Yesterday I watched '
Deadtectives.' This has a somewhat similar premise to 'The Cleansing Hour' and uses the same plot that has been used in many horror movies over the last decade or so. A group of people who make a supposedly real show of paranormal investigators but are, of course, unbelieving frauds, run into low ratings, and are sent to cover a very haunted house in Mexico to bring their ratings back up. Naturally, the house is really haunted, and all kinds of mayhem ensue. This one is much more of an outright comedy than horror. In fact, the comedy is pretty broad, and this movie itself is relatively tame, so it turned out to be a horror-comedy for younger audiences like young teens. Needless to say, it wasn't exactly scary for a veteran horror movie watcher. It had some amusing moments and it also had a lot of heart and energy, so I didn't hate it, but it wasn't what I was looking for. I think the trailer made it seem like more of a horror movie than it really was. I would say it's a fine movie for a young horror buff who has outgrown RL Stine 'Goosebumps' type scary movies but probably shouldn't be watching really bloody or dark movies just yet. Perfect for maybe an 11 or 12-year-old.
As I said, that premise of a fraud paranormal TV show crew running into a real haunting has been used quite often, especially in found-footage type horror movies. The first movie to do this plot is still the best execution of the idea I have seen, a movie called '
Grave Encounters.' 'Grave Encounters' is certainly one of the better found-footage movies out there. It has some funny moments but is far more of a horror movie than comedy and is not really a horror-comedy. The horror is a tad over-the-top when compared to more restrained found-footage horror movies like 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'Paranormal Activity,' so it isn't quite as scary, but it still has lots of great scenes. Those who watch it now may find some of the scares a bit cliche since they have been done to death ever since, but they should keep in mind that many of that stuff was seen for the first time in 'Grave Encounters.' "Grave Encounters' invented the tropes that other low-budget horror filmmakers would rely on again and again and again. Nonetheless, I don't think that any of its many imitators were able to match the intensity and skill of 'Grave Encounters.' It's a really fun horror movie, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a breezy horror movie that isn't too deep or dark.