On Friday Feb. 17, Knoxville Horror Film Fest (KHFF) screened Ti West's The Inkeepers at Relix Variety Theatre.

The film was preceded by a presentation from Tammy Poore, a local paranormal investigator and founder of Paranormal Spectrum. Poore and her team travel throughout the Southeast investigating ghostly legends and haunted locations. 

They scanned the theatre prior to the audience's arrival and "definitely found a positive presence," said Poore. KHFF also set the scene by showing classic ghost movie trailers such as The Changeling, Ghost, The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and Ghostbusters.

The Innkeepers stars Sara Paxton and Pat Healy as employees of the Yankee Pedlar Inn, which is set to close after more than a century of service. Claire (Paxton) and Luke (Healy) are determined to capture proof of paranormal infestation before its doors are shuttered for good.   

The arrival of ex-actress turned psychic-guru Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis) and an eccentric old man (George Riddle) complete the odd ensemble.

Claire is sucked into the legend of the hotel (filmed in part at the real Yankee Pedlar), in which a jilted bride hangs herself in the rooms. She and Luke spend the final weekend traipsing throughout the hotel in hopes of documenting proof of her existence. 

The ghost reveals herself in a manner familiar to fans of Japanese horror, and Claire asks Leanne to help her contact the spirit with ominous results. She warns Claire against entering the basement, where the bride's body was hidden for three days. The film predictably ends in a pulse-pounding exploration of the basement.        

Nearly the first half of the film is spent introducing the two lead characters and the history of the hotel.  

The slow pace is more than made up for with brilliantly eerie cinematography and use of sound (both effects and score). There are quite a few predictable jump scares, but the tension escalates once the supernatural aspects of the story come into play. 

The ending, however leaves something to be desired. The atmosphere and sense of dread that is built throughout the film is crushed by the seemingly rushed final sequence, leading to an abrupt and unsatisfying ending.    

Blood and gore are kept to a minimum, which might be a turn off to some fans, but The Innkeepers doesn't disappoint when it comes to tension and suspense. Every classic horror movie fan should make a point to see this film.

"It wasn't perfect...certainly very good though, to the point I'd watch it again."-Sean Armbruster, local Knoxville videographer "It wasn't perfect...certainly very good though, to the point I'd watch it again," said Sean Armbruster, a local Knoxville videographer. 

The Knoxville Horror Film Festival is held every October but holds special events such as screenings, sneak peeks and dinner and movie events throughout the year.  

Director William Mahaffey picks films for these special screenings by "reading what is at festivals, seeing what films have good word of mouth, and choosing directors that have made good films in the past."

The spring lineup includes a Roger Corman double feature and a screening of Jesse T. Cook's Monster Brawl.