Paranormal Activity

Sneer · 11-22-2009, 02:53 PM

So, what do we think?

I personally thought it was great. It measures up to the Blair Witch Project for me. I was especially impressed with the discipline of the director, he could of easily gone over the top and made the occurances gorier and theatrical. Yet, instead he places emphasis on atmosphere and tension, as well as realism (to such an extent that he presents the horror in such a mundane manner it's easy for the viewer to imagine it, structuring the film so as we the audience, like the characters, actually fear the onset of night. The activity is made more explosive and disturbing by this creeping build up of tension, so as when it finally happens the fear levels of the viewer have already been optimized by anticipation.

pourmeanother · 11-22-2009, 03:04 PM

I've maintained it was a holler and a hoot, even though most who saw it after me said they were disappointed. I filled a flask and went to a midnight showing in a packed theater, I think this added to the experience. I mean- the movie slowly built up, the humor was good but didn't cut through the tension, and that ending literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I thought that was just a figure of speech, but it actually happened...

I'll stand behind it.

simplephysics · 11-22-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pourmeanother

I've maintained it was a holler and a hoot, even though most who saw it after me said they were disappointed. I filled a flask and went to a midnight showing in a packed theater, I think this added to the experience.

I saw it in a packed theatre as well, and the reactions from the crowd throughout the movie definitely made it all the better. It wasn't really as bad as I was expecting, it did have its creepy bits but nothing that really shocked me. The husband in the movie was hilarious, though. Pretty sure I was laughing more than anything else.

anticipation · 11-22-2009, 03:17 PM

i was mad high and this **** was still hella lame, luckily tha bitch next to me smooched my bone all night long.

Alfred · 11-22-2009, 03:27 PM

Must watch this movie.

Sneer · 11-22-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pourmeanother

I've maintained it was a holler and a hoot, even though most who saw it after me said they were disappointed. I filled a flask and went to a midnight showing in a packed theater, I think this added to the experience. I mean- the movie slowly built up, the humor was good but didn't cut through the tension, and that ending literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I thought that was just a figure of speech, but it actually happened...

I'll stand behind it.

What ending did you see/ Because i know there are up to three different endings and it depends on which country you're seeing it in. I saw the one where the camera DOESNT hit the floor (trying hard not to spoil it for anyone who hasnt seen it)

Guybrush · 11-22-2009, 04:04 PM

I thought the movie was extremely lacking.

Occasional humour and realism was good, but not enough to save it. To me, the movie only seemed to work on one level which was scares. It just didn't scare me and then it felt like it had nothing else to offer.

SPOILER ALERT!

I love good ghost stories and in my favourite haunting-films, the ghosts have a proper story. Sometimes they're even characters in their own right with personalities/agendas. The entity or whatever in Paranormal Activity was just something, you never really knew what it was trying to accomplish or why .. or even what it was.

Some may argue that this makes it spookier, but as I said, I wasn't spooked anyways, so ..

In my opinion, good horror films usually offer way more than this one did. This one felt like it didn't even really have a story, just unexplained stuff happening at night. And this gets hyped as an awesome horror flick? Blah. If you wanna see a recent good horror film, I would recommend "Drag me to Hell". Aside from realism, it's got tons more to offer and is just way more entertaining.

pourmeanother · 11-22-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu

what ending did you see/ because i know there are up to three different endings and it depends on which country you're seeing it in. I saw the one where the camera doesnt hit the floor (trying hard not to spoil it for anyone who hasnt seen it)

*spoiler*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highlight the text.....

i didn't even know there were alternate endings. The one i saw is where she comes upstairs, yadda yadda yadda, and lunges at the camera. I started reading up on the endings now, and the one where she slits her throat sounds pretty gruesome. In some sick way I wish I had seen that one.

Guybrush · 11-22-2009, 04:09 PM

The alternate endings just show that the makers behind the film didn't really know the entity - what it was/wanted to accomplish/etc - themselves. At least that's what I think and I think it's a weakness.

Sneer · 11-22-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

I thought the movie was extremely lacking.

Occasional humour and realism was good, but not enough to save it. To me, the movie only seemed to work on one level which was scares. It just didn't scare me and then it felt like it had nothing else to offer.

SPOILER ALERT!

I love good ghost stories and in my favourite haunting-films, the ghosts have a proper story. Sometimes they're even characters in their own right with personalities/agendas. The entity or whatever in Paranormal Activity was just something, you never really knew what it was trying to accomplish or why .. or even what it was.

Some may argue that this makes it spookier, but as I said, I wasn't spooked anyways, so ..

In my opinion, good horror films usually offer way more than this one did. This one felt like it didn't even really have a story, just unexplained stuff happening at night. And this gets hyped as an awesome horror flick? Blah. If you wanna see a recent good horror film, I would recommend "Drag me to Hell". Aside from realism, it's got tons more to offer and is just way more entertaining.

As you said, i found the fact you didnt know what it was more menacing than if i had known who or what was causing the activity. The animal like footprints freaked me out to no end. I think this film is so effective because of the realism, the fact it didnt try to offer some long, formulaic narrative. The sharp day to night transitions were great because it clearly defined the difference in atmosphere and mood, resulting in the activity seeming that bit more frightening. But that's just me.

And Pour, that's the ending i really want to see, the one i saw seemed a bit meek.

11-22-2009, 02:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sneer Let it drip Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 5,430	Paranormal Activity So, what do we think? I personally thought it was great. It measures up to the Blair Witch Project for me. I was especially impressed with the discipline of the director, he could of easily gone over the top and made the occurances gorier and theatrical. Yet, instead he places emphasis on atmosphere and tension, as well as realism (to such an extent that he presents the horror in such a mundane manner it's easy for the viewer to imagine it, structuring the film so as we the audience, like the characters, actually fear the onset of night. The activity is made more explosive and disturbing by this creeping build up of tension, so as when it finally happens the fear levels of the viewer have already been optimized by anticipation. __________________ LastFM Sneer's Emporium of Sound Fright Team radio show

11-22-2009, 03:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
pourmeanother Saaaad Panda Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 852	I've maintained it was a holler and a hoot, even though most who saw it after me said they were disappointed. I filled a flask and went to a midnight showing in a packed theater, I think this added to the experience. I mean- the movie slowly built up, the humor was good but didn't cut through the tension, and that ending literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I thought that was just a figure of speech, but it actually happened... I'll stand behind it. __________________ Life is just blah, blah, blah You hope for blah And sometimes you find it, but mostly it's blah And waiting for blah And hoping you were right about the blahs you made And then, just when you think you've got the whole blah'd damn thing figured out And you're surrounded by the ones you blah Death shows up... anddd blah, blah, blah.

11-22-2009, 03:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
Alfred one big soul Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 5,096	Must watch this movie. __________________ LAST.FM / VINYL COLLECTION / RYM

11-22-2009, 04:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	I thought the movie was extremely lacking. Occasional humour and realism was good, but not enough to save it. To me, the movie only seemed to work on one level which was scares. It just didn't scare me and then it felt like it had nothing else to offer. SPOILER ALERT! I love good ghost stories and in my favourite haunting-films, the ghosts have a proper story. Sometimes they're even characters in their own right with personalities/agendas. The entity or whatever in Paranormal Activity was just something, you never really knew what it was trying to accomplish or why .. or even what it was. Some may argue that this makes it spookier, but as I said, I wasn't spooked anyways, so .. In my opinion, good horror films usually offer way more than this one did. This one felt like it didn't even really have a story, just unexplained stuff happening at night. And this gets hyped as an awesome horror flick? Blah. If you wanna see a recent good horror film, I would recommend "Drag me to Hell". Aside from realism, it's got tons more to offer and is just way more entertaining. __________________ Something Completely Different

11-22-2009, 04:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	The alternate endings just show that the makers behind the film didn't really know the entity - what it was/wanted to accomplish/etc - themselves. At least that's what I think and I think it's a weakness. __________________ Something Completely Different

11-22-2009, 03:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
anticipation Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 3,565	i was mad high and this **** was still hella lame, luckily tha bitch next to me smooched my bone all night long.