This Is The Best Horror Franchise You’ve Never Heard Of
It’s easy to dismiss The Blackwell Ghost. Straddling the paranormal and serial killer genres, the film franchise is far more than meets the eye. A simple premise (a guy investigating spooky occurrences) sets the stage for one of the all-time best horror franchises. From its reliance on ghostly shadows to things that go bump in the night, Turner Clay’s masterful series makes you question what lurks in the shadows and brings a fresh eye to tired old cliches and tropes. Eight films deep, Clay expertly crafts chilling, stomach-turning storytelling that keeps the audience always on their tip-toes.
Released in 2017, the first film sees Clay (playing himself) tracking down the Blackwell Ghost to a house on an otherwise idyllic suburban street. He seeks to prove the existence of ghosts, so he sets up a series of cameras around the home. As the nights drag on, a specter comes out to play. Shadows dance on the walls, and items move inexplicably from their spots. Clay discovers exactly what he sought out, but it’s only just the beginning. His findings lead him deep into the past and a vengeful ghost’s sinister intentions. He gets more than he bargained for, but the intrigue is too much. So he delves further into the investigation.
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While the initial film is the “weakest” of the series, it does serve as a perfect primer for the rest of the films. It’s not often that sequels turn out to be better than the original, but that’s certainly the case with The Blackwell Ghost franchise, which hits its stride with the fourth film. Clay is a skilled filmmaker who keeps the cards close to his chest and only reveals his hand when the time is right. He builds each entry like a game of Jenga, perfectly balancing the darkness of the story with his light-hearted, goofball personality. Clay scatters puzzle pieces throughout the series and slots them together when absolutely necessary. As one of the genre’s most charming protagonists, you feel for him and root for his survival.
As the series progresses, The Blackwell Ghost morphs into a stone-cold thriller as Clay investigates a series of unsolved murders. His research takes him to a waterside property in Florida. Initially, he’s there to capture ghost sightings but eerie messages lead to a dark turn. Phantoms of tortured souls haunt the property, but they don’t possess evil objectives. They want to help solve their cold-case murders committed by a serial killer who’s still on the prowl. The masked assailant takes a great liking to Clay’s work and taunts him with cryptic notes, tapes, packages, and other communications. The killer, whose identity has yet to be revealed, makes for a disturbing addition to the series and opens up a wealth of storytelling possibilities.
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Taking such a hard left turn is a smart, clever move. While remaining rooted in the paranormal, Clay expands the breadth of his films to keep you hooked on the story with all its terrifying twists and turns. If you like true crime with a pinch of ghosts, this series (especially later entries) will most definitely scratch that itch. While it can feel like Clay abandoned what made the series in its early stage, it’s still special and a great contribution to modern horror. It’s not “found footage” in the traditional sense, but it uses camera tricks in the same way. Clay’s knack for scares that claw into the skin is impressive. Scares are always perfectly placed and expertly crafted, with jump scares just as vital to the story as those background scares.
The Blackwell Ghost marks an incredible run for a filmmaker who doesn’t get enough credit for sculpting a career-defining franchise. It’s quite surprising (and a bit disheartening) that Hollywood hasn’t come knockin’ on Turner Clay’s door yet—or at least an indie studio and/or investor to fund his next projects. He deserves as much. With an indication that Clay is currently working on the ninth installment, it’s clear he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Perhaps a bigger budget and more creative input would detract from what’s made The Blackwell Ghost a charming, unsettling, and terrifying body of work. Keeping it micro-budget feeds Clay’s creative energies and allows him to play in unexpected ways.
Now, how do we convince Turner Clay to release these bad boys on physical media?
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