With stars like Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, how can a scary movie miss? I'm kidding. But no one's laughing at the major cash being pulled in by Paranormal Activity, with zero star power, a micro budget of $15,000 and a director, Oren Peli, with no experience outside of programming software. There hasn't been this kind of heat generated by an unknown horror cheapie since The Blair Witch Project hit pay dirt ten years ago. Paramount started the viral buzz (blogs, Facebook, Twitter) a few weeks back with midnight screenings in a dozen college towns. Shockingly, folks lined up to watch a babe (Featherston) and her boyfriend (Sloat) get freaked out by noises in their San Diego home, inciting him to set up a night vision video camera while they sleep to catch what's out there. That's it.
The studio asked audiences outside the selected towns to go on the movie's website and vote if they wanted the movie at their local multiplex. They did just that. For the Columbus Day weekend, Paranormal Activity hit 40 cities, brought in a whopping $7.9 million and more than one million requests to show the movie in other cities. The demand will bring a nationwide roll out next weekend. Let's see how much demand is left for Couples Retreat after word of mouth takes aim at its initial success.
My three questions today are for those of you who have seen Paranormal Activity:
• Is Paranormal Activity more than just a clever marketing campaign?
• How does it stack up in scares with The Blair Witch Project?
• What's the scene that creeps you out the most?
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lame | November 1, 2009 2:12 PM
that's all that can be said...not enough action, just a bunch of loud noises. There would always seem like there should be something crazy about to happen, but nothing ever did...you can only tease so many times before the audience gets bored and isn't really afraid anymore.
Nathan | October 29, 2009 11:29 PM
To me, PA was BWP without the suspense. Watch an episode of Ghost Hunters and you'll probably see something more convincingly scary than anything in Paranormal Activity. Just about everybody on this thread lists the same scene as the scariest part. That's because it's one of two really creepy scenes (Katie dragged down the hall and Katie standing next to the bed for two-plus hours). On top of the lack of suspense, they totally telegraphed the anti-climactic finish. I mean, come on, how many times does Katie have to tell Micah to stop taunting the "entity" before every audience member knows that he's going to get it in the end? This was a great concept, unfortunately it fell flat.
Gilbert | October 27, 2009 2:00 PM
Today's horror movies rarely depend on atmosphere or tone to scare audiences. They depend on loud noises, 'scary' music in the soundtrack, and unexpected movements (villains suddenly leaping up after presumably being killed; ubiquitous cats dashing out of enclosed spaces). Interesting to see that this movie with no music or sound effects, very little gore, unobtrusive special effects has scared people. Maybe there is hope for horror pictures, after all.
POSSIBLE SPOILER: On the other hand, I did not find this movie too scary. I thought the boyfriend was too insensitive to his obviously terrified girlfriend, and if it wasn't for his irritating behavior, the girlfriend would have consulted the other professional, making the movie only 30 minutes long.
DimaJanation | October 23, 2009 12:05 PM
Eric - I said it TECHNICALLY STARTED IT ALL in the sense that a very few amount of people are aware of Cannibal Holocaust. That movie is not scary. It's just disturbing and gory. What is up with people who come on here just to try and correct other people or on any other website for that reason? FORGIVE ME ERIC FOR NOT BEING PRECISE ON MY COMMENT. DAMN. But if you really want to go back then we would have to say Faces of Death. Don't believe me? Look up the facts on that series.
EVERYONE, WATCH THE MOVIE THAT "STARTED IT ALL" - CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. ITS MORE IN YOUR FACE GRAPHIC HORROR. DOESN'T LEAVE ANYTHING TO THE IMAGINATION. WATCH IT!
Damn it man, really.
HoldYourHearses | October 23, 2009 4:10 AM
I just saw Paranormal. The only really scary part was when she was dragged out of bed. I had 2 main issues with the movie. #1 Evey "scary" part was set up (they were sleeping). There was no surprise scary moments. Nothing made me jump because I knew it was coming, even if I didn't know what that was. #2 The ending. I hate it when movies just stop. No ending, just a black screen. The entire movie was building up to this ending of a minute that fell flat. Just like the Blair Witch Project but in a really nice house instead of a shack in the woods.
Blake | October 18, 2009 7:52 PM
SPOILERS!!
1. Yes
2.Paranormal Activity had more scares than The Blair Witch Project, I didn't think there were any scares in The Blair Witch Project
3. The creepiest scenes were the ending and when she was dragged out of the bed and down the hall
Danielle | October 18, 2009 3:17 PM
• I didn't really see the markets campaign, but the movie freaked me the hell out. It played on every single fear I have about noises you hear at night and there was a lot of stuff I could relate to. It was like my worst nightmare come true in a very realistic format. Had this been a big Hollywood production, I don't think it would be been frightening. Even though I knew it wasn't real, it was still very believable to me.
• Never saw BWP, so I can't compare.
• Honestly, it was somewhere in the beginning. The really loud, booming noise that shakes the entire house. When they go and check it out the lamp is still swinging from it. I can't even say why that was the most frightening part, but my heart was racing for several minutes afterwards.
Juliet | October 17, 2009 1:46 AM
seriously WTFF..this movie was laughable if anything, not scary. It was just really boring. People say that the real life authentic feel made it creepy because it didnt feel like a movie or some other bull. No, this movie was hyped for no reason. Most of the time I was laughing. The trailer did have all the semi-good parts in it. The whole movie was built up anticipation with no climax and nothing more than phantom footsteps, lights turned on and off, and some stupid shadows. I mean i'm confused as to what actually happened. I'm not afraid to go to bed I'm just dissapointed I wasn't given a good scare! Verdit: SUCKFEST i want my ten dollars back!!
Terrence | October 16, 2009 9:43 PM
1)PA is further proof that you don't need a multi-million budget to bring the fear. Its success is definitely partly attributed to the whole marketing gimmick but if the film delivers, then its really not so much of a gimmick in the end.
2)I'd actually place both of them about even in the scares department. The scares in Blair Witch were a bit more varied due to the changing locales but both possessed a feeling of dread and doom that only increased with each minute of the films respective run times.
3)Creepiest scene? Katie getting dragged out of the bed and down the hall, hands down. For some reason though, the psychic leaving the house in a hurry on his second visit was pretty freaky as well but for different reasons.
3)
C A Smith | October 16, 2009 6:23 PM
1.Paranormal Activity is much more than a clever marketing campaign, it's a clever movie in general and has more scares than any horror film I've seen in years. It's a very succesful exercise in suspense and the performances are surprisingly good, too.
2. It's way scarier than The Blair Witch Project and it keeps your attention throughout, unlike Blair Witch.
3. The entire film is scary. The girl's smile is chilling.
Trane | October 16, 2009 3:27 AM
Sorry guys i'm with static on this one. Yes the bedroom scenes get scarier as the plot thickens. But as i watched paranormal i found myself asking... Y is everyone screaming? It was good and it was exhilarating until the very last minute. Just like any other good produced movie, the natural movie goer Just wants to know what happens next. I have to admit i was on the edge of my seat off and on. And i haven't seen anything like it in 19 years. But... On the other hand it was not everything it was hyped up to be.
hadassah | October 15, 2009 9:17 PM
The scariest part was when the sheet blew up and the demon-thing dragged Katie out of bed and across the hall. Evreyone in the theatre screamed. The theatre was packed, and anytime anything scary happend, we all screamed simultaneoulsy.
Jar Jar 99 After Nicole | October 15, 2009 3:17 PM
I agree with the comments about EXPLORING these different ways of telling a story.
Not to be self-righteous, but I get sick of these CGI/gorey/overblown special effects movies...
sometimes it's best to just strip away to the essence of the story.
In this case: the fear of what happens at night when you sleep.
This movie wasn't THAT great, but it was a whole lot better than most horror flicks I've seen lately!!
Eric | October 15, 2009 12:30 PM
The Blair Witch Project did not "start it all," a movie from 1980 called "Cannibal Holocaust" started it all. Look that movie up if you want to see a horror movie.
Jason Wilk | October 15, 2009 6:33 AM
i haven't been scared by a movie this much since the blair witch project and I saw that movie when I was in middle school. Trust me, I am no pussy, nor do I believe in paranormal activity, I was just straight up scared. Took 10 years. Come on hollywood.
KramkonG | October 14, 2009 5:33 PM
I haven't seen it yet, but I will. Having said that: I think the key to the success of Paranormal and Blair Witch is based on the fact that these events are more "real" than horror/fright films of late. The reality is the supernatural swerving into the natural...even if for a moment. Is this movie real? No...but have these things been reported to happen before? Yes. Could they eventually happen to you? Sure.
cinema as more than storytelling? | October 14, 2009 3:36 PM
Ultimately, I am pleased with this movie. Not because I found it particularly interesting, but because this experimental approach has proven to be a viable(money wise) format.
Expanding movie going away from the traditional directed storytelling format is a good thing. We should explore the space that the medium of movies allow, even if some don't work out.
static | October 14, 2009 11:39 AM
exponentialy worse?
Are you kidding me? This movie wasn't scary! It just gave the feel of the ghost hunter adventure shows on television. It was 90 minutes of yawn inducing banality until the last 3 minutes. And it didn't deliver a knock out punch at the end just the opposite.
It tried to deliver scares based on anticipation and then never did anything all that scary. Shadows, footprints and sleepwalking are not scary... or ooooh the slightly moving door... RUN IN TERROR!
DimaJanation | October 13, 2009 3:49 PM
1)It is more then just that. The movie is in fact very scary. I don't know, maybe people have had to personally experience what this film shows in one way or another to appreciate it. Maybe not. No one person can say they've never dwelled on the fact that they saw or heard something in the middle of the night. This takes those instances or thoughts in our lives and fires it at us without remorse.
2)I personally disliked The Blair Witch Project. But I agree with Germain in saying that it does owe a lot to The Blair Witch Project since it techinically started it all. But we were made to believe that it was real and it very well can be but it flopped big time when it came to scaring the viewer. We went in knowing Paranormal Activity was fake but it scared the crap out of the majority of the people who saw it. Even the acting was much better then that of The Blair Witch Project. Featherston and Sloat really made us believe that they were an actual couple who had been together for 3 years.
3)This is kind of hard to answer because many of the scenes really creeped me out. And although I don't want to ruin it for others who haven't watched it either...well, you asked. So, for those who haven't seen it STOP READING NOW.
The bedroom scenes do intensify with every night that goes by and we think we're safe when day comes until a certain point. Aside from that-not because I think the following is the scariest scene but I just can't get it out of my head. The first sleepwalking scene. I mean c'mon! Who the hell wouldn't freak out if they found out their other half stood at the side of the bed staring at it or you for just over 2 hours and then walked out of the room?! Sure...it sounds funny but not when you know or strongly believe that something else is behind it. Not to mention the fact that I am a sleepwalker :-D
Germain | October 13, 2009 3:14 PM
1. Yes, the movie is more than great marketing. It's great marketing because that's the only way to make a small, good movie like this, successful.
2. It owes a lot to Blair Witch overall is a more successful, scary movie. Blair Witch relies a lot on what you don't see and has very little payoff. Paranormal is all about the pay off.
3. I don't want to spoil anything but the fear literally increases every single time the couple goes to sleep. Each bedroom scene is scarier than the last and the scares of the last scene compound and it gets exponentially worse until the ending.