The Haunted Vessel: Paratainment

Paratainment is a term coined (I believe) by the message boards for Paranormal State, a favorite paranormal TV show of mine. Essentially it refers to the combination of the paranormal and entertainment, describing the slew of new ghost hunting shows and movies that have popped up in the last ten years. I have a sort of love/hate relationship with paratainment, as at times I feel like it can exploit the very real experiences and problems of the paranormal. On the other hand there are a few shows and movies I do enjoy.

Like it or not, paratainment has invaded the world of dolls as well. There are a number of interesting movies and shows that follow haunted or otherwise creepy dolls. These are just a few of my favorites, but there are many more out there. :)


Doll Master: The #1 movie to make you regret getting your doll... :P This is a fantastic Korean horror film that actually features dolls from Custom House. Five unknowing, stereotypically good looking people are lured to a house in the middle of nowhere to model for dolls. One girl actually brings her doll with her as well, and their interesting relationship is explored. Suddenly strange things start happening and the survivors must find out what is going on before they become victims as well. Very creepy atmosphere, and the strangest house fixtures you've ever seen guaranteed!




Ghost Hunt-The Doll House: I cannot extoll the virtues of this anime enough, it is one of my absolute favorites. It follows a group of paranormal investigators in Japan as they go through various cases. Among the cast you have a psychic high school student, a monk, a priestess, a priest, and a famous medium. Those and more make this series very funny as well as fascinating. The cases are realistic and the information given accurate. This particular case is presented over three episodes and follows a young girl with a creepy talking doll. The team finds out that there is more to this situation that just meets the eye, and the reveal is spectacularly eerie.


Destination Truth- Island of the Dolls: Yet another "famous" paratainment installment from our friends at Destination Truth. They're not my favorite as the show can get very over dramatic at times, but this episode is interesting because of its subject matter. The crew visits an island covered in dolls. Supposedly the owner leaves them there to appease the spirit of a young girl who drowned, and since then many others have come to offer dolls. According to legend the dolls have taken on the girls' spirit, and can be heard to talk or even seem to move. There's even a shot in the episode of a doll's eyes popping open unaided.