Zak Bagans "Demon House" Review and Commentary

                                                   
A few SPOILERS so don't read if you want to watch it first!  There my Disclaimer!!

Zak Bagan's Demon House Documentary was much anticipated and a long time coming since its announcement.  But after filming this lengthy, arduous and in some ways momentous journey, it was in post production for a while.  A number of years later and after watching it, it was easy to understand why this was the case.  As it was a lesson in filming documentary per excellence, bar none.  Containing the right amount of background especially for those unfamiliar with the house and the possessions/hauntings of the family that resided there.  So that was my little gripe since much was already reported in the media and by Zak.  Although in this doco Zak chose to edit what he deemed necessary to provide the relevant facts without going overboard and keeping it concise, punchy and on point.

I was disappointed however that there wasn't any  opportunity to film the family affected as they refused to appear on camera or off.  Money over "public service" since someone else was making a Hollywood movie about the house also.  Including how the person involved having the audacity to threaten Zak.  Heck whose house was it anyway.  But interesting to hear from the police, the Child Protective Services' personnel involved and others too, for their experiences from just stepping foot inside the house.

Meke visiting and bringing her family inside was a moment of contention since the children of the Ammon's family were already affected by the house as well as the adults themselves.  Though Meke was willing to take that chance, having lived there herself.  But her daughter did have a change of character and expression when she returned from the basement and was asking Zak questions about his investigations and how he is affected by them.  There was something happening with her, that much was obvious.  Don't know if anyone else noticed this when filming and whether Zak did too.  Since a few days later (not rightaway) Meke called Zak to inform him of what happened to her daughter.  Which was disturbing to say the least and requiring an exorcism.

The other disturbing aspect of this was how the people who entered the house from Zak's team were affected, especially cameraman, Adam and also Dr Barry Taft.  I recall when he investigated the Oman House in LA, he stated he wouldn't return to it after the negative effect it had on him.  It is thus sad then that this Demon House also took a toll on him healthwise and affected him too.  Hoping his health will improve.

Secondly Zak deciding on being locked into the house by himself especially after many warnings.  How he was affected by feelings of anger and lashing out in the basement and the house in general, when he vented on Jay.  Setting up 'house' in this place with all the doors and windows boarded up for the purposes of the investigation and sufferance for his his life's work.  When I say that I do not mean it lightly or in a nonchalant way.  I genuinely felt for him in this and it was a decision he didn't make off the cuff or faint heartedly.

Sure enough it was an eventful night with those footsteps (sounded like hoofs on the wooden floors to me.)  Then the voice he heard inside.  To me it sounded like a very distinct English accent, it didn't sound like an American accent to me.  Then waiting for events to unfold, it was expecting something bad to happen.  I felt it.  My eyes were focused on that right corner where it appeared there was something there, perhaps it was just how it was filmed by the camera.  But that's the way he saw that dark mass or figure that flashed across the hallway.  Not even flashed it appeared to manifest out of the side of the hallway.  The camera went blurry and moved.  Thought he had moved it himself but on several rewinds, it moved by itself. 
There was a light anomaly that flies on screen when Zak is sitting on the bed and sure saw another one there too in the front room in the next shot..

Then the intense headache he got and the end result of his eyes being affected and having to permanently wear glasses, prism glasses.  That was a heart stopping moment.  Suppose there's something about that story I mentioned on Twitter about the man who put recording devices in a grave to record anything that went on in there and he went deaf.  Suggesting there are many things we are not meant to know yet or perhaps even at all.  Not being cruel here or anything, just making a general comment. 
Zak: "More importantly, in the bigger picture of this [his eyesight affliction] to know that this hit me within a day after I left the Demon House. There's no explanation to that. I'm looking for someone to explain to me how that couldn't be related to what was going on inside of that house."
One interview article stated how he was affected by the house re his eyes as he demolished the house.  However this happened before the house was even demolished.

I was fine watching throughout all of it, except for that part towards the end!  Not only did I have some kind of pain transference, hand on heart, next day I had a pain across the right side of my head, the back of my head and the right eye.  When I closed my eyes all I could see was that moment replayed over and over.  Still happens now three days later.  Plus there was an overwhelming feeling of deja vu on my part; a strong feeling that I have seen that room before and the way the furniture was set up with the pink chair!  Yeah that pink chair dude!!  Pink not being a good colour when it comes to certain Ghost Adventures eps!  Anyway this isn't about me.  SO moving on...

It really brought home the dangers of such investigations and the dangers of how some put off or dismiss such evil as not being real! It was an effective and moving piece of documentary filming and making and no matter how people have dissed it as fake, it was and is far more real than even the most hardened sceptic could even imagine.  It was Zak's cross to bear and it was burdensome and no one would have been equipped and able to handle something this destructive and perilous.

Not to mention too much, think I already have,  it is worth watching for yourselves and I will be watching again.  However, I have to say it left more questions than providing answers, opening up a whole can of worms! Such as the effects on the neighbours etc. Seems after this experience the Ghost Adventures episodes, some of them, became more darker too and also helping people more who have been and are, the victims of possessions, more so than in the past. Did this experience impact on that?

Wonder if Zak is going to put into his own words, in another book or something, all of his experiences there, including the aftermath.  Since there is so much I want to know and am sure others will too.  At least those genuinely interested in such paranormal encounters.  It's something that needs to be addressed in a lot more dialogue and detail.  Perhaps an eventual DVD release with some extra additions on this. 

In my book on Zak and the book review of Zak's second book I Am Haunted I wrote:
"Life's journey takes us on different paths - sometimes for the better - sometimes not.  Zak's life took him onto the one where he's constantly on a quest to find answers, search for them pertaining to the afterlife and much more .  He might not believe in coincidences or destiny, but this was his fate..."