Hell House

  • Hell House - The Documentary Feature

    The award-winning, must-see documentary by director George Ratliff.

    Hell Houses are a distinctly American phenomenon which began in 1990 just outside of Dallas, Texas at the Trinity Assembly of God Church. The original Hell House was conceived as a modern-day fire-and-brimstone sermon. Today, this religious ceremony of sorts is replete with actors, extensive lighting equipment and full audio-visual tech crews.

    Inside the Hell House, tour guides dressed as demons take visitors from room to room to view depictions of school massacres, date rape, AIDS-related deaths, fatal drunk driving crashes, and botched abortions. Hell Houses have now spread to hundreds of churches worldwide. With full access to the behind-the-scenes action, HELL HOUSE follows the process from the first script meeting until the last of the 10,000 visitors passes through the Hell House doors. The movie gives a verite window into the whole process of creating this over-the-top sermon, while showing an intimate portrait of the people who fervently believe its message. The film also features a score by Bubba and Matthew Kadane, formerly of the band Bedhead.

    Despite widely available digital video cameras, Hell House was shot on 16mm film.

  • Hell House - Educational Screener

    For screening in schools, libraries and institutions where tickets will not be sold individually.

About The film

Hell House was shot over the course of 12 weeks in the summer and fall of 2000 just outside Dallas, Texas. Upon completion the film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2001 and then played SXSW. It went on to win awards at the San Francisco film festival and play at festivals around the world. Hell House had a theatrical release through Seventh Arts and had its cable television premier on the Sundance Channel. see more about the film on www.imdb.com/title/tt0301235