Hell House

Documentary about a Texas church group that stages elaborate and explicit depictions of presumed sinful behaviors. Included: a look at how the program is put together. Directed by George Ratliff., There’s hardly a community in America does doesn’t offer some sort of a spook show or haunted house for kids during the Hallowe’en season, but the Hell House, sponsored by the Trinity Assembly of God Church in Dallas, TX, is something a bit different — rather than scaring kids with folks dressed up as ghosts of vampires, the Hell House offers bizarre performance pieces in which youngsters are offered a glimpse of the fates church elders believe will await them if they stray from the path of a strict Christian life. The skits include tales of a gay man dying of AIDS-related illnesses, a woman bleeding to death after an abortion, a teenage girl who is date raped after being fed drugs at a rave party, and Satanists performing a human sacrifice. Hell House is a documentary that examines the “Hell House” phenomenon (which has inspired a large number of imitators around the country, and has been parodied on television shows such as King of the Hill and The Simpsons), offering a look at the preparations that go into the annual presentation and a glimpse into the lives of the people who stage and perform the cautionary fables.