Is Haunting in Connecticut Based on a True Story
Haunting in Connecticut is a 2009 horror film marketed as being inspired by the Smurl family haunting, a claimed case of demonic activity in a Pennsylvania home during the late 1980s. The movie was produced by Gold Circle Films and released by Lionsgate Films. The screenplay was written by Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe, and the film was directed by Peter Cornwell. The producers used the Smurl case as the central narrative framework, even though the family later disputed many of the details presented in the film. The marketing materials explicitly tied the movie to the Smurl story, positioning it as a dramatized version of their reported experiences.
The Smurl family, including Jack and Janet Smurl and their four daughters, publicly shared their account of paranormal events in their home in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, starting around 1986. They claimed that the activity included moving objects, unexplained sounds, and apparitions. The family worked with demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are credited as the basis for the Warrens in the film. The Warrens' involvement brought national media attention to the case, and their reports were widely covered in newspapers and on television. The family's story became a key reference point for the film's promotional campaign.
What the Movie Changed From the Real Events
Key Differences Between the Film and the Smurl Account
The film compresses the timeline of the Smurl haunting and relocates the family to Connecticut for dramatic effect. In the movie, the family moves into a house where a previous tenant died of cancer, a detail that heightens the supernatural tension. The Smurl family has stated that their real home did not have a history of a cancer-related death in the same way the film portrays. The movie also adds a priest character who performs an exorcism, a scene that was not part of the original Smurl case as reported by the family and the Warrens. The film's director and writers have described the project as a fictionalized adaptation rather than a documentary retelling.
Production and Release Details
The film was shot in Vancouver, Canada, and had a reported production budget of approximately ten million dollars. It opened in theaters in the United States and Canada in March 2009 and grossed over eighteen million dollars worldwide, according to box office tracking data. The cast includes Virginia Madsen, Kyle Gallner, and Martin Donovan. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, with many noting its reliance on standard haunted house tropes rather than a strict adherence to the Smurl case. The film's box office performance made it a moderate commercial success for its production company.
Where to Find Official Records and Sources
Court and Public Records
Public records related to the Smurl case are limited, as no criminal charges or civil lawsuits were filed by the family against the Warrens or any other party in connection with the haunting claims. The Smurl family's account was primarily shared through media interviews and books, including their own published account. The Warrens' files and notes on the case are held by their organization and have been referenced in multiple documentaries and books about paranormal investigations. The lack of formal legal proceedings means that the factual basis of the haunting remains a matter of personal testimony rather than court-adjudicated fact.
Further Reading and Trusted Sources
For background on the Warrens and their role in the case, you can read their official organization's materials and documented investigations. The Smurl family's story was also covered in depth by major news outlets, and the film's production details are available through entertainment trade publications and the studios' official press releases. You can explore the Warrens' documented work and the Smurl case through their official resources and media coverage Forbes, and review the film's production