🎬 Jessabelle (2014) | A Haunting from the Past

Movie
Horror, Supernatural, Mystery
Release Date: November 7, 2014
Director: Kevin Greutert
Main Cast:

  • Sarah Snook as Jessabelle
  • Mark Webber as Ben
  • Joelle Carter as Cade
  • David Andrews as Leonard
  • Ana de la Reguera as Rosa

Plot Summary

Jessabelle introduces viewers to a chilling supernatural horror story about grief, revenge, and a vengeful spirit. The film follows Jessabelle (Sarah Snook), a young woman who, after a tragic car accident, is forced to return to her estranged father’s home in the rural bayou of Louisiana to recover. Jessabelle has been left paralyzed from the waist down, and her life as she knew it is turned upside down.

As Jessabelle begins to settle into the old house, she uncovers unsettling memories of her childhood and her late mother, who had a secret history of mysterious rituals and dark past. One day, Jessabelle discovers an old VHS tape that her mother had recorded before her death. The tape reveals strange messages and eerie warnings about the presence of an evil force that lurks within the house.

What starts as a haunting of ghostly visions and whispered voices quickly escalates as Jessabelle becomes more connected to the terrifying events from her past. The spirit that haunts her family home is not only seeking revenge, but is determined to make Jessabelle the next victim of its malevolent grasp. As she delves deeper into the mystery of her mother’s past, Jessabelle’s terrifying encounters with the supernatural grow more frequent and more violent.

With the help of her boyfriend Ben (Mark Webber), Jessabelle tries to uncover the dark secrets that have been buried in her family’s history. But as the truth unravels, Jessabelle realizes that the only way to escape the ghost’s curse is to confront the terrifying events from her past—before it’s too late.


What Makes Jessabelle Stand Out?

  1. Atmospheric Horror – Set against the eerie backdrop of the Louisiana bayou, the film’s creepy, isolated setting adds an extra layer of tension. The house, full of secrets, feels like a character itself—imposing, claustrophobic, and foreboding.
  2. Psychological ThrillsJessabelle isn’t just about supernatural occurrences; it delves into the psychological effects of trauma, loss, and the scars they leave behind. The line between reality and the supernatural becomes blurred as Jessabelle struggles with her own fears and memories.
  3. The Tension Between Family and the Supernatural – The film explores the dangerous bond between Jessabelle and her family—particularly her deceased mother—and how their past shapes the present. The theme of unfinished business looms large throughout the film, making it even more emotionally charged.
  4. Strong Lead Performance – Sarah Snook brings an intensity to the role of Jessabelle, capturing her emotional struggle and fear in a way that makes her journey all the more relatable and compelling.

Key Highlights

👻 Unearthly Encounters – From strange apparitions to the haunting voices captured in Jessabelle’s mother’s videotape, the supernatural elements are chilling, amplified by the eerie atmosphere of the bayou.

🎥 Creepy Found Footage – The VHS tapes and messages from Jessabelle’s mother are integral to the plot, delivering some of the most terrifying moments in the film. These recordings add an unsettling, voyeuristic quality to the horror.

💥 Dark Family Secrets – As Jessabelle digs deeper, she uncovers horrifying secrets about her family, her mother, and the tragic past that ties them all to the malevolent spirit. These discoveries are far more disturbing than anything she could have imagined.

🎬 Slow-Burn Suspense – The film takes its time in building tension, allowing the audience to gradually get sucked into Jessabelle’s nightmare. The eerie buildup makes the final revelation all the more jarring and terrifying.


What Fans Can Expect

Supernatural Horror – Fans of ghost stories and haunting thrillers like The Conjuring or The Others will find Jessabelle a spine-chilling experience. The horror comes not only from ghosts, but from the dark past that refuses to stay buried.

Psychological Terror – The film doesn’t rely solely on jump scares; instead, it creates an atmosphere of dread, tapping into the psychological aspects of fear.

A Thrilling Mystery – The gradual uncovering of secrets creates a mystery that will keep you guessing as Jessabelle pieces together the truth about her past and the curse that haunts her.


Why You Should Watch

If you enjoy horror films that blend supernatural terror with emotional depth, Jessabelle will keep you hooked. The movie weaves together themes of family, loss, and the unsettling feeling that your past will always find a way to catch up with you.

🔪 Are you ready to uncover the secrets that haunt the bayou? Jessabelle is a slow-burn, atmospheric horror film that will make you question the price of digging up the past.

⚠️ The spirits of the past never rest—neither should you.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain


Hoxne Hoard treasures. Photo by Helen Simonsson CC by SA-2.0
November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.
Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0
Hoxne Village. Photo by Duncan Grey CC BY-SA 2.0
The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.
Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
Hoxne Hoard: Display case at the British Museum showing a reconstruction of the arrangement of the hoard treasure when excavated in 1992. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”
Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
Hoxne Hoard: Coins. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.
The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
The silver “Hoxne Tigress” – the broken-off handle from an unknown object – is the best known single piece out of some 15,000 in the hoard. Photo by Mike Peel CC BY-SA 4.0
Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.
A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0
A silver-gilt spoon with a marine beast from the Hoxne Hoard. Currently in the British Museum. Photo by JMiall CC BY-SA 3.0
Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”
Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0
Reconstruction of the Hoxne treasure chest. Photo by Mike Peel CC-BY-SA-4.0
Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.
Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0
Two gold bracelets from the Hoxne Hoard, in the British Museum. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0
That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.
Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum
Three silver-gilt Roman piperatoria or pepper pots from the Hoxne Hoard on display at the British Museum
Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.
Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0
Two toiletry items, one in the shape of a crane-like bird; the other with an empty socket, probably for bristles for a makeup brush. Photo by Fæ CC BY-SA 3.0
All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.

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