Blood Streams - The Haunted (1991)
I've always had a soft spot for made for tv horror films. I count the movies Don't Be Afraid of the Dark and Dark Night of the Scarecrow among my all-time favorites and don't even get me started on Trilogy of Terror.
This passion got reignited in me recently after I got my hands on a copy of film historian Amanda Reyes terrific book Are You In the House Alone: A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999. Reyes's book is jam-packed with gems, and though a lot of TV movies are out of print or difficult to get your hands on, I've found a surprising number of these films available on YouTube in their entirety.
Such was the case with today's offering 1991's The Haunted, which for those of you unfamiliar with it, marks the first screen appearance of Ed and Lorraine Warren, who fans will know from the Conjuring films. Easily one of the best haunted house tales ever told via the television medium The Haunted RIPS, and I highly encourage you to give it a look this Halloween season. I've got my hopes up that someone will give The Haunted well-deserved restoration in the néar future, but for now, even the well-worn look of the version available on YouTube doesn't subtract a bit from the movie's multiple scary moments.
Throw in some understated and pretty terrific performances by Sally Kirkland and Jeffrey DeMunn, a cameo from the real Lorraine Warren, and some subtle but terrifying set-pieces, and you've got the formula for freaky-ass fall fun!
You'll find the link to enjoy the full movie above! If you like what you see, Amanda Reyes' aforementioned book (as well as her funny and insightful commentary on the Warner Archive Blu-ray release of the original Don't Be Afraid of the Dark) are well worth tracking down. For horror fans who feel they've seen it all, there is a lot of gold to mine from the made-for-tv era, and The Haunted is an excellent place to start.