The Real Story Behind Netflix’s Demonic Possession Horror The Deliverance

As a movie buff who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of film, I must say that “The Deliverance” has piqued my interest not just for its horror and faith-based themes, but also for its unique take on a real-life event. Having witnessed numerous films inspired by true events, it’s intriguing to see how director Lee Daniels has chosen to interpret the story of Latoya Ammons.

Title card introduces that the story is based on real-life occurrences, and the movie titled “The Deliverance” follows the struggles of the Jackson family, who reside in Pittsburgh, as they grapple with an inner destructive force caused by a demonic possession.

Under the direction of Lee Daniels (known for “Precious” and “The Butler”), who collaborated with Elijah Bynum (“Magazine Dreams”) and David Coggeshall (“Orphan: First Kill”) on the script, a recently released horror film is based on religious themes. This movie, which had a limited cinema debut on August 16 before becoming available on Netflix on August 30, portrays an alleged haunting of the Ammons family that occurred in Gary, Indiana, in 2011.

The movie features Andra Day portraying Ebony Jackson, a character based on Latoya Ammons, a mom of three who reported unusual phenomena such as fly infestations, nocturnal footsteps, and mysteriously opening doors, following her family’s move into a rental house in Gary, Indiana – a property later referred to as the Indiana Demon House.

What was the Ammons haunting case?

The Real Story Behind Netflix’s Demonic Possession Horror The Deliverance

2014 saw an article published by the Indianapolis Star delving into allegations of a haunting within the Ammons family. The piece detailed how Ammons, at that time with children aged 7, 9, and 12, supposedly came to believe that supernatural entities had taken hold of her and her offspring, dwelling in their recently-rented home on Carolina Street in Gary. Although Ammons stipulated that her children would remain out of the interview and unidentified, she granted permission for the newspaper to scrutinize confidential medical, psychological, and official records – documents that were not accessible to the public and often portrayed less than favorable impressions.

According to Ammons, the peculiar events at the Carolina Street residence started in December 2011, as the family observed that, even with winter’s cold, hordes of black flies invaded their enclosed porch. “This isn’t regular,” Rosa Campbell, Ammons’ mother, stated to the Star. “We killed them repeatedly, yet they continued returning.”

Over the following months, it’s said that events took a turn for the worse, as Ammons recounted progressively strange and hazardous occurrences involving the children, who supposedly floated off the ground, were hurled across rooms, and spoke with deep, uncanny voices. This matter attracted the attention of the Gary Police Department, Indiana’s Child Protection Services (CPS), and a local hospital. Reports from law enforcement officers, medical personnel, and social workers indicated they had observed events consistent with those described by Ammons.

Initially, there was doubt among others that the issue at hand stemmed from supernatural causes. In April 2012, an anonymous complainant submitted a formal report to DCS, requesting them to scrutinize Ammons for potential child maltreatment or negligence. The informant claimed that they thought Ammons had mental health issues and that the children were acting out for their mother’s benefit, with her allegedly fostering this behavior. Not long after, DCS seized the kids on an emergency basis without a court order. Subsequently, the agency was permitted to take temporary custody of Ammons’ children.

After examining Ammons’ youngest son’s narratives about possessions, a clinical psychologist found them to be “odd, disjointed and inconsistent,” and they varied each time he shared them. In her analysis, she suggested that this might be a tragic situation where the child has been led into a delusional belief system by his mother. Similar observations were made about the older two children by another psychologist.

In June 2012, Father Michael Maginot, who was the priest at St. Stephen, Martyr parish in Merrillville, Indiana, conducted three significant exorcisms on Ammons within his church and blessed her newly purchased home in Indianapolis. Following this, Ammons moved to her new residence, worked diligently towards meeting the requirements set by the Department of Child Services (DCS) for her family, and as a result, she was able to regain custody of her children in November 2012.

The owner of the Carolina Street property claimed no problems arose with the house before or during the Ammons’ residence. However, the house was featured in Zak Bagans’ 2018 documentary titled “Demon House” and was torn down as part of the movie’s creation. Notably, Bagans is recognized for his role as host on the Travel Channel series “Ghost Adventures.”

How The Deliverance changes the story

Similar to many horror films claimed to be inspired by true events, such as The Conjuring and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Deliverance deviates substantially from the actual case details, particularly in its portrayal of the exorcism or deliverance. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Daniels clarified that he intended the movie to be a “faith-based thriller.”

In a recent statement, he expressed that this particular narrative, as told by an African American woman, had never been portrayed on screen before. He added that we are currently living in incredibly challenging times, and many people may not fully grasp the severity of our situation. He felt compelled to reaffirm his connection with his higher power during these trying times. Essentially, he was urging others to seek solace and guidance from their respective faiths.

In response to a query from the reporter about his conversations with Ammons during filmmaking, Daniels clarified that they had spoken “on one or two occasions” early in the process. He explained, “I crafted my portrayal of her life based on my own understanding. I intentionally avoided meeting her due to my apprehension. However, we did speak and she was wonderful; she seemed at peace.”

In his subsequent discussion, the director clarified certain aspects of the Ammons case he opted to modify. He explained, “I’ve subtly altered some elements, such as making her mother white, which resonates with many mixed-race acquaintances I have, exploring the experience of having a white mother while being a Black girl. Additionally, the deliverance figure was originally a man instead of the female character portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s Rev. Bernice James in the film. However, it’s important to acknowledge that there are numerous women who perform this work and often go unrecognized, so I made some adjustments there as well.”

In the movie, not only does the location and type of religious ceremony change, but the exorcism at a church transforms into what’s referred to as a “deliverance” at the family’s residence. As Day explained to the Boston Herald, in her view, a deliverance is more focused on expelling a demon from someone rather than just performing an exorcism.

She explained, “The focus isn’t merely on expelling the demon, but rather on guiding the individual towards a connection with God or Christ. It’s about a complete spiritual metamorphosis.”

2024-08-30 15:07

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