The Chad Factor Presents: “Hell House, LLC”
Chad Factor: Hell House LLC
~ ~ ~ SPOILERS FOR HELL HOUSE LLC ~ ~ ~
Welcome back to The Chad Factor. The place to read my dissection of Chads of all kinds, and what effect they have on the movie. Chad isn't just a name - it's a lifestyle. When you watch a movie and you see a guy be a toootal jerk, you're probably looking at a Chad. Chads are misogynists, racists, ableist, homophobic, and otherwise intolerant; sometimes all at once.
This time we're looking at HELL HOUSE LLC (2015). It's a bit of a found footage gem for fans of the genre, and it slipped under my radar until last year. Before I start tearing into the behavior of the characters, I just want to say that I genuinely like this one, and recommend it if you're a fan of this subgenre.
Last disclaimer – sometimes I'm listing points for the sake of brevity. If you want to see my full notes, feel free to hit me up on social media! Here we go!
We open to a disclaimer that this movie is real footage documenting events leading up to the 2009 haunted house tragedy. Standard fare for found footage movies. It's refreshing not to add to the Chad Factor in the first two lines. The found footage “I have no idea what happened” vibe is a little played out, but if you like found footage it's tolerable. The set up is neatly presented. Haunted house attraction went awry and people died.
Unusually, we're five minutes in with no Chads. I'll take a moment to say that the feel of a crowd panic is captured pretty well in the footage of the opening night. It feels convincing. There's some really neat spooks with the 911 call breaking up with the implication that someone got dragged into a wall. I appreciate details like that.
The discovery that the town covers up in cases involving deaths is shady enough to merit Chad Factor 1
Photographer being interviewed wouldn't go into the basement, which is neither here nor there as far as Chads go, but it's nice to see a horror movie character make a smart choice. He shouldn't have been there anyway though...Chad Factor 2 for the white guy feeling safe enough to trespass on a crime scene.
I appreciate that both the interviewer and subject are women. Often the ambitious reporter is an overconfident dude. A Chad. Not here, and it's nice. Sara is our insider that hasn't been heard of since the incident. She's cagey, but at this point we chalk that up to her having a very traumatic experience. Also, the dialogue so far is great. We'll see how it goes when more men are introduced.
Aaaand there we go, as soon as the main cast dudes appear. The implication is made that post-apocalyptic movies with Will Smith is a dude thing that Sara doesn't know, but she definitely knows Hitch, the rom com. Chad Factor 3 Meanwhile Mac complains that he's doing all the navigating. Shotgun takes care of navigation dude. Them's the rules. Chad Factor 4
“Is Alex like that in the sack?” Paul has to ask Sara about her and Alex's sex life? C'mon dude. Chad Factor 5 Alex runs Hell House. I don't appreciate his brow beating the others into feeling optimistic. Chad Factor 6
They reach the Abbadon and one of the first things said is that a picture “kinda looks like Sara huh?” “nah the plate is cuter” this is banter between guys about one of their girlfriends and she's RIGHT THERE. Chad Factor 7 Side note though I LOVE THE FLEETING GLIMPSE OF ROBED FIGURE IN A ROOM. They honestly could've left out the slow mo double take. Found footage fans tend to rewatch and we love shit like that.
Alex talks about how maybe they'll get one of the actors topless for Paul. Chad Factor 8 Also Sara is STILL RIGHT THERE. Chad Factor 9 Sara is the only one with good instincts about the creepy basement and the guys are shooting her down. It's expected from guys like this, but still disappointing. Chad Factor 10
“Paul the Puss Slayer.” Hold on a minute folks I gotta puke. Chad Factor 11 Also what is with his 80s looking hair/facial hair? It's 2009 buddy. They're talking about having a half-naked “girl” downstairs with the crowds at the end of the tour. They can't get a camera feed. Their answer is to put a big dude downstairs to keep an eye on things. That couldn't go wrong at all. Chad Factor 12 Also just for the line “toss out people who want to get a little rapey with the actor.” Chad Factor 13
“Sara's the only chick in the house and Alex don't like sharing,” says Paul. Chad Factor 14 The ghost lady coming into Paul's room at night is very good. That said I'd know in a heartbeat it wasn't Sara though and I'm not even her friend. Look at the bushy hair dude! That's not how she styles her hair! Chad Factor 15
“Grand Sexual Station.” Chad Factor 16
Paul records Alex and Sara talking...when Sara has no pants on, in bed. Douche. Chad Factor 17
Creepy zoom on that actor you're doing there Paul. Not surprised. Chad Factor 18
Regarding the staff: Joey clown dude dying off camera, after the fact, seems like a quick loophole tying. Nothing I resent, but I see what you did there. Paul: “Heyyy baby you're so cute you gonna take your top off?” Fuuuck you, dude. Chad Factor 19 Alex is keeping secrets about deaths in the hotel's history and is being veeery seedy about it. Chad Factor 20 Paul kisses Melissa's hand and he leaves whilst saying he's a master masseuse. Chad Factor 21 Paul asks AGAIN if Melissa can be topless as part of the show. Chad Factor 22
All the dudes woke up to maybe a scream, and Sara isn't there, and they're just ...not noticing that right away? Dudes. Chad Factor 23
The first clown scare is very well played. A+ use of found footage basics. I'd struggle to believe Paul too, but like...it's also hard to not tell something is off. so....Chad Factor 24
Tony and Paul seem to have a pretty normal friendship, seems off that he'd be on board with the way they dunk on Paul for the rest of this movie. “I'm sorry you got scared.” Fuck you Alex. Chad Factor 25 for fake apology
The second scare with the clown and Sara muttering in her sleep while standing downstairs is also top notch found footage scare material. Love it.
Paul being taken by the ghost lady was probably the best scare of the movie. Absolutely love it. I like that Tony made a point of defending Paul when the other two assumed he'd just bailed. Chad Factor 24
The piano was used to great effect in the night time scene after Paul is taken. Love a good ghost piano. Clowns moving their heads is also a neat scare. Paul is so fucked up when he comes back, it's clear, you can see it Mac, stop berating him. Chad Factor 25 Paul is a dick, but calling him useless when something is clearly wrong is a douche move, and Alex's little smirk is DISGUSTING. Prime White cis het boy smugness. Chad Factor 26
Something big happened before this year's Hell House, big enough that Tony has to stay despite wanting to quit. It's a big deal, and Alex hasn't told Sara. His girlfriend AND employee. Chad Factor 27
Sara says in the interview that Alex did a good job rallying the actors, but from what we see he's thoroughly unconvincing.
We can all tell everything is not alright, Mac. Lying just makes everyone more uneasy. Chad Factor 28 Not only that, but Melissa is in fact partially unclothed after being told she wouldn't be. Who made that happen? Chad Factor 29
The walkies aren't working, so we get the line: “Ask him if he knows sign language” It's said in such a way that it sounds like he's making a joke. Chad Factor 30
As we're going through the opening night, we have the same feeling as the opening but with more dread because we have the background knowledge. We also now know that Joey left Melissa tied up in that basement. Just ran away. That's fucked up dude. Chad Factor 31
I realize these people are at a haunted house, but if the actor starts screaming for help and that it isn't part of the show, I think at least one person would try to help. Chad Factor 32 Also why is she tied up in a way that she can't get out of? Calling back to earlier in the movie: that's a fucking liability ALEX. Chad Factor 33
Not a big fan of Mac just leaving Tony in the basement when again, something is clearly wrong down there. The damn door slammed shut. Chad Factor 34
Can't say I'm sad that Alex was caught by his own hubris. By the standards of this movie, he got off pretty easy.
Back to the present, the interview ends because Sara needs to rest. The room 2C feint on Sara's part is very tidy and enjoyable. We overhear Sara telling Diane (the interviewer) that she should try to get into the hotel. We know that's a bad idea, and she should know it better than anyone...ominous feelings rise and I'm going to add the Chad Factor 35 here because of where this leads.
Diane is immediately 'sure, lets break into this crime scene with a mystery involved that might be a haunting.’ What could go wrong. Chad Factor 36 “Are you afraid of a g-g-g-ghost?” Did you really need to mock his reasonable reluctance to break the law, and also mock people with speech impediments? Chad Factor 37, 38
Also the hotel reception staff have nowhere to sit? I gather this is common in the US despite shifts being long. This is cruel. Chad Factor 39
The penultimate scene comes close to spoiling the movie for me. Up until this point, it's a pretty good found footage film. I don't have a problem with the fact the Sara dies, it tracks with the kind of haunting we're watching. What I do have issues with his how excessively violent it is in context with almost everything else. Yes, Paul cuts his own throat, and that's a lot of gore. But not before he gruesomely smashes Sara's face with a camera. This Chad Factor 40 isn't for Paul, but specifically for whoever made that call. It's a trope that shows up time and again in horror.
“But it's a horror movie, people die!”
Yes, but if the women, PoC, LGBTQA+, or disabled people are killed in ways that are more vicious, or played as comedic because of their identity, you discriminate against them in a particularly disturbing way. I'm also not a fan of the implication that the police arrived JUST after Sara was dragged away.
Back in the present, Diane's tour after breaking in. The blood trail vanishing into wall is cool. They're giggling in excitement. Disaster Tourism is gross. Chad Factor 41 Mitchell might not have been able to save you if you'd answered the phone Diane, but we'll never know because you rebuttoned him. Chad Factor 42
We close on the realization that Sara is dead, and she lured Diane and the cameraman into the Abbadon. It's neat! Good ending!
Honestly this movie is well worth a watch if you've missed it. I write the Chad Factor to point out assholes being assholes, but also to show when assholes are used to good effect. They can make or break a movie. The bad things in Hell House LLC don't make it a bad movie. Hit me up on Twitter to let me know what you think!
See you next time!
Dan Sexton-Riley is a British transplant living on Cape Cod with their family and a menagerie of small monsters. Dan fills most days with writing, reading, and baking. Their work can be found at Divination Hollow Reviews and Bewildering Stories. Dan also runs a Patreon dedicated to baking tutorials.
Socials are all @dansextonriley
Website is dansextonriley.com
Patreon is patreon.com/dansextonriley
