Posted on 09/03/2004 6:55:44 PM PDT by CurlyBill
An Ypsilanti Township home is the subject of a five-part series of independent films being made by one of its former residents.
Dennis Baker, 43, grew up in the home at 9735 Woodland Court, which his family owned from 1967 until 1996. Baker, who now lives in Castle Rock, Colo., says the house tormented his family during those years.
Baker claims he and his family heard strange footsteps and witnessed a boy appearing and disappearing. Decades later, Baker is drawing from his memories to write and direct a series of movies about the house, entitled "Woodland Haunting."
"It's based on my childhood. The house we lived in was reputed for having paranormal activities in it," Baker said. "Me and my family have been telling these stories for years and years, and I finally decided to make a movie out of it."
Baker, a Web developer for IBM, became involved with filmmaking through his job. He filmed the first "Woodland Haunting" - a 25-minute film he made for fun - last year. But as the film drew praise, he decided to make more of them.
"It was a short comedy film that was almost kind of a joke," Baker said of the first film. "The only intention we had was to make people laugh. But people started asking about it and wanted a follow-up release."
That sparked plans to make the next one, which will be titled, "Woodland Haunting 2; It's Woodland Haunting 1, but Different." This film will last one hour, 20 minutes and feature a cast of 21 actors. The release date is Oct. 31.
Baker intends to make four more films, releasing a new one each year on Halloween. He will host local showings and then distribute the films on DVD.
"I don't think we have too many commercial aspirations," he said. "I'm going to be sticking this in every film festival I can get my hands on, but it will mainly be available on DVD."
Times and locations of the shows have yet to be determined.
But what about the house?
Baker said he hasn't heard anything about it since his family sold it in 1996. The current owner, Mark Byndas, moved into it in June.
While Byndas won't say the house is haunted, he said he has heard all the stories.
"I hope it's not spooked, because I just moved here," Byndas said, smiling.
Byndas said some objects have been lost - and later found exactly where he thought he left them. For now, he's chalking those incidents up to absent-mindedness.
"It's just little things, but it's weird," he said. "You know where it is, and it's gone, and you go, 'What the heck?' Then you find it there."
Dave Husketh, 43, has lived next door to the house since he was a child. He dismissed suggestions that anything paranormal has happened inside the house.
"I've lived here all my life. To my knowledge, that house is not haunted and never has been haunted," Husketh said.
Baker said he doesn't expect people to believe his stories. He just hopes people like the films.
"It's kind of based on truth, but also kind of off the wall," Baker said. "There's elements of truth in the story that are too incredible to believe."
Matthew Thompson of Ann Arbor is working with Baker to edit the films. He advises people not to worry about what is or isn't real.
"I think (Baker's) storytelling brings out the comedy in the absurd, because the stories are so farfetched," Thompson said. "I don't know how much of this he wants you to take seriously. He wants to weave it into a comic tale."
Baker, who has worked as everything from a security guard to disc jockey, said he's making the films as a hobby and just wants to enjoy the process.
"It was just fun mixing fact and fiction - both equally bizarre," he said. "The big news, now, is Ypsilanti will have its own home-grown horror movie."
Learn more about "Woodland Haunting" at www.woodlandhaunting.com, where Baker plans to post photos, stories and contests.
Ghost Ping!
Ghost Ping!
Thanks, Bill!
I used to live right near there!
Never heard this story before!
You're welcome. I came across this one the other day, but didn't want to post it until after the convention.
"Dennis Baker, 43, grew up in the home at 9735 Woodland Court, which his family owned from 1967 until 1996. Baker, who now lives in Castle Rock, Colo., says the house tormented his family during those years."
Uh, yuh.
Seems like 29 years of torment couldn't been too bad.
It's been a rotten week in many respects.
We could all use the diversion I think!
Hmmm, I thought it was a good week for President Bush.
I get a kick outta that team that takes a microphoned taperecorder to cemeteries and funeral parlors. The recordings they 'supposedly' get are sooo kool!
I'm planning a trip soon to Old Newgate Prison in Granby, CT. Hope to get some 'orbs' on my camera down in the copper mine where they kept/worked the prisoners.
I thought the same thing... but if the house was owned by his family, it doesn't mean that the same people lived there the entire time. They could well have rented the place from time to time, although the article does not address this. He does admit that he mixed fact and fiction.
I'm thinking what happened in Russia.
And about the Nepalese who were beheaded...
I have to tell you, I think orbs are nothing more than dust particles. The sounds on tapes that people refer to as "EVPs" are sometimes interesting, but being somewhat skeptical, I would like to see one made in person. Anyone can stand in the middle of a cemetary late at night and whisper into their own tape recorder. Regardless, I love these stories.... and that's why I post them. Although I am skeptical, I do keep an open mind.
I'm with you on that... Islamist monsters AGAIN! It was very depressing.
My chemistry teacher always told us to believe in everything until it's been disproven, it's impossible to prove a negative. In some ways, I think he was right on the mark. I watch the documentaries on this haunting or that and it always seems the "skeptic's" explanation stretches reality more than the ghost moved the keys!
Take a look at the video I linked to above and let me know what you think...
I remember reading The Amityville Horror and then seeing the movie -- it was delightfully scary and I believed it as truth, but later it came out that it was a hoax. That's why I don't trust this latest story.
Nonetheless... asidem data.. the alleged deceased received mail from the TIDES FOUNDATION couple days or so back.
NOW IS this a spooky story, in real time? Very possibly YES.
Anything from the Tides Foundation is scary. In recent years, I've talked to some very credible people who swear that they have had experiences. One of them is my mother. She heard my father's whistle in the house about two years after he died. She is the most down-to-earth person I know and has never entertained anything paranormal. She is convinced that my father tried to let her know that he was okay. I've been more and more interested in this over the last couple of years.... especially since this incident.
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