La porte dans le noir

17 years earlier at the Douglas Academy Boarding School, Jane is found dead in a storeroom at the end of the hall. It's assumed to be a suicide and her journal is missing. Present day, Jane's best friend Courtney Snow (Sara Rue) returns to the school for a reunion after writing a successful novel about her dead friend. She is struggling to write a second novel and is convinced to join the faculty. She reconnects with former classmate Brett who is the son of Headmaster Ian Ramsey. The storeroom has been reopened and student Laurel McAvoy living there resembles her dead best friend Jane.

There are requirements that this movie never fulfills. Sara Rue does not really resemble Amber Borycki. It's always problematic to switch back and forth to the flashbacks. It's probably better to simply put a wig on Sara Rue and have her play her younger self. The role of Laura/Jane needs someone much more distinctive. It needs someone with a recognizable face which immediate screams out doppelganger. Aside from those issues, this is a rather choppy, weak movie. As a horror, there is nothing scary or even spooky. Some of ghostly aspect is downright bad. There is a general poor quality to the production.

At the Douglas Academy Boarding School, Courtney Snow (Sara Rue) and Jane Halloran (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) are best friends and Jane is in love with her classmate Brett (Kavan Smith), who is the son of the Headmaster Ian Ramsey (Duncan Regehr). Jane goes to Cambridge and when she returns, she goes missing at school. Courtney and Ian seek her out and they discover that she committed suicide in a store and her journal is never found.

Seventeen years later, Courtney Snow has become a famous writer with the novel she wrote based on Jane and she is invited to teach at Douglas. She accepts the invitation but when she sees the wealthy student Laurel McAvoy, she realizes that Laurel resembles Jane. Soon Courtney believes that Laurel is actually the reincarnation of Jane.

"Nightmare at the End of the Hall" is a totally predictable Canadian thriller with a good story but poor screenplay. In the middle of the movie, only Courtney Snow is not capable to foresee the whole plot. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Reencarnação – O Medo Encontra-se em Repouso" ("Reincarnation – The Fear Stays Resting")

A true gem on Lifetime! Thank God it was promoted by the network or it might have been missed. Why are there more such well crafted genre films, instead of the low budget looking schlock that passes for entertainment on Lifetime? We want more such intelligent thrillers.Sarah Rue was brilliant, convincing. Jaqueline McIness has star potential- a real find. All aspects of the film, the writing, acting, lighting,cinematography, direction was first rate. What could have been a confusing pretentious mess with flash backs was a completely engrossing experience. Bravo to all! Can't wait to see it again! A classy picture. An unexpected twist. A psycho thriller in true Hitchock tradition.

Although the DVD box says horror, I would call Nightmare at the end of the hall a psychiatric drama with a paranormal storyline.

The plot is decent but unfortunately also a bit predictable. In short, a traumatized author is offered an offer as a teacher at her former boarding school. In the room where her best friend committed suicide, a student who looks just like her has moved in. What follows is a search for the reason why the girlfriend committed suicide. And why the new pupil looks so much like her.

It was an interesting film, but the cinematography, the acting, the plot twist, the special effects,... Everything could have been better. Unfortunately. There is just no single thrill to be found, a big shame.

Still 6/10, because I watched the film without getting bored. If you find the DVD very cheap in the budget racks, then consider. Do not expect an exciting thriller and certainly not a horror movie.

It's supposed to be 17 years later from when she was in college, but they didn't do anything to age the actress to have her look like someone in their mid to late 30's after nearly 2 decades have gone by. She's supposed to be a teacher at the school now but laughably still looks like the 19 year old college student she was at the beginning of the film. I just couldn't get into it after that. I see the actress was only 28 when she filmed the movie and the actress who played the college student version of her was just 4 years younger lol. Please.

Put some money in the makeup budget to at least TRY to make the actress appear 10 years older than she actually is. Can't recommend.