disdressed12 for a "made for TV" movie,this offering isn't too bad.there are a few genuinely creepy moments for sure.one good thing is there are no cheap jump out of seat scares.you know,loud noises,or someone,or something appearing in a mirror,or a cat jumping out of a closet.that sort of thing.the acting seemed a bit suspect at first,but as the movie went on,it seemed to improve.i got involved enough in the story and cared enough about the characters that i really felt for them as they were going through their ordeal.this one has based on a true story tag on it,but you have to take that with a grain of salt.either way,i did find it much more compelling than the recently released The Haunting in Connecticut.for me,Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive is a 6/10

Katatonia +------------+ WARNING: SOME SPOILERS AHEAD +------------+I really enjoy this film, simply because it's well made for a TV movie. Generally many TV horror movies are largely forgettable, simply because they are limited as to what they can include. Theatrical movies usually do more since they can show more that the TV genre cannot.Grave Secrets was shot in 1992, so it's 11-12 years old as I'm writing this. The special effects may appear somewhat dated by today's CGI razzle dazzle, but they still work well. The only thing that some people might not be able to suspend their disbelief about, is the "ghost shadows" in a couple of scenes. But, if you research the unknown you may have heard of "Shadow People", or "Shadow Beings" as some would call them. It is an actual documented phenomenon, just as a normal ghost sighting is. When you research this in advance, it lends those scenes a much creepier and realistic effect.I think the acting was especially talented and well executed. Patty Duke especially, but all of the cast members did a great job.True, the story of Grave Secrets is nothing entirely original and has the feel of an Amityville Horror sequel, but it's still quite entertaining. I wouldn't say everyone will be scared or disturbed by Grave Secrets, but if you like ghost genre movies you'll most likely enjoy the movie. I've seen the movie at least six or seven times before, and I still enjoy it!

aesgaard41 In the late 80s, Ben and Jean Williams sank their savings into having their dream home built not knowing that the developers had callously and coldly plowed over and built on top of a hitherto forgotten old black cemetery. Actually, you may want to blame the original owner for not telling the developers.Of course,the spirits of the dead are not going to sit still for this and fight back as only they can - dirty!. Instead of a psychological good-notch ghost story, the movie tells the plight of the Williams against the developers who built the Williams house. Sounds like the plot to "Poltergeist," doesn't it ? This true story is the more accurate account of the actual events near Crosby,Texas. David Selby goes from fake ghosts on "Dark Shadows" to dealing with real ones in this factual if not stirring movie. Patty Duke plays his forceful and endearing wife (I guess his DS co-star Kathryn Leigh Scott wasn't available) who tries to convince him of the ghosts' existence, but fails to do so until he gets the cahones scared out of him. David Soul plays the neighbor,Sam Haney, who put in a swimming pool and accidentally dug up the bodies. Stand-up comedian Blake Clark from "Home Improvement" is the jovial neighbor next door whose wife gets scared in the middle of the night and permanently moves out. Interesting enough, Blake has seen real ghosts himself in the haunted Laugh Factory Comedy Club in Los Angeles,California. This movie though has a wonderful plot, but it's more of a re-enactment than a movie. Thank goodness, the Warrens never got involved (see the movie "The Haunted" - 1992) or else this whole story might have smacked of a hoax. Not to insult the Warrens, of course, I really respect their profession, but every time they get involved, someone screams "Hoax !" (such as in the whole "The Amityville Horror" mythos). The characters are wonderfully portrayed, but the supernatural aspects and suspense has been played down for a more than intelligent ghost story. The only ghosts seem to be paper cut-outs seen as shadows, but then they might not have had the budget for all the special effects. The best but most brief shot is when Selby first comes across the ghosts. The movie is very realistic and emotional with some thought-provoking questions. For the full story, you need to read, "The Black Hope Horror" by Robert Curran who must have had "The Amityville Horror " in mind when he conceived the title. Don't get that movie confused with this one; this one may not be as chilling, but it makes much more sense.

Mark-115 A couple move into their dream home, unaware that it and its neighbours have been built over land formerly used as a cemetery. The film is said to have been based on a true story, although how much of it is supposed to be true is not disclosed. The plot is hardly unique - see Spielberg's 'Poltergeist' (1982). Within a short time, they experience various supernatural phenomena: these range from the disturbing - mysterious shadows, the serious illness of the daughter - to the frankly ridiculous - toilets continually flushing and garage doors going out of control. There is little depth to the story: once it has become established that the land had been used as a cemetery, we do not learn anything more. The plot does not seem to develop. The characters are not particularly well drawn or in any way memorable, nor is the atmosphere particularly special. The film could be disturbing to some viewers. There is no sense of catharsis or any kind of positive message from it.