Interested in a ghost story this October? I’ve got one for you. Written and directed by Michael and Shawn Rasmussen (writers of JOHN CARPENTER’S THE WARD), THE INHABITANTS harnesses the atmosphere and power of its historic New England setting and creates a modern day ghost story with an old school feel.
THE INHABITANTS tells the story of Dan (Michael Reed) and Jessica (Elise Couture), a couple who buy the March Carriage House, a historic New England bed and breakfast when its aging prior owner finds herself unable to continue caring for the property. The couple movies in, planning to spend a few weeks restoring some of the problems spots before opening it back up to guests.
Like all old houses, this one has a history. It was once home to a local midwife from the early colonial days who was accused of witchcraft when several of the town’s children died under her care. Despite this backstory, Dan and Jess are determined to make a go of it and to make the property their own. Of course, they aren’t in the house long before they start noticing strange occurrences on the property. Unsettling artifacts from previous owners, strange visitors, ghostly images and a secret room prove the house isn’t what the initially expected. Slowly, the property's strange history begins to come into focus and they learn that is much more complicated (and enduring) than they imagined.
The story largely takes shape as a classic ghost story. Though it takes place in the modern era and embraces a certain amount of technology for story telling purposes, the general vibe is much older and more traditional. Though the characters have modern amenities and devices at their disposals, they are often seen taking a more analogue approach, with photos and old books standing in for Google searches and providing information in a way that is more fitting to their surroundings, and in a way that gives the house itself more of a sense of history.
The film benefits from a slow build and by the fact that the characters don’t notice as many ghostly occurrences as the audience does. The Rasmussens wisely choose to tip their hand only in the viewer’s direction on several occasions, making the sense of terror a bit more palpable, but keeping the characters in the dark about the potential horrors surrounding them. We are left to fear for them and to watch in anticipation as Jess and Dan proceed, seemingly unaware of the dangers of their new home.
The film derives a great deal of its haunted atmosphere from its setting. The historic Noyes-Parris house stands in for the March Carriage House, and has its share of stories. It was once home to the Reverend Samuel Parris, a key figure in the Salem Witch Trials. It’s an inspired setting; the gorgeous, yet mysterious colonial house stands against the misty fields and surrounding woods and sets the stage nicely for the events of the film.
THE INHBITANTS is a great exercise in a more restrained brand of horror. The Rasmussens often resist the jump scare approach and choose to go the more understated route with many of their ghostly moments, allowing shadows to creep quietly in the background of a frame, or ghostly apparitions to silently appear behind one of the actors. They are rightfully content to let the atmospheric presence of the home and whatever lies within its walls win out over any cheap scares that will get the audience for a moment, but ruin any greater impact or tension build. It works incredibly well, never cashing in moments of dread for cheap scares, and instead allowing the foreboding feeling to build over the course of the story.
Despite a few loose ends the story comes together nicely. It’s a refreshingly minimalist take on a ghost story – one that provides enough scares to keep things moving, but doesn’t let the jump moments become the only storytelling device. Sometimes it’s more effective to just sit back and let the story progress slowly, drawing the audience in and letting the haunted atmosphere of the scenery do the talking.
