So you move into a new house and keep getting woken up by strange noises, furniture moving, doors slamming. Naturally, you don’t jump to the conclusion that you are the doomed protagonists in a horror movie, so you take the logical step of setting up video cameras to try to capture some glimpse of what’s happening. That’s the premise of Oren Peli’s micro-budgeted (shot for just $11,000) horror film Paranormal Activity. It’s been getting a good vibe at various film festivals and just landed the dream of all indie films made on a shoestring: Paramount picked it up for distribution and has set a September 25th release date.
While it’s drawing a lot of understandable comparisons to Blair Witch, i.e. presented as genuine home-shot video, what it reminds me of most is the start of every haunted house movie. Eeriness intruding on tranquil domesticity, the mounting horror of knowing something else is there even if you can’t see it, drawing infinite tension out of thin air. Haunted house movies tend to fall apart once the special effects get involved, but they tend to stay scary as long as they never show you more than the shark’s fin. This one looks like it might keep the shark underwater where it belongs.
that stupid trying-to-see-downstairs shot around the 40sec mark gave me the shivers.
Posted by: gp at September 9, 2009 9:14 PM
Its 430 in the morning here in Qatar.....and it looks like i will be up the rest of the night thanks to that one. This looks great and i wonder why the big budget directors haven figured out that a simple budget with a director dedicated to plot and cinematography will tend to figure out what it takes to scare the bejesus out of the audience.
Posted by: Nunzio Badalamenti at September 9, 2009 9:25 PM
Spooky. Looks like something I'd buy into and would scare the crap out of me.
Too bad they couldn't release it on Oct 30, but I suppose those Saw movies have some sort of mystical grip on that weekend.
Posted by: ForbiddenDonut at September 9, 2009 9:31 PM
I'm not really into documentary-style filming, and in fact I generally dislike it quite a bit, but I'll definitely at least give this a shot, if only to support people trying something other than OMG GORE! and/or OMG CGI! in horror.
After all, District 9 was shot partly in documentary format and that didn't much bother me, so fingers crossed that this movie spooks me out enough that I won't mind it here either.
And while I'm here, can I tell you guys how much I love you all for constantly turning me on to new horror flicks? If it hadn't been for Pajiba, I never would've even heard of I Sell the Dead, Pontypool, or Lesbian Vampire Killers, and it would've taken me much longer to find out about Zombieland as well.
Posted by: Nat at September 9, 2009 9:38 PM
Does any one know when this movie is coming out on DVD?
Posted by: John W at September 9, 2009 9:56 PM
In case Steven did not make this clear, the buzz in the horror community over Paranormal Activity is deafening.
Paramount picked it up for distribution and has set a September 25th release date.
This makes me very happy.
May Paranormal Activity rise to the subtle, disturbing heights of Open Water and not resort to jump scares and up the nose shots like Blair Witch Project. This I pray, in Regan's name, amen.
i disagree, open water played my fear like a bitch.
open water 2 though. that was a joy.
Posted by: gp at September 9, 2009 10:35 PM
Ditto on the lights gp. Fuck.
Posted by: Alex at September 9, 2009 10:51 PM
I have chills literally covering my entire body. I want this.
I will be on my way to Miami with two friends the day it's released. I know how this is going to play out.
Me: "Oh so we have downtime tonight...that new movie "Paranormal Activity" came out today...we should go. Have you seen the trailer?? Looks creepy as hell!"
Them: "ewww, so it's a scary movie?!?! Oh nuh-uh no way we're going to a scary movie. But heyyyy, isn't that new Jen Aniston movie out too. OMG it totally is! We should go there, I mean it's Jen!!!!! Because us women need to stick together, right? Right! *giggle giggle lmaorotflmfao hahaha*"
Me: *cocks gun*
My flight home will be short 2 passengers. No loss really. I obviously need new friends anyway.
Posted by: ashes at September 9, 2009 11:08 PM
Actually got home, was able to watch this.
HOLD ME, I'M SCARED!!
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Posted by: bewbiegirl at September 9, 2009 11:46 PM
September 25th? Awesome. Is it just me or has there been a run of good horror this past year or so? Excluding the obvious remakes.
Posted by: s. pisaster at September 10, 2009 12:28 AM
Eff that.
I'm all alone at work in a dark room with random noises coming from the AC system. Why did I just watch this?
Posted by: HotMustard at September 10, 2009 12:31 AM
I saw this at the Sydney Film Festival. Believe the hype.
Could be good.
I just hope it's not too too shaky cam.
I hate that. But I do love a good haunted house story.
Posted by: Odnon at September 10, 2009 1:05 AM
gp, yep all the lights are now up. If that can't keep
me safe 'til 2:00am I'm gone...
Posted by: HotMustard at September 10, 2009 2:09 AM
Well here's another movie I'll not be watching! I'm ducking the trailer too. Yes I'm curious, but not curious enough to want to lose sleep, 'cause I KNOW I'll be jumping at shadows and creaking sounds and the wind....Hell after I watched IT, for two weeks I had to have my mom stay with me while I brushed my teeth!
Nope. My coward hide is staying away from this!
Posted by: Four Eyes at September 10, 2009 5:23 AM
Trying to remember if it was Richard Pryor who noted that for some reason in haunted house movies the white people never just run like hell at the first sign of trouble. He said you'd never see a black family do that.
Black dude: Hey, what a great place this is, three bedrooms, two baths, a fireplace, game room ... what's not to love?
House: GET OUT!
Black dude: Too bad we can't stay.
Posted by: , (TCFKAB) at September 10, 2009 10:31 AM
You know, I complain all the time about how they don't make horror movies like this, but now I think I might actually be too chicken to see it...
Posted by: Mimi at September 10, 2009 11:13 AM
Yeah, I can never understand why they don't just up and leave. The second any weird shit goes down, I'm out the window. Just try and stop me, ghostie--you're incorporeal! Whaddaya gonna do, move some chairs? Slam a door?
I love stuff filmed in this way (as long as it's not too shaky--hurling is no fun) because it seems much more real and therefore scary as hell. Parts of Blair Witch scared me to death for the same reason.
Posted by: DeadBessie at September 10, 2009 12:40 PM
The best haunted house movies always give them a good reason to stay, i.e. they're flat broke and they just invested everything else in the house so it's either convince yourself you're stressed out and hallucinating or move out and lose everything. That or they're part Vulcan, and so painfully logical that they just decide not to belive the supernatural explanation 'til the ghost/demon/whatever is all up in their face going HOLY SHIT CAN YOU SERIOUSLY NOT TAKE A HINT?
People can rationalize a lot when money's on the line.
Posted by: Nat at September 10, 2009 2:38 PM
This reminds me of a clock my grandmother used to have. It scared the shit out of me when I was sleeping at her house and I would wake up at night to the sound of a ghost/demon/whatever saying "ts,ts,ts" in my ear. That's the kind of phonetic personality that clock had. And it looked like Glenn Close in an wooden Gothic attire.
I never complained about that clock. People can rationalize a lot when extra pocket money's on the line.
Posted by: The Gemeinderat at September 10, 2009 7:57 PM
I'm glad I live in an absolutely ordinary apartment by the beach in Los Angeles. I love a house with personality, but if personality comes with SCARY FUCKING GHOSTS, then NO SIR.
Posted by: AlexaCastro at September 11, 2009 7:14 AM
There's been comments that haunted house movies are stupid because, why don't they just leave.
In Paranormal Activity, supposedly leaving won't do any good as the phenomenon follows the woman. Technically, she is haunted, not the house. But I haven't actually seen it so I may be wrong.
I am REALLY looking forward to watching this in the theater ASAP.
Posted by: Craig D at September 14, 2009 7:48 PM
I saw this and I bawled my eyes out and was shaking. The funny thing is I don't get scared of these things. I have never been that scared in my entire life. The things that happened are only supposed to happen in movies not in real life. I definately suggest you see this;it was so good I'm going to see it again. I might be crazy for putting myself through it again but it is well worth it !
Posted by: Maddie at October 18, 2009 6:52 PM
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this is me turning on more lights.
that stupid trying-to-see-downstairs shot around the 40sec mark gave me the shivers.