Stephen Cognetti is the filmmaker of the found-footage horror film “Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor,” which can be seen on Shudder. The fourth entry in the “Hell House LLC” series centres on Margot Bentley, an amateur paranormal investigator. In the film, Margot attempts to crack the case of the horrific murders committed in the Carmichael family’s house almost twenty years ago, which remain unsolved. Margot finds horrifying truths when she chooses to stay at the ostensibly haunted mansion for five days. Viewers could be led to believe that the Carmichael family murders are true because they are a major story aspect and are depicted through archive footage. Is it accurate to say that? Is “The Carmichael Manor: Hell House LLC Origins” based on a true story? Let’s investigate!
The Inspiration Behind Hell House LLC Origins
No, the narrative in “Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor” is not real. This movie is the fourth in the ‘Hell House LLC’ series. Stephen Cognetti wrote and directed the first chapter, which was released in 2016. Two more sequels, both helmed by Cognetti, came after it. The main plot point of the franchise is a haunted attraction where guests experience misfortune. The majority of its terror stems from occultists and cultists who are fixated on creating a portal to hell. The Abaddon Hotel, a fictional establishment in Rockland County, New York, serves as the main focus of the first three episodes. On the other hand, the fourth installment is set in the fictional Carmichael Manor, as the name suggests.
The fourth movie tells the backstory of the franchise’s central characters and is a sequel to the events of “Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire.” While working on the third edition of the franchise in 2019, director Stephen Cognetti disclosed in an interview that he has an idea for a prequel to the events of the original trilogy. Cognetti disclosed that he intended to give the clown, the film’s secondary antagonist, more screen time and delve deeper into the cult at the Abaddon Hotel. Consequently, Cognetti came up with the idea for Patrick Carmichael, a member of the Satanic sect at the Abaddon Hotel. Cognetti continued the storytelling style that lends the franchise a realistic feel by using found-footage elements from the other films.
Are the Carmichael Family Murders Based on Real Events?
The central theme of “Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor” is the unexplained death of the Carmichael family, who live at the mansion. After decades of unresolved killings, protagonist Margot Bentley visits the home in an attempt to crack the case. The murders of the Borden family in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892 and the Moore family in Villisca, Iowa in 1912 are two real-life examples of the concept’s resemblance to reality. While unrelated to any actual occurrences, the Carmichael family murders are just as terrifying in and of themselves. The Carmichael family, which is wholly made up, acts as a bridge between the fourth installment’s major character, Patrick Carmichael, and the legend surrounding the Abaddon Hotel from the earlier films.
Director Stephen Cognetti credited author Stephen King’s writings in an interview for serving as inspiration for both the film and the entire series. Cognetti said that the television show “Lost” served as an inspiration for creating the complex and profound mythos of the “Hell House LLC” franchise. It is clear that Cognetti is not basing the Carmichael family tragedy on actual events because the most of his inspirations are fictional works. In addition, there is no proof of any incident resembling the murders of the Carmichael family in Rockland County, New York, where the story is set. Similarly, Carmichael Manor, the site of the murders, is likewise a fictional location. Carmichael Manor, the fictional home in the film, is modelled after a real estate in Scranton, Pennsylvania. In the end, the killings of the Carmichael family are not inspired by true events. They contribute to the greater work of fiction that develops the narrative and mythology of the “Hell House LLC” horror series.
