The Houses October Built

The Houses October Built is a 2014 American found footage horror film directed by Bobby Roe who also co-stars in the film. This obscure yet notable horror film, well known among genre enthusiasts, showcases a terrifying twist on the Halloween horror genre. The film is an unnerving blend of haunting realism, suspense, and terror, presenting a grim underworld of Halloween hauntings that few have dared to unravel. Most strikingly, it reflects a chilling portrayal of America's perverse fascination and obsession with the Halloween season.

The title of the movie, 'The Houses October Built', refers to haunted house attractions, an entrenched thread in the fabric of American Halloween celebrations. The plot revolves around these seasonal scares, as it follows a group of five friends who are on an epic road trip. The twist? They are not seeking picturesque views or the thrill of the open road, but rather, they are in search of the most terrifying and fear-inducing haunted house attractions across America.

The main characters include Brandy Schaefer, portrayed by herself, who is the sole female member of the group and is subjected to the most unnerving experiences. The rest of the group includes Mikey Roe as himself, the fun-loving zest of the group; Jeff Larson plays himself, the tech wiz of the group; Bobby Roe playing himself, the driven de-facto leader of the group; and, Zack Andrews— who is also one of the main writers of the film — portraying himself, the rational, level-headed member of the group. As such, the movie builds an eerie sense of realism by casting the actors as themselves, by extension, blurring the lines between reality and make-believe.

The movie begins as these thrill-seekers start their journey in an RV, armed with handheld cameras hoping to document the chilling experiences that await them. Their determination and excitement are focused on finding the most extreme, bone-chilling haunted houses. As they go deeper into their journey, they begin overlapping the realm of professional entertainment and something much darker. Unexpectedly, their adventure takes a sinister turn when they start encountering a mysterious group in the most unsettling places and at the unlikeliest of times.

What elevates the inherent horror of this film is the use of found footage style, reminiscent of movies like "The Blair Witch Project". Employing a pseudo-documentary style with shaky, handheld camera shots, the movie effectively uses this technique to build suspense and enhance the feeling of dread. The glaring realism that this approach offers thrusts the audience directly into the unfolding horror, making it a palpable, heart-thumping experience. It latch onto the fear of the known rather than the unknown, playing into the hands of thrill-seekers who seek out terror for fun.

Furthermore, the film remarkably captures the eerie essence of the Halloween season as they visit numerous Halloween haunt attractions. It doesn’t shy away from depicting the raw and visually disturbing 'art forms' that dominate these spectacles, including grotesque makeup, unnerving performances, and macabre decorations. This deeply adds to the overall terror quotient of the film and leaves an indelible mark on the psyche of the viewers.

In addition to all this, the element of psychological horror cannot be overlooked. The fear isn’t arising only from the monstrous creatures and haunted houses but also from the psychological trauma that the characters undergo as they journey deeper into their quest. Questions about sanity, reality, and paranoia begin to haunt, not only the characters but the audience as well.

The chilling journey through the haunted houses, combined with the dark underbelly of those who run these attractions, make the film an immersive and terrifying experience. The Houses October Built brings a fresh perspective to Halloween-themed movies by presenting a horrifying tour through the landscape of fear. The film holds appeal for horror fanatics and aficionados of found-footage style films, featuring a relentless and unsettling atmosphere, a simple yet effective plot, and an ending that will send chills down one’s spine.