“My name is Zak Bagans…” Fans of the Travel Channel paranormal investigation series “Ghost Adventures” know the rest of that sentence by heart. But this time it’s different. There’s no diatribe about striving to capture supernatural entities on camera, no shouts, bleeped expletives, or cries of “stop, stop running!” Bagans, in a much more somber tone, proclaims, “This is the case that really fucked me up.” Police, clergymen, social workers, former tenants of the property, and members of Zak’s own crew (including Zak himself) were tormented so deeply by the entities within this home, Bagans went so far as to claim “this film is cursed.”
The fact that this documentary took over three years to be released to the public tends to support Zak’s theory.
Unlike the “Ghost Adventures” TV show, Demon House focuses more heavily on witness testimony and long-form interviews. For anyone not familiar with the show or its eccentric host, Bagans has become well-known as quite the over-the-top character. His signature fauxhawk, biceps, tattoos, and belligerent attitude (aka vocally challenging unseen forces to attack him) are just a few of these reputation-earners. But as confrontational and provocative as Zak can be when dealing with demonic entities, he is surprisingly toned-down and professional when interviewing the living. He and his crew are well researched and largely unbiased when it comes to capturing evidence of the paranormal. If the location were to turn up zero evidence, Bagans seemed more than willing to capture the footage that would debunk this haunting.
Our story begins with Latoya Ammons, mother of three, and her mother Rose Campbell, who moved into this Gary, Indiana home in 2011. Throughout the documentary, Zak interviews Latoya’s brother, Kevin, local priest Father Michael Maginot, and CPS caseworker Valerie Washington, who all divulge various accounts of demonic possession and multiple exorcisms performed on members of the Ammons family. Police video showing a walkthrough of the home after the events of the Ammons family leads to further interviews with law enforcement members Captain Charles Austin, Chief Brian Miller, and Lt John Gruszka, all of whom report witnessing odd activity in the home. Disembodied voices, doors opening and closing by themselves, and blinds that mysteriously dripped oil are just some of the events reported by these officers.
To avoid one-sidedness and address the skepticism surrounding the Ammons family testimonies, Bagans deftly presents opposing claims as well. He acknowledges a potential movie deal in the works for Ammons and others involved in the case, which led to his own legal troubles over the story rights. He also spoke with the home’s original owner, Charles Reed, who claimed he never experienced paranormal activity in the home. Zak also postulates that black mold in the attic of the house could have had some kind of hallucinogenic effect on the Ammons family. But all of this, of course, is a precursor to the most anticipated part of every investigation: the lockdown.
The portion of the documentary where Bagans boards himself up alone inside of this potential portal to hell is the most unsettling by far. The chilling footage Zak captured in the bedroom of that house made myself and my viewing companions retract every limb dangling off the safety of our couch. These events must have had a significant impact on Zak as well, because, after wrapping filming, Bagans had the house completely demolished, stating “I wanted to make sure the house never harmed anyone again.”
As someone who grew up watching “Ghost Adventures,” I have become incredibly fond of Zak Bagans, antics and all. That said, Demon House is something entirely different. It is an in-depth look at what Bagans and crew are capable of outside the constraints of the Travel Channel. It’s mature, grown-up, and thorough. It’s not gimmicky or gauche. There’s no comedic element to it, accidental or otherwise. It’s a no-nonsense glimpse into the behind-the-scenes and aftermath of such an emotionally taxing experience. Fans of the paranormal will rejoice at everything this film has to offer.
