by The Blackwell Ghost is a series of documentaries written, directed by, produced by, and starring indie filmmaker Turner Clay. They’re mildly entertaining and approach the subject matter in a way that leaves audiences wondering if what they’re seeing is real or fake. It’s pretty clear that each of the films has been faked, but that doesn’t make them any less entertaining. Last year we got the third installment in the series, and it has taken this long for Turner Clay to finish the fourth. Tonight I gave the Blackwell Ghost 4 a view. It’s not going to convince anyone new, but it’s simple and entertaining just as the last ones were.
In the last film Turner Clay ditched the Blackwell House (which was supposedly sold) and set out to find a new haunted house. He settled on a fishing vacation home deep in the Florida everglades. This house was supposedly owned by a serial killer named James Lightfoot who murdered eighteen women there. Guests have since complained about it being haunted with strange noises and doors closing. The Blackwell Ghost 4 picks up where the last one left off with Turner Clay returning to his turquoise colored house in hopes of trying to solve the mystery again.
As someone who follows the Blackwell Ghost page on Facebook I was delighted to find a puzzle posted on it late last year, and it rears its head again here. Breaking the fourth wall like that in a documentary that clearly isn’t based in reality is a fantastic and immersive touch. Rather than focus on Sarah Baker like the last one the Blackwell Ghost 4 switches gears and gives us background on a new victim. This time it’s Susan Forrester. We get an interview from her mom which feels very eerie, and all the major plot revelations focus around her this time around.
The documentary focuses once more on Turner Clay attempting to stay the night in the haunted house all the while trying to solve the mystery. This one has absolutely nothing to do with the Blackwell Ghost, but that’s just fine because the new setting is very surreal and spooky. He brings some new gadgets to the house such as a wind chime, and a specialized computer that gauges temperature changes on sensors to spell out letters. There’s a whole lot of set up for it, but that’s okay because the guy sure can talk. Turner is plenty entertaining on-screen in this film.
At first I was a little disappointed in this film because the first half feels like a bit of a re-tread. Turner tends to repeat facts he spilled in the last movie, and his monologue about seclusion seems almost ripped from the last film. When he arrives at the home the banging sounds start almost immediately. It gets repetitive real fast, but the frustration Turner displays feels real. You also have slamming doors like the last time, and a table flips at one point. The ghostly shenanigans are familiar territory for anyone who has watched the last three Blackwell Ghost films.
The Blackwell Ghost 4 sets itself apart from the previous films because it’s more aggressive. The ghosts are relentless. The banging and slamming doors is more constant than in the last film, and you really get a feeling that Turner is in more danger than ever before. The new devices he uses don’t really add that much to the experience. The wind chimes being knocked down was one of the creepier moments in the film, but the motion sensors and computer add very little.
Turner Clay focuses a lot more on reflections, and makes use of some very convincing effects. In a few scenes he notices reflections moving in the sliding glass door and windows. One of these sequences gave me goosebumps, and yes, I already know it’s all fake. This guy is really good at coming up with spooky scenarios for the documentary. You can tell that it’s a labor of love.
Part 3 really impressed me with the dearth of research and background information provided by Turner. That momentum doesn’t continue with the Blackwell Ghost 4. He doesn’t speak to nearly as many locals nor do we get significantly more back story. I, as well as the other fans of the series, wanted more information on James Lightfoot and his life as a serial killer. I was disappointed that this was explored more. The only new puzzle pieces explored involve Susan Forrester. It’s like Turner completely forgot about Sarah Baker. Perhaps it was to keep things as realistic as possible considering the fact that this is supposed to be a cold case after all.
The reason so many people are fooled into thinking the Blackwell Ghost was real is because Turner Clay is a fantastic actor. He’s very believable and downright entertaining to listen to. He genuinely seems scared whenever we get to sequences with paranormal activity. His reactions are believable and he has a very ‘everyman’ vibe going on. We do get a lot of information that’s not necessary to the story such as his wife being pregnant or his high blood pressure, but that comes with the territory. This is supposed to be a documentary after all. Turner is very friendly and well spoken. His personality is clearly the reason that the movies have been so popular.
The Blackwell Ghost 4 doesn’t suffer the same pacing issues that the previous entries did. As I mentioned we’re hit right away with the banging noises, phone ringing, etc. It really doesn’t let up. There’s also not a lot of filming that happened outside of the house. This means the paranormal activity is always front and center. One minor gripe I had is that Turner included a lot of atmospheric music in this one. I feel that silence would have been stronger and made for a more spooky ambience. Oh, and he also films himself filming. Like, a lot. Imagine setting up cameras just to film yourself walking off with another camera that’s supposedly recording.
If there’s one weak link here it’s surely the ending. It feels fake and forced with our director having to leave the site because of personal issues. I could tell that’s the direction it was going when, in the beginning of the story, he mentions overspending from his joint bank account. I just knew this was planting the seed for the story to be cut short. Obviously this is a ‘to be continued’ case, but I’m frustrated this time because the footage and editing looks like it took only a month or two to finalize. Now we have to wait another five or six months to solve the mystery behind a fictional serial killer? I’m not sure if my interest will hold out until the Blackwell Ghost 5 comes out.
I was surprised there wasn’t more fanfare for this one as the Blackwell Ghost has developed quite a fanbase. It was pure coincidence that I randomly stumbled upon The Blackwell Ghost 4 on amazon. I just instantly had to watch it. I feel like I’m actually invested in the story now and I must see it to it’s conclusion. This installment has more action, but has less resolution and local lore. It’s still plenty scary, and may just be one of the more frightening sequels. I just wish we got some kind of ending. Few times have I been so annoyed with a ‘to be continued’ screen. Let’s hope the Blackwell Ghost 5 answers the questions we have. The ending here just asks too many more for my liking.
Blackwell Ghost 4
Pros
- Great ambiance
- Effective scares
- Likable actor
Cons
- Not enough new 'lore'
- Phoned in ending
