There are some horror franchises that endure because they are so unique and creative, and Hell House LLC is one of them. Anyone who likes haunted houses, the month of October, and horror movies that feel fresh and surprising will enjoy the 2015 film. It has become a cult favorite in the almost ten years since its release.
Written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, Hell House LLC has a unique plot, a genuinely creepy setting, and a lot of lore. There are definitely many reasons why horror fans still talk about it to this day and recommend it as one of the better found footage films.
What Is Hell House LLC About?
Hell House LLC was released in 2015 and is about a haunted house called Hell House. When 15 people die, the setting turns sinister. While some found footage movies are dull, the found footage movie The Houses October Built is underrated, and the Hell House LLC franchise deserves as much praise.
Hell House LLC is a fun found footage horror movie because it's a mockumentary. While audiences watch interviews with people who share their take on the events that took place, the main character is Diane Graves (Alice Bahlke), a documentary filmmaker who wants to solve the mystery. Since Diane is intelligent and compelling, she's one of the best horror movie main characters. She makes watching Hell House LLC even more entertaining because it's hard not to want to know what she's going to uncover.
Hell House LLC is enjoyable to watch because it pokes fun at horror movies about haunted houses. While there are some excellent haunted house horror movies, many feel boring and generic. Hell House LLC also has a brilliant ending and can be considered a movie with one of the best plot twists.
How Many Hell House LLC Movies Are There?
There are three Hell House LLC movies in the horror franchise. Besides 2015's Hell House LLC, there are two sequels: Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel and Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire. There are some great horror movies on Shudder, and the two sequels Hell House LLC II and Hell House LLC III began streaming on the service in September 2018 and September 2019.
While some horror sequels felt unnecessary, Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel is fascinating. The story follows the ending of Hell House LLC and focuses on Jessica Fox (Jillian Geurts), a reporter, who wants to go to the hotel so she can become famous and successful.
Audiences learn about Jackson Mallet (Tom Sibley) who disappeared after spending time in the Abaddon Hotel. The movie then follows several characters who talk about whether the Hell House documentary is real or not. Mitchell Cavanaugh (Vasile Flutur) thinks that because Diane Graves (Alice Bahlke) and her cameraman passed away while at the hotel, the documentary is definitely real. Arnold Tasselman (Brian David Tracy) doesn't believe that this really happened and is upset about the bad press that the small town is receiving as a result.
When found footage horror movies work well, they are unique, different, and artistic. They don't tell the same kind of story and they have relatable characters. The third movie in the Hell House trilogy is a great example of what the found footage horror subgenre can do. In Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire, Russel Wynn (Gabriel Chytry) purchases the Abaddon Hotel and wants to put on his play called Insomnia there. Vanessa Shepherd (Elizabeth Vermilyea), a journalist who has a TV show called Morning Mysteries, arrives to shoot the behind-the-scenes production of Insomnia. Of course, as audiences can guess, there are some frightening moments that prove that the hotel is haunted.
What Are The Key Pieces Of Hell House LLC Lore?
There are many horror franchises that have deep lore, and the main piece of Hell House LLC lore is the setting of the Abaddon Hotel. While this place isn't real, Hell House LLC was filmed at the Waldorf Estate of Fear, which is located in Leighton, Pennsylvania. Fans of the horror trilogy can visit it every October if they want to see it in person. The Abaddon Hotel is located in Abaddon, New York, which isn't a real town, either.
Another important piece of Hell House LLC lore is the story of Andrew Tully, who owned the Abaddon Hotel. He is said to have taken his own life. Audiences learn that the Abaddon Hotel became abandoned because he might have been convincing people to join a cult that worshiped Satan.
What makes the Hell House LLC trilogy so scary is that not everything is given a full and proper explanation. While audiences see a pentagon, there are no real answers. This would usually be frustrating. But, in the case of Hell House LLC, the lack of complete answers makes it feel perfectly mysterious and terrifying. Although it feels complete, it's a horror franchise that could use one more film.