Two skeptic paranormal investigators, Ricky and Ross (played by Ricky Lee Barnes and Ross Compton respectively), are contacted by single mother Jamy Gillespie (played by Jamy Gillespie), who, along with her young daughter Ashlynn (Ashlynn Allen), has been experiencing strange occurrences in her new house. As Ricky and Ross attempt to capture hard proof of something paranormal going on on film, things slowly become more unsettling, even for a couple of skeptics.
Written and directed by C.A. Smith, RORSCHACH is a found footage-style Faux Documentary. The film shies away from jump scares or any on screen horror, relying more on suspense and unease to keep the viewer on edge. The full film can be found for free on YouTube.
May contain unmarked spoilers!
This movie contains examples of:
- Adult Fear: Jamy gets hit with this pretty hard. Moving into a new house with her mother and daughter, having to deal with the death of her mother, then experiencing progressively creepier and inexplicable things, to the point that she no longer feels safe in her own home? She later has a small breakdown over the fact that she can’t afford to move out of this place, and doesn’t even have a place she could stay for a few nights.
- Ambiguous Ending: Nothing that happened in the house is explained, and by the end, the protagonists are more concerned about getting away from this mess than digging deeper- leaving the source of, and reason for the occurrences largely up to interpretation.
- Chekhov's Gun: In one seemingly throw away clip, Ricky is shown trying to teach Ashlynn how to use the camera. At the end of the movie, the footage she took offscreen provides some eerie proof.
- Creepy Child: Ashlynn has shades of this. She is found sitting alone and talking to her Creepy Doll at least once, and when something is seemingly trying to get into the house, she can be heard quietly and calmly saying “It’s just grandma.”
- Directionless Driver: Ross does not want to call Jamy to reconfirm the location out of concern it will make them seem unprofessional, much to Ricky's annoyance.
- Eldritch Location: A possible explanation for the house’s strangeness, supported by the Brown Note coming from the vents, and the… whatever that substance coming from the walls was.
- Found Footage: Though shot like a documentary, the film is considered part of the genre.
- Hell Is That Noise: One of Jamy’s initial examples of strange occurrences in the house, later caught on camera coming from a vent. Turned Up To Eleven in the climax of the film.
- Jump Scare: Practically void of them, but the camera man’s reaction when Patrick turns his head can catch the viewer off guard if they don’t catch the sudden movement before he does.
- Meaningful Name: The Rorschach test is a subjective test in which individuals look at an inkblot, and try to best describe what they see in it. There is no clear answer, as the inkblots aren’t meant to depict any one thing- they just are. RORSCHACH never gives a clear answer as to what is causing the horror in the movie, much less why it’s doing so. Viewers can only try and piece together an explanation with the possibilities provided in the film.
- New House, New Problems: Jamy had only lived in the house for a short time before strange things started happening.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Much of the suspense and horror in the movie comes from waiting for something to happen.
- Ominous Knocking: One of the first undeniable signs that something isn’t right.
- Ominously Open Door: A couple times in the film, as well as a reoccurring issue for Jamy before Ricky and Ross come along.
- Phone Call from the Dead: Inverted- the unnamed neighbor seems to have her calls intercepted by the dead.
- Psychological Horror: Due to the suspenseful nature of the movie, and little concrete evidence of physical danger throughout, much of the horror comes from paranoia of what it could be.
- Rewind, Replay, Repeat: Used twice by Ricky and Ross while going over their footage. The second one is a bit more terrifying.
- Shown Their Work: Many real life “examples” of paranormal activity can often be explained by mundane things, like gas leaks, furniture blocking vents, or faulty architecture (highlighted in shows like Paranormal Home Inspector). Ricky and Ross are well aware of this going in, and even bring in a home inspector when they start feeling they might be out of their element.
- Whispering Ghosts: One of the things that pushes Jamy to contact Ricky and Ross, and heard a few times throughout the film. Like most of the other stranger occurrences, it gets worse.
