One of the many photos of 11-year-old Janet Hodgson supposedly levitating.
There are rumors floating (no pun intended) around the internet that suggest the story line for the sequel of The Conjuring, now a major box office success, will involve the 1977 Enfield Poltergeist in England. This case involves two young sisters, mainly Janet Hodgson, who were really either great at psychokinesis (PK) or were tortured by an unseen spirit, perhaps the spirit of a man named Bill (who reportedly died in the same house years before), who apparently possessed and spoke through one of the girls. The video below includes the famous levitation photos from the case and audio of the creepy and traumatizing supposed voice of Bill during investigations.
I’ve been reading rumors about a sequel for weeks now, and though nothing is official, apparently the film will again involve the characters of Ed and Lorraine Warren. So many thoughts circle in my head about the details of this news. First off, I don’t believe I knew about about the Warrens being involved with this case. It is well documented that two members of the well-respected Society for Psychical Research (SPR), Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair (see mentioned book below), were involved in investigations. Also, I get somewhat annoyed that we’re still using the term “poltergeist” for psychokinesis or telekinesis, which is the ability of one’s mind (often an adolescent girl as the agent) to influence solid matter, such as moving a chair across the room, rapping on the wall, etc. Many times the agent creating this phenomena has no knowledge that they’re the one causing the activity. Using the term “poltergeist” (a German word popularly translated as “noisy ghost”) makes people think “ghost” or “entity” when it might not be. If one of the sisters was truly possessed by the spirit of a man named Bill, then this may have simply been a haunting. Or was it both psychokinesis AND a haunting? Or… was it all cleverly faked?
Many people have considered the fact that the last scene of The Conjuring hints at the famous Amityville case being their next visit. I thought that was an interesting treat to leave for the fans at the end of the movie, but I certainly hope they aren’t literally making a sequel about Amityville. We’ve seen and heard enough of that over the years. If the Enfield case is the direction the next film is going, I’m SO there!!
Guy Lyon Playfair, mentioned above, wrote about the events in This House Is Haunted: The Amazing Inside Story of the Enfield Poltergeist. I have yet to read this, but it is on my “To Be Read Shelf”.
For more on the poltergeist phenomenon and extensive details about the Enfield Poltergeist, check out The Poltergeist Phenomenon: An In-Depth Investigation Into Floating Beds, Smashing Glass, and Other Unexplained Disturbances by Michael Clarkson.
Related Articles:
The Conjuring Movie Review (Big Séance)
What IS the truth about the Enfield Poltergeist? (Daily Mail UK)
Could this be the plot of The Conjuring 2? (Ain’t It Cool News)
The Conjuring Sequel To Feature Demons and Levitating Sisters?! (Bloody Disgusting)
Andrea Perron’s House of Darkness House of Light Trilogy (Big Séance)
Flies and Hauntings: “You can’t really kill what’s already dead.” (Big Séance)
August 10th, 2013 at 6:40 pm
I came across this a while ago, and what made me wonder if it was true or not was that they children admitting to being caught faking things. They said they always got caught out (once or twice) but makes me wonder how many times they got away with it.
Anything that involves spoon bending tends to bring it into disrepute, too.
August 21st, 2013 at 11:12 pm
I concur. It reminds me of the Fox sisters. They admitted to faking, then they were just kidding :-). But there had to be something to it all initially or I’ll be sad. 🙂 I hope so. The fact that the Enfield case had reputable people supposedly involved makes me feel better about believing this one.
August 21st, 2013 at 11:15 pm
I hope so, too.
It’s like the Amityville Horror saga. So much of that was faked that it was really irritating, and yet, I always felt there was something there.
Then recently, I read that Lutz’s children finally spoke out after all these years. (Their silence really puzzled me) and they said that George, during his TS meditations, used to try and summon demons. (If I understood correctly.)
In which case, I have little doubt that something did happen, and he was the cause of it. There just doesn’t seem to be any other point to that entire affair, otherwise.
March 21st, 2014 at 12:14 am
How appropriate I am getting pysched up to watvh the conjuring on Saturday. Yes, I have to psych up for the scar movies
March 26th, 2014 at 11:59 pm
And?? What did you think? This movie has been a popular topic for my kids at school to ask me about. At least once or twice a week I get questions or comments about it. They know I’m a paranormal nerd. 🙂
March 29th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
I liked it a lot, but did not find it particularly frightening. I thought the story was good – although I gotta say, i would have left that house before some of that stuff happened. I have learned the munute your kids starts talking to invisible friends you need to leave … BUT, I thought the story was great. And how the haunting continues is interesting … I think Paranormal Activity for me at least was scarier … but didnt have as good of a story.
April 9th, 2014 at 7:02 pm
I finally saw it! I would not say it wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be – except for that creepy doll! MAN!! But it was pretty compelling and held my attention… of course, I would have left asap!
April 17th, 2014 at 12:25 am
After reading the books, I’ve decided that the movie is just kind of its own thing for me. Unrelated. But I LOVE it! I still haven’t purchased the DVD and I said I would. It just might be time to watch it again! I’m glad you got to see it.
May 7th, 2014 at 10:26 am
Reblogged this on HORROR BOOM and commented:
Our friend Patrick Keller wrote this interesting piece last year when speculation was going on about which case The Conjuring sequel might focus on. They’re still trying to decide, but in the meantime, this is very good reading, with plenty of research invested in the case, plus it’s packed with links and a 12-minute recording so fucking creepy (real or staged) that I am very, very glad I did not listen to it after dark.
June 22nd, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Hey there, I don’t remember if I ever thanked you for the reblog. 🙂 Thanks!
June 19th, 2014 at 7:59 am
It looks like she just jumped off the bed. Her hair is kind of sticking up. if she was levitating, her hair wouldn’t do that.
June 22nd, 2014 at 8:48 pm
I’d be likely to think the same thing. There have been credible witnesses to most of this activity though… supposedly.
January 19th, 2015 at 10:52 am
Hey,
Did you manage to get around to reading Guy Lyon Playfair’s book on The Enfield Poltergeist case? If so, what was your verdict? I read it myself a few years ago and I have to admit I had chills while reading parts of his painstakingly detailed account.
I would consider myself an open-minded sceptic and, while some of the happenings were/are definitely attributable to sheer fakery, there are plenty more that remain truly baffling to this day. There were just too many credible, independent witnesses (the milkman and the lollipop lady simultaneously, the police officers, etc.) to dismiss everything as being nonsense. I highly recommend Guy Lyon Playfair’s book – it makes for a fascinating, if chilling, read!
January 26th, 2015 at 10:32 pm
Thanks so much, Ciara. I have not read the book, but thanks to you I have another book on the “to buy” list! It sounds fascinating!
August 13th, 2015 at 6:10 pm
Whaa? I don’t get this. Ed & Lorraine had nothing to do with Enfield. Will I see it anyway? Of course! hah! The Conjuring a sizable departure from Andrea Perron’s books but it sure was scary to watch. I completely agree, the term poltergeist is mostly misused. In the case of Enfield, the ghost of Bill the downstair’s neighbor totally creeped me out. Maybe when part 3 is made he and Bathsheba Sherman should do battle for control over 11-year-old Janet Hodgson!
August 14th, 2015 at 9:21 am
I don’t get the connection between the Conjuring in RI and England? The Warrens? I’ll see it, regardless. I thought ‘The Conjuring’ was a fantastic movie…,.especially because it occurred just a few miles from my home 😱
Patrick, have you read ‘ A Deadly Haunting’? I was just curious as to what your opinion was on that story. I find it very intriguing!!
August 14th, 2015 at 10:20 am
Ed Warren was definitely involved with the case. He possessed audio recording of him challenging the voice in the home and it is documented in their 1980 book “The Demonologist”.
August 14th, 2015 at 9:37 pm
Yeah. I share a lot of the same confusion you guys just mentioned. And have you seen the trailer that is now out? It doesn’t even seem to have anything to do with Enfield at all. And it is more like a Sinister style of movie. I’ve heard different stories of whether Ed and/or Lorraine was involved.