Television Terror story
Tabloid news host Horton Rivers and his cameraman, Trip Anderson, investigate the Ritter House, an abandoned house which is allegedly haunted by the ghost of Ada Ritter, an old woman who had killed several old men for their social security checks and committed suicide. Horton and his crew get more than they bargained for when a chain of supernatural happenings do indeed begin haunting them, all aired on live TV. Directed by: Charlie Picerni. Story by: Randall Jahnson.
11 total · 2 choice · 7 major · 2 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| haunted house | choice | The story follows the cynical television presenter Horton Rivers as he broadcasts live from an abandoned house that is haunted by the ghost of a notorious serial killer. |
| the entertainment industry | choice | The viewer is shown a behind-the-scenes look at a live television production from inside a haunted house. |
| coping with a bad boss | major | The television crew generally hated their arrogant, over-bearing star, Horton Rivers. |
| coping with an arrogant jerk | major | Horton was notably arrogant. He asserted his own opinions loudly and denigrated those that disagreed. He said something smart to a female coworker about sleeping with him. |
| fear | major | This is a story about some people ill-advisedly entering a haunted house and becoming afraid as they encountered ever-increasing terrors. |
| ghost | major | Horton encountered the restless ghosts of some murdered elderly men and their killer inside the haunted house. The story climaxed with the ghost of Ada Ritter chainsawing open Horton's abdomen, and subsequent leaving of him dangling by his neck from outside a second story window. |
| mass media in society | major | The television presenter Horton Rivers lost his life live on-air in the pursuit of media sensation and ratings. This is arguably a commentary on a tendency toward vulgarization in contemporary media. |
| pride goes before a fall | major | Horton Rivers arrogantly disregarded the psychic's exhortations against entering the haunted house, and paid with his life because of it. |
| serial murder | major | The late boarding house owner Ada Ritter's killing of 12 elderly men for their social security checks is central to the plot. |
| living corpse | minor | The story is presented by the Crypt Keeper, a cackling, wisecracking cadaver. |