would consider a review. You see the problem is as much as I recognise many TV programmes today as a modern sensationalism of the paranormal field, I equally recognise the very positive part they play. Albeit a little difficult to see and often well hidden, these shows do generate an interest and certainly generate discussion. It’s without doubt the also have a large following too, which I think is great news. If a small percentage of that large following take up a serious interest in the paranormal then we will gradually see innovations in the way we do things and perhaps even some good theories too.
Alas I digress, back to the Demon House..
Once past the opening titles which incidentally equally suggest some dark happenings within this particular property, Zak arrives at his new home! Okay, so he has no intention of moving in for real, but we know Zak and in order to fully experience this property we know at some point the guy will be dramatically locked inside. After all that’s pretty much the concept for his popular TV show Ghost Adventures.
Demonic activity plagues family…
First things first though, in thick snow Bagans checks out the house. It isn’t long either before we get onto the family that had recently had the terrible demonic experiences at the property. However they are unwilling to discuss the matter with Zak Bagans team. It’s later suggested that they are in talks with some people from Hollywood though, if memory serves me well. However Bagans does manage to find someone linked to the family willing to talk and they fill us in on the strange happenings of the Demon House.
This all helps Bagans to link the story to some additional eye witnesses, such as staff at a nearby hospital and a social worker. These confirm the story Zak was investigating, which includes witnessing a child walking backwards up a wall against the laws of science, especially gravity. It also confirms some reports of strange occurrences witnessed at the house too. This also includes a couple of local law enforcement officers who don’t like the house either.
In fact we go through a whole section of backing up the previous reports. This is standard in any documentary, but it could equally be argued that you would do the same in a fictional story too.
If it sounds too good to be true, then….
This is one of the biggest problems I have with this particular case, it falls firmly into the category of; ‘if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is’. What I mean by this is that everything comes across as readily accessible to Bagans, apart from the family themselves. This was something I pondered over for a while, something I looked at from both sides too. It could be something as simple as they signed up to a film deal with someone who prevented them from talking to Bagans. Perhaps as the whole thing took its toll on the family they didn’t wish to relive it by telling a TV personality and potentially the world about it. Then there were the children, the children that were supposed effected were quite young, so perhaps their mother didn’t want them exposed to the media. Perhaps if the family was being dishonest then they were worried the children would give it away. There was a lot around this that didn’t sit well, which really wasn’t helped by one person Bagans spoke to mentioning they were offered money too for their story. It wasn’t that this had occurred, my concern was more around Bagans need to highlight it in a few places.
Girl becomes possessed by the dark entity…
Next up was a family that appeared to show up at the house because they used to live there I think. Given Bagans comprehension that this house was greatly haunted and potentially in his mind quite dangerous, he went onto invite the family in. If that wasn’t enough he gave them a brief tour, which included the basement. This whole part of the film is something I struggled with to be honest. Perhaps at that point Bagans wasn’t of the mindset the place posed a particular threat, but then if that wasn’t the case why buy it and investigate it?
The outcome of this family’s visit was, if I am honest, decisively far-fetched! The sequence of events that followed could have been scripted by Stephen King. Basically the family visits Bagans in his little Demon House, previously their home I believe. During the tour of the house, most likely in the basement, something dark attached itself to the daughter. Then from this point forward a girl who used to be quite pleasant becomes increasingly negative and abusive towards her mother. This is of course reported back to Bagans who quickly understands this to be a possible possession, so they take the girl to a local man of god and an exorcism is performed in the church on camera. Granted it doesn’t follow the likes the cult classic films The Exorcist in its approach, but again you have to wonder in these circumstances. Zak Bagans does a fantastic job of measuring the success of the exorcism and advises that she is okay after it.
Let’s just recap and bring a scientist into the Demon House…
So, up until this point we have had the previous witnesses, the conspiracy theory based on someone from Hollywood trying to buy the stories or perhaps their silence, we have seen what the Demon House can do to a teenage girl after just a brief tour of the place too. What is missing is the scientific view-point, enter our scientist!
During this particular part of the film Bagans and his team, along with the scientist conduct a thorough investigation of the house. During this some very interesting readings occur in relation to activity experienced by Bagans. However they also capture some odd video and something happens to one of the team, who if memory serves me is or was a camera man. Now the scientist confirms that there is something very odd about the house or at least the land that it sits on. Drawing correlations to things that appear to affect Bagans. However once again what occurs here is more evident once they all leave the house.
Bagans scientist friend soon falls drastically ill and ends up in hospital with multiple serious conditions, which even he is of the assumption that his change in health has a direct link to the recent visit to the house. Obviously this doesn’t all happen over night and these conditions build over time.
Violent dark outbursts at the hotel…
However the action on the cameraman guy is much swifter and dramatic. Once back at the hotel he begins to act really strange, this soon escalates to him having a huge outburst in the corridor of the hotel. Something which is equally quite violent too. I had a slight concern over this part of the footage too. The team appear to film it on a few devices, even though they’re supposed to be concerned about their friend. Also, when this occurs there are no other people in the hotel that come out of their rooms within the corridor. Either Bagans team have the whole floor to themselves or there are no other guests in the hotel. Both of which I find a little hard to understand. Equally to this you don’t see a member of staff appear to see what all the commotion is about. Hence it comes across more like a scene being shot for a film, in my opinion. Suffice to say after this the cameraman spirals further into darkness and due to his behaviour Bagans has to let him go.
If you know film and TV then you’ll be well aware that what’s been occurring is the gradual build for the grand finale. Which in Zak Bagans style similar to Ghost Adventures, will be alone lockdown in the Demon House to see what may happen to Bagans over night. In all honesty I was a little disappointed by this, as there only appeared to be a couple of minor events. However the events in question seemed to freak Bagans out quite a bit and he left the house with a severe eye injury that he will now have with him forever.
The Demon House is demolished…
Then in an odd ending Bagans has the house demolished, so that it can not cause pain for anyone else. However it may not be the house and these entities may be attached to the land itself. In which case if they build another house, that too may have the problems of the original.
Zak Bagans Demon House left me with a great number of questions still unanswered in honesty. It was certainly an entertaining piece of film in my opinion and it was well put together as I watched straight through to the end. I’m no expert in demonology that’s for sure, but it is an area I would like to know more about. However as ever paranormal stories that are concluded to be related to demons often have me wondering to their authenticity.
Did Zak Bagans purchase a genuine property that was haunted by a possible demon or even a few demons? That is not an easy one to answer. Bagans does make a compelling case and certainly suggests that there is evidence to support the claims. Evidence I would certainly be interested in viewing. It is suggested that this case was shot over several years at the beginning, perhaps that which seemed to have occurred in a short space of time had a longer lead time. That too would make some of the case more credible. It’s certainly a case I would like to review and if the house stood take a look myself. Which is part of this story that I find a little hard to swallow. If this particular house was such a location where actual activity of this nature had occurred, then surely it could have been kept as a possible location for further and more scientific research? Obviously I understand that Bagans film shows the dangers that this house can inflict on people who visit it whilst they are there and after they have left. However if our desire to know so much of what is beyond our reality of existence, should we not attempt to follow the rabbit down the hole to see what exists beyond? Exploration of new lands has never come without risk or danger, so should the risk be evident in the physical and the metaphysical.
Granted that Bagans owned the house and it was his to do with as he pleased, but should such a decision that could give us greater understanding of our own existence remain with one individual?
Was it just entertainment then…
Of course we must equally entertain, well the common factor that the whole thing was ‘for entertainment purposes’ only in which case the validity of this case comes under immense scrutiny in my opinion. So, from one researcher to another, and one that doesn’t like to draw complete conclusions without all the data; I simply ask Zak Bagans to share with me the complete details of this case for peer review? Simply put, if the actual evidence is that compelling then the case will stand by itself. However if its experience lead; the lifestyles and belief systems of those involved may have given the perception of the involvement of dark entities, when in fact there were more lets say psychological explanations available.
As I said earlier this isn’t really a review of Zak Bagans’ Demon House, so I am not about to give the film a thumbs up or indeed recommend it to anyone as a must watch for those interested in the paranormal. However the delivery of the film does follow some interesting premises in itself. Bagans tells us that the house is cursed, we are presented with information stating that this is a true story and Bagans and the team certainly appear to have their own share of bad luck when it comes to the house. There is plenty to persuade us that the Demon House lives up to its name and certainly has the power to possess a teenage girl, affect the health of a scientist, change the mindset of a crew member and in its finale damage the very vision of Zak Bagans. Whether we take these on board as fact, well that’s a personal venture.
In my opinion the story was compelling and certainly interesting, but as with anything on TV (news included) I take it at face value. I prefer to do a little more research and see what may be beyond the sensationalism of a film such as this. After all we shouldn’t look something up on the internet and just go with what Wikipedia say, should we? There are certainly moments of the film that brought out my sceptic side in full force, that I can not deny. There were moments which Bagans delivered what could only be understood as dramatic and possibly constructed for our viewing pleasure. However it did follow that same successful format that Ghost Adventures has used and thus I’m sure received many interesting reviews.
As far as an actual story of modern-day demonic possession and presence of a dark entity terrorising a normal home, the film delivered enough to keep you watching, but for me not enough to drive good evidence. As far as a documentary I feel it let itself down with too many dramatic elements too. Good paranormal entertainment, poor factual documentary, in my opinion.
Would Zak Bagans let me review the case I wonder…
However, in regards to this story itself, my question to Zak Bagans remains, if you have good documented evidence to back up this case I would certainly be interested in reviewing it? As a case of such calibre in my opinion should be reviewed by multiple people from varying approaches and understanding. That way we can comprehend its true authenticity across the board.
If you’ve never seen Ghost Adventures, where have you been? Alternatively pop on over to Amazon and start with Season 1.
Check out Zak Bagan’s book ‘Dark World: Into the Shadows with the Lead Investigator of the Ghost Adventures Crew’.
Ashley Knibb 
I’ll get the comments going! 😉
I have long stopped watching ANYTHING with Zak Bagans in it, especially because he now usually has “creative control”.
The antics on Ghost Adventures got repetitive and thus, boring.
I’m in this field to LEARN, not to be entertained in that manner. It’s like watching the same movie over and over.
This show might have been fascinating from a psychological point of view, but the moment Zak is connected, I just cannot trust or believe his version of ‘facts’.
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I can understand that view point, it is difficult to consider TV Shows such as these as ‘research’ or providing good ‘evidence’, but equally in my opinion I think everything has its place. I feel these shows do generate good interest which can lead to some seeking more serious avenues of research. Also, I have personally met a few from the TV shows and had some fascinating conversations with them outside of the show format of course.
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100% AGREE !!!
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I have too; I’m personal friends with Brian from Haunted Collector and have had in depth conversations with John Zaffis, Patrick Burns, Scotty Roberts, Paul Bradford, etc – and Zak Bagans. While most of their off-camera input is worth hearing… as is any experienced person in this field, his off-camera behavior was one of drinking enough to stagger around and ruin the investigation which many had paid to join him.
Having been on a haunted TV show myself, I was saddened that all my attempts to get the producers to make it as real as possible were met with instructions to ‘make it as scary as possible’.
I understand your point that certain shows can educate us and further this field. I just have a hard time condoning shows that continue to perpetuate myths, dangerous techniques, or are used as platforms to further the ego of this man in particular. 🙂
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A much larger discussion perhaps. We will get there I’m sure, but it is unfortunate that the sensationalism of the TV shows entertainment factors keep them on our screens rather than the truly fascinating depth this subject has to offer. A future blog perhaps.
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Exactly! There has been a turn in the basics of this show. ..it began just b4 Nick left. When it was 3 guys looking to prove the paranormal existed and they went into places to find proof, in some cases to help ppl… but Zak started ordering them into the bad areas while he sat down to watch… then it turned darker and darker… …and so has Zak.
I’ve personally known of a couple of the locations
In my home area that he drastically vilified for the s is too…ihow. There was plenty of activity, didn’t have to provoke it much either… but he made it sound evil, dark, scary… for TV…
I don’t know if he drinks a lot like 1 comment stated or if chasing after and immersing himself in the evil, dark side of the spiritual realm is responsible for this dark turn in zak’s personality and even in his appearance…
I know the spiritual world and I know it’s like Alcohol, food, gambling, and anything else, we must seek a balance… if there is an imbalance it has a negative, it adverse effect, on us…
As for Demon House, it was sensationalistic, even things that appeared to be spontaneous were filmed from multiple angles, steadily.. no movement like we’d see on cell ph or hand held camera… no other ppl were around… there were huge claims and goodness knows I am not going to say I do…i ..or don’t believe them…
I can tell you that it disturbs me to see anyone who put ppl on television during the worst moments of their lives… esp a claimed exorcism..
Halloween night’s fiasco swayed me on demon house. Going live for 4 hrs in haunted museum zak has assembled and filled with what they claim to be
Evil, damaging, and even dangerous. Peggy the doll, the mirror, and the dybbek box… now all the fan fare about going live, they came 30 mins late… went inside well b4 dark, and failed to deliver on the fright factor… here’s what threw the shadow on demon house. All the nonsense about to open ..or not to open the box! Brings a rabbi they chose! ..he tells Zak outright that he researched the dybbek box that afternoon after they asked him to come on show. ..he said that from what he could find there wasn’t a documented case of this evil box being what it’s said to be and even said…”I know this isn’t good for your ratings but….” and Zak rushed the guy out of there immed and returned for damage control to discredit the rabbi…
That rabbi was innocent and honest in that moment, ..he wasn’t trying to make Zak look bad, he was uncomfortable in saying it…
I think the change in Zak, direction in and content of the shows saddens me. They don’t change. Zak picks the worst, creepiest, most miserable places to send Aaron and then he goes to watch on a monitor
..or ..he goes where there’s a bed to lie on.. then these grown men are still telling “oh my God bro…!”
They go in an area whe 1 gets mad, tells at everyone, another wanders of dazed and they make the words that come through devices fit what they are there to prove… they don’t factor in where they are, accents, time periods… example.. in Ireland I think, in a prison and a voice communicates and tell them how he died he was ‘bitten’.. it’s a prison and with his accent the word was “beaten”… but bitten sounds far worse… this kind of fill in the blanks continues to date… so…
I’m concerned for Zak and truly want to see him find a balance…to see them return to basics, the purity of what they had in the beginning.
Stop the theatrics b4 you lose the credibility you’ve worked to earn.
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I haven’t yet watched this, but I have read a lengthy, skeptical review of it on csicop.org (look for Demon House deconstructed). Well written and researched. I can’t take to watching him as he just appears to be taking everything that happens. I agree with your first responder in that the paranormal and any research/investigation, has to be kept as ‘real’ as possible.
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Thank you Ray
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Very much enjoyed your analysis of Demon House. It’s a very interesting film worthy of thought and discussion. I just finished watching Demon House, too. I found it very convincing. I have never watched any of Zak Bagans’ TV shows, so his methods were new to me. Perhaps Bagans is a bit theatrical, but I also felt he effectively used a lot of reality TV show techniques to tell his story. The various witnesses don’t seem to be acting. Having worked for many years as an actress, to me the witnesses seemed pretty natural, which is the hardest thing to do as an actor. I have never believed in demons, but the scientist being hospitalized and Zak developing eye trouble was hard to dismiss. There are so many well documented instances of people being cured of incurable diseases by miracles and prayer, that it does seem possible that a demonic encounter could have the opposite effect. All I can say is the movie really made me think and remain open to the idea that there are many things which we cannot explain with science alone.
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Thank you for your reply and kind words. Although the possibility does seem apparent within the context of the film, there are other possibilities that should be explored here which may present normal explanations. Certainly good for thought.
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Dr. Taff wanted more investigation of the site & felt Zac’s film narrowed in on demons at the expense of exploring other areas. I would’ve liked to see more investigation, Zac had surveillance cameras running for ‘months & months’, presumably nothing presented itself or it would surely have been included in the film. I think, there possibly was a demon after the Ex-boyf, or his wife, cursed the family, but it was Exorcised so end of.
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Exactly how I felt after just watching ‘Demon House’ in England; great deal of unanswered questions! I did enjoy the film, & I like Zac & his shows, but.. I’m left confused by what seems to be a mix of fact & ’embellishment’. I went online to check reviews & critical analysis, but I’m still confused; guess Zac’s doing a good job at entertaining us! One thing that puzzles me is Zac claims to believe in demons, seeks Blessings from Priests & wears ‘metals, crystals & oils’ for ‘protection’ so, outwardly at least, he presumably believes in a force of good /God acting thru’ these trinkets, but yet he never mentions it? I don’t see how you can believe in demons without a flipside of God, Yin without Yang – but then, if he really believed there was a demon in the house, why lock himself in there alone with it?! Either he was pretending or he thought he was harder than a demon.. Crazy world.
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Zack receives a salary for his antics. He is paid for “entertaining” and acting and has given up on authenticity long ago. Due to this, I refuse to watch him any more. When enough people quit seeking his hysteria, the sponsors will drop him and move on to the next Honey Boo Boo….
Good point about the young and yang.
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It was entertaining but the one question I have is where are all the people in the hotel, if someone was ranting and yelling in the hotel, there would have been hotel associates or other people looking out to see wtf is going on in the hallway. Up to that point it seem “factual” but after that it went down hill pretty fast.
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Valid point !
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I completely agree, the lost footage could’ve been the entire documentary. I wish I had more seasoned investigators to point out what’s completely fake, besides zak getting possessed, feeling weird, blacking out on every single episode. Ive done some investigating and do wish there was a show that’s completely factual, id still watch even if they found nothing. Ive had my own experiences, I hate to sound crazy but it’s like I can tap into people’s emotions, so it feels like I’m more sensitive or open I guess to spirits. It’s hard to explain I guess. Thank you for your fantastic review, and honest opinion.
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After viewing the film I came away with the following interpretation. Previous owners of the home were messing with supernatural rituals and forces, thus inviting demonic activity into the home. The family in question that came later did experience some manner of demonic possession that required a priest & the rites of exorcism. Their interaction with these dark forces brought further chaos into the home. Negativity fed off of negativity and the situation there worsened. There were social workers, members of law enforcement, paranormal investigators, etc., that witnessed disturbing incidents and were ill-affected by the forces in the home. Zak Bagan’s purchased the house sight unseen because he wanted full rights to the investigation; he has been purchasing cursed objects and this dwelling was his biggest purchase to date. He later burned down the house as stated, to keep it from harming anyone else, and to give himself and others closure. That being said, there were other “witnesses” to the demonic activity in the home being interviewed who lacked credibility, smirked openly, and appeared to be jumping on the celebrity band wagon; being associated with the activity in that house gave them their 15 seconds of fame, and they were likely hoping it would pay off as well. I also think the family in question ultimately saw dollar signs regarding a film adaptation of their experience, which is why, I believe, they did not speak to Zak. Thus, a tainted environment became further tainted by greed and attention-seeking. Is Zak’s persona over the top at times? Yes, Zak is a showman, but that doesn’t mean he’s a hoax. I think Zak very much believes in what he is doing, and considering the realm he is delving into, he keeps the drama together fairly well in the end- dreams , visions, theatrics and all.
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Fair point, but I ask this simple question; if such subject matters are a reality and should be taken seriously, then why blur the lines with showmanship? This creates reasonable doubt in the credibility and possibilities of the facts, in turn suggesting fraud. Fundamental facts are important in any case, blur these in the aim to benefit financially and fraud becomes the most likely possibility.
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If your response is that Zak Bagans himself is blurring the lines with his behavior, I think it is because it is in his nature, and because the show is very important to him; I assume he wants to keep the ratings up by amping up the excitement level. I also think Zak has a healthy ego, which both enables him to do what he does and yet at the same time, knocks his crediblity down various notches with a good many viewers. I would think he’s doing just fine regarding financial matters, and the theatrics is more about keeping “Ghost Adventures” alive and kicking, despite the changes and it’s many seasons past. Again, I think that the fraud lies with the lesser known individuals involved who are attempting to profit financially and get their moment in the spotlight. I do think Zak should present the fundamental facts and allow you and others to review the case for further examination, though, as you have suggested. Likely I am also influenced by the fact that I mostly enjoy “Ghost Adventures,” and hate to see any paranormal program worth it’s salt, so to speak, be discredited and/or go off the air. Thank you for responding to my post.
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The scientist whose organs were failing , don’t you look sicker when that is actually happening to your body?! Just saying…..
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I thought this “documentary” was suspenseful and entertaining. I was wondering throughout if it was fake and if all the professionals were actors or real people (police and CPS). I did do a little research on the effects of black mold. It could cause his headaches, irritability, organ failure and hallucinations.
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100% agree with your assessments. People are gullible and like a mystery.
I need proof not dialogue.
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for some that is saying , that the show is “Fake ” well…you tell me ..was Amityville fake ?? .. I have had experience with the devil …NOT BECAUSE, I called on him but ,because , he knew I was weak at the time .. to make this comment short . I do believe that there is that , the devil is real !! … he don’t play around .. maybe in your guys mind , he just ” f ing ” with you but , in reality , HE’S DOING MORE THEN JUST THAT !! ..as far as Zak is concern … there are some question for him from me but , I know it will be hard to get any answer from him because, he’s so well ” known” so contacting him , is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack ! … the show in it self , I don’t know if the show is legit or not but , I do know that bad spirits can come into your life and depending on how weak or strong you are , they will leave or stay with you for a long long time . so to all haters STOP IT . and to the person that wrote this article .. I have one thing to say to you !!!!
if you Zak has comply to all YOUR QUESTIONS and has shown you some PROVE , what more do you want in order to believe what Zak is showing you ?? … you know it’s like you mocking him in a since … I don’t know if you know of this but, I remember that , a man mocked and kept asking Jesus to prove to him that he as in Jesus is healing people was real … Look I have been a psychic medium since 2005 . I know what I speak of and like I said earlier,that The show may enhanced technology stuff but the DEVIL IS REAL and he can do more harm then good … so again if any one have DOUBTS as to what Zak has to say when it comes to EXPERIENCE what an evil being can do , then I DARE YOUR ASS TO PROVE TO US THAT ZAK IS FAKE .. go to any HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN HAUNTED FOR YEARS and show us that you still have sanity in your life ! until such time .. stop WITH THE HATE BASHING !! because, THE DEVIL LOVES THAT AS WELL !! …so QUIT IT !!
i’ll still watch the show but i’ll reserve myself until other wise ..
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Thank you for your comment. Personally I will still reserve judgment on matters such as Zaks Demon House and equally into such supernatural beings as demons or even the devil, simply because there’s not yet significant empirical evidence to support their existence for me. That’s my personal assessment and belief. In all honesty I’m neither personally bothered in regards to Zaks validity either. He’s doing his thing and that’s fine, he’s certainly bringing the field to a greater audience that’s for sure. However that said there’s been some questionable footage in regards to his antics that highlight probable focus on entertainment rather than investigation, which isn’t surprising.
In areas such as these peer review of your work is a standard thing and not necessarily a negative thing either. Often when people have responded to things I have written they bring my attention to things I’ve not previously thought of before. That’s amazing and something that drives the field forwards. Being open to look at many possibilities is key to what we do, but equally we must be realistic and search for empirical evidence not just random possibilities or belief. Sometimes the smoke and mirrors of TV doesn’t help I’m that regard.
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Zak Bagans is literally the Bear Grylls of paranormal investigation.
I spent a good deal of my 20s as a paranormal investigator, before the craze of all these paranormal shows on TV began. Now I did watch the first few seasons for amusement and to laugh at how they break every rule a good paranormal investigator should follow over and over again.
And like Bagans himself, most of his so-called “experts” are into quackery as much or more than him. Eventually I couldn’t even watch anymore, because I felt that if any of these hauntings are in fact genuine, (I question a great many of them) then the way they handle them is irresponsible at best. This house in question for instance. Demolishing it the way he did was the worst possible thing he could have done outside of actually moving in himself.
I have seen too much in all my years to discount the paranormal, but Zak Bagans himself, in my opinion, is a fraud.
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There may have been paranormal issues with the house, but feel the embellishments didn’t help, Zak also tends to play stuff up, and his goal was to have a museum of haunted artifacts that was bigger than any other. Also was kinda upset that not only was the conjuring house investigation was shot pre Halloween, they made the homeowners sign a legal statement not to let any other investigators into the place until after the ghost advent show on the house has aired
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I am not sure if you are doubting the credibility of the people who were involved. I live 5 miles from where this house once was and this did legitimately happen. As for whether it was a hoax or not from the home owners, that is something no one will ever know except those involved. However, professionals from the area did claim to see these things. The police officers, CPS workers, catholic church, etc interviewed are real people known in the community. Gary is not a place you want to be alone if you are not familiar with the area. The shootings were coincidental, but sadly it happens so regularly that it’s a stretch to link it to the house.
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I know I’m a little late to the party, but I just watched this ‘movie.’ I tend to agree with Ashley’s take. It’s too good to be true. I was left wanting thru the bulk of the movie. There was alot of vague innuendo and ambiguous conjecture that we had to let our brains fill in the blanks. I will admit the ending had me stressed and nervous. That was well orchestrated, directed, and played. I have 2 problems with the ending… The sounds were VERY likely the vocalizations of a Mountain-Lion/Cougar or Central American Jaguar. Even knowing these vocalizations it was scary and at the time there was too much stress to really care as it was posed with extreme fear content; visually and audibly! THEN, he places his camera down and it is focusing perfectly on the hall or room area when the dark shadowy apparition appeared… Conveniently the camera went completely out of focus just at the perfect time to make it only something our imaginations could decipher for ourselves. THAT is just too convenient in my book. My take is it is a fictional account. It is a story; simply a ghost story despite the “buying of the house” and then demolishing the house after. A good way to remove ANY evidence that could be confirmed or denied by others seeking resolution and closure to the events and explanation of those events that he offered. As much as the sounds supposedly by the demon were terrifying; I would suggest it is no more terrifying than the reality of those vocalizations heard in the wild by outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, hikers, and environmentalists that share the great outdoors with all manner of wildcats and fierce mammalian beasts that actually exist in real life! I would also suggest it is even less scary than a common nighttime spent outdoors in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa! Lions, Leopards, and numerous other dangerous big game and wildlife make sounds far scarier than those heard in this movie. The buildup and crescendo was pretty masterfully crafted. I’m not satisfied with the; well there you have it resolution in this movie. And then the demolition… Non-sequitur! Does he still own it? Is the property available? There’s too much that was left off the table were it a legitimate documentary! To my own consideration, I recall Zak oddly wearing sunglasses even in dark conditions and at night that seemed bizarre to me. Perhaps his condition, that now requires him to wear prismatic glasses has little or nothing to do with any issue that arose from his time in the house… It seems to me there was a condition he had prior to that movie… I’ll have to find reruns to be sure about that, but that’s what I recall. So it seems to me that it is more of a production for entertainment than an actual factual documentary. IMHO!
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