A few months ago I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Small Town Monsters and I immediately became a fan. That is why when I was approached by Nevermore Horror again, I jumped at the chance to get a look at their latest offering, The Mark Of The Bell Witch.
According to the folklore, the Bell Witch tormented the Bell family from 1817 – 1821 in the Red River area near the town of Adams in Tennesee. The invisible entity didn’t merely move the occasional object or make strange sounds. According to various accounts, the spirit would physically attack people, appeared to be clairvoyant, and was quite a vocal spirit and had many conversations with numerous different people.
Small Town Monster’s documentary is a treat to watch as usual. This is because it has a great balance between believing and scepticism. The people being interviewed throughout the documentary are not only experts on the Bell Witch lore but even include folklorists and historians.
The documentary is well and thoroughly researched and the various parts of the story are further enhanced by dramatised reenactments of the hauntings and experiences of the bell family. These black and white scenes take the story of the Bell Witch and turn it from a typical ghost story into a much more visceral experience helping you to understand why the family and all those involved were so terrified.
However, one of the things that truly sets the Small Town Monsters documentaries apart from other similar documentaries, in my opinion, is the fact that while the people in the documentaries are believers, they are also sceptics. Often the people being interviewed will dismiss or rationalise away various parts of the story. The balance between belief and scepticism makes for a far more rounded and compelling documentary.
The documentary doesn’t try to sensationalise the events or even claim that they are true. Instead, it merely examines all the evidence that is available and the various experts are left to debate the veracity of the various accounts and reports related to the incident.
In the end, it is up to you the viewer to decide whether to believe that the Bell family was indeed tormented by a supernatural being or whether there is a simple and rational explanation for the strange events. If you enjoy a thorough and more grounded look at supernatural events then the Small Town Monsters documentaries are certainly for you and The Mark Of The Bell Witch is a must-watch. Posters and trailer below.
The Mark of the Bell Witch will be available to rent or own on Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo OnDemand, DVD and VIDI Space starting December 15th. Blu-ray and DVD copies will be available exclusively from the STM Shop.
