Hokum: Is Ohm Bauman Based on a Real Writer? Is the Conquistador Based on a Real Book Trilogy?

With Damian McCarthy at the helm, ‘Hokum‘ questions whether folk horror can be more than just myth through the eyes of its grumpy, perpetually burdened protagonist, Ohm Bauman. A writer by profession, Ohm struggles to finish his most popular work to date, the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy, which is known for its grim themes and even darker character choices. However, when Ohm is faced with what is potentially a very real form of terror, all his affinity for the dark and dreary goes out the window. Upon visiting the Bilberry Woods Hotel, where his deceased parents once spent their honeymoon, Ohm ends up confronting ghosts and a murder mystery all under the same roof, and those real experiences soon trickle down into his subconscious and shape the final pages of his trilogy.

Ohm Bauman Might Feel Like a Stephen King Protagonist, But is Wholly Fictional

Ohm Bauman is a fictional novelist created by writer-director Damian McCarthy to serve as the protagonist of ‘Hokum.’ While he may not resemble any real-life writer in his characterization, Ohm stands out among the main leads in horror stories because of the unique direction his arc takes. Actor Adam Scott, who plays the role, described this as “the opposite of the arc in most horror movies,” adding that “Usually a character starts out somewhat innocent and becomes hardened, and this character softens over the course of the movie.” This entire thread doesn’t come with a real-life basis and is largely developed by the crew to highlight some of the film’s most potent themes.

Amongst viewers, Ohm as a character has been compared to Stephen King, given that both writers specialize in writing dark horror tales, often with bleak endings. However, these comparisons are cast in a very wide net, as there are no major parallels between Ohm and King, and neither has McCarthy discussed any such inspirations. Still, Ohm does seem to follow the characterization style of several King protagonists, who are often genius novelists traumatized by their past and anguished by their present. The parallels between ‘Hokum’ and ‘The Shining,’ for instance, rest on both featuring a writer’s trip to a mysterious hotel. However, McCarthy has confirmed on numerous occasions that, despite the temptation, he generally steered away from ‘The Shining’ and instead crafted a unique tale.

The Conquistador Trilogy is a Reflection of Ohm’s Character Arc

Just as Ohm Bauman is an invented character, his in-universe magnum opus, the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy, is also a fictional creation by Damian McCarthy. While we only seem to catch a small glimpse of this large body of work, much of the setting and the grim themes are loosely reminiscent of Stephen King’s works. More specifically, King’s famous ‘The Dark Tower’ series, often hailed as his finest work, is also set in the desert, and often features a blend of supernatural elements and anachronism. Given the name ‘Conquistador,’ one can infer that Ohm’s works are most likely set in the 15th-to-17th-centuries, charting Spanish and Portuguese colonial campaigns from that period. While there may not be a direct equivalent to this fictional trilogy in real life, its larger themes still resonate with viewers.

Within the framework of ‘Hokum,’ the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy also has the added narrative function of paralleling Ohm’s journey. While he starts out with a particularly dark ending for his series, his inability to bring it to the page is what spurs a trip to the hotel. Connecting this dilemma to Ohm’s character arc, Damian McCarthy told Time that “Ohm is quite internal. He doesn’t really talk to anybody a whole lot (…) There had to be a way to show something had changed inside him.” By the end of the movie, it becomes increasingly clear that the parable-like nature of ‘Conquistador’ books is because of how they symbolically represent chunks of Ohm’s own life. Thus, while every element of the books may be fictional in nature, the thoughts and feelings they evoke are rooted in realism.

Read More: Hokum Ending Explained: Is the Witch Real? Did Ohm Hallucinate it All?