“The Conjuring: Last Rites” returns to the terrifying world of Ed and Lorraine Warren, this time exploring one of their most chilling investigations — the infamous Smurl family haunting. Directed by Michael Chaves and produced by James Wan and Peter Safran, the film stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprising their roles as the Warrens as they confront another case based on real-life events.
Serving as the sequel to “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and the ninth installment of “The Conjuring” universe, the movie brings to life the disturbing true story of a Pennsylvania family tormented by years of unexplained phenomena.
Who Were the Smurls? Meet the Family at the Heart of ‘The Conjuring 4’
The Smurl family haunting began in the mid-1970s in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, when Jack and Janet Smurl moved into a duplex with their four daughters and Jack’s parents. Almost immediately, the family started experiencing strange phenomena: objects moving seemingly on their own, loud unexplained noises, and the television turning on and off by itself. At first, the incidents were minor and easily dismissed, but over time, the disturbances became increasingly disturbing and impossible to ignore.
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By the early 1980s, the activity had escalated dramatically. The Smurls reported hearing disembodied voices, seeing shadowy figures, and feeling invisible forces pushing and hitting them. Janet, in particular, became the focus of much of the activity, experiencing intense physical attacks during the night. The family’s distress drew attention from neighbors, local clergy, and eventually paranormal investigators, as the situation seemed beyond the reach of conventional explanations.
In 1985, the Smurls contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famed paranormal investigators, to help document and address the haunting. The Warrens claimed to have encountered a powerful demonic presence that had attached itself to the family and the house over several decades. They conducted a series of investigations and rituals in an attempt to cleanse the home, documenting what they described as violent and malevolent supernatural activity. The case received national attention and became one of the most notorious hauntings in American paranormal history.
Despite intervention, the Smurl family continued to struggle with the effects of the haunting for years. The ordeal left deep emotional scars, strained family relationships, and lingering fear, even after moving away from the property. Their story has since inspired numerous articles, books, and films, including “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” highlighting both the terror they endured and the enduring fascination with the paranormal in American culture.
