Paranormal Activity (Oren Peli, 2007)

[importaku]

Just watched the trailer OMG is that really it Either americans are really easy to scare or that cinema had more plants than a greenhouse as i have never seen anyone jump like that in all my years of cinema going.

These days i prefer japanese horror as it scares me in a totally different way. Because of the cultural differences it's horror but not like im used to.

[SuperBeatBoy]

They are probably a fake audience to build hype.

[Phantasmical]

You lot are all mental in here, this movie was fantastic. Great atmospheric sound design, really slow burning and creepy as hell. I'd rather watch something like this than some ****e like saw or whatever.

[SuperBeatBoy]

I said it was good.

[Phantasmical]

I said it was good.

[abigsmurf]

Saw it, thought it was decent, if not exactly amazing.

It relies on the fact that staring at a silent, unclear image makes you much easier to spook (as thousands of screamer videos proove). Creepy atmosphere at times but ultimately the film's a bit plotless and there's no sense of it building towards anything until the abrupt end.

Also,

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If I'd seen that video of the ouiji board, I'd be looking for an excorcist the second I finished watching

[PrayforMojo]

I thought this was mostly terrific, but the ending was a let down. The theatrical version ends with

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Micah being thrown at the camera and Katy being completely taken over by the demon.

I've since watched the original ending on YouTube and prefer that one,

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it ends on a more tragic note with Katy being shot by the cops after she supposedly killed her boyfriend with a knife.

I've read that a third ending was also filmed, which

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ends with Katy slitting her throat with the knife.

Truth be told none of the endings are particularly satisfying, and none get under your skin like the ending in Blair Witch, which haunted me for days. Bit of a shame, really, because the film builds a harrowing sense of dread, simply by having events escalate over a few nights. I might be a total puss but I found the scene when

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Katy is dragged from her bed by an unseen force

seriously ****ing terrifying.

[abigsmurf]

Yeah the Blair Witch ending was absolutely brilliant. Regardless of it's destractors I still think it's a phenomenal horror.

None of the endings shot for PA are really satisying (although the cinematic ending is the worst of them).

Incidentally, Eli Roth is doing a 'real footage' type film centering around an excorsism gone wrong and there's apparently (another) Amytiville remake being done camcorder style.

[k0pp0]

The last 15 minutes in Blair Witch were excellent - as was the first 15-20 minutes.

The middle were sh1te.

[Adam Stone]

Really, really enjoyed this. Hated, hated the audience... Completely filled with mind-achingly selfish, arrogant and fist-clench-worthy chavs. God they annoy me, was tempted to either walk out or go up and hit them each in the face. Not usually a violently minded person, but for gods sake, just shut up and watch the bloody film!

Anyhoo, as for the film... Loved the general stillness of it all, and the steady build up. I thought a more subtle ending would have been more powerful by allowing the audience's imaginations to run wild... but generally really liked it. Puts most recent so-called horrors to shame :-)

[Ian(not Ian)]

This thread reminds me. I meant to ask about a Spanish film I seen on sky ages ago. It involved a TV reporter and cameraman filming one of those fly on the wall proggies with the local Fire Brigade, with a touch of HP lovecraft thrown in.
A shaky cam job, in the Clovefield' vein, but far better.
Can't recall its name though.

[abigsmurf]

.rec

Also has a shot for shot US remake called quarentine.

[Ian(not Ian)]

Yup that's the one (rec), but what 'possessed' them to do a remake (quarantine) in the US, I'll have to check it out I spose.

[Brad]

Really, really enjoyed this. Hated, hated the audience... Completely filled with mind-achingly selfish, arrogant and fist-clench-worthy chavs. God they annoy me, was tempted to either walk out or go up and hit them each in the face. Not usually a violently minded person, but for gods sake, just shut up and watch the bloody film!

Sounds like you were at the same viewing as me mate. I'm fed up with cinema these days. They should have people there hauling people out the audience if they disrupt the movie IMO.

[VR46]

Our local cinema (Vue) does late evening showings for only people aged 25+, does make for a much more enjoyable viewing.

Watched this yesterday, didn't think much of it really, saw it advertised at cinema when went to see Saw 6 and it looked great. Hey ho.