*** Official PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Discussion Thread

#1

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10/7/09 at 8:22am

todd s
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Has anyone seen this movie yet? People are saying its one of the scariest movies of all time. It was made for 11k and shot similar to "Blair Witch Project".

Here is the trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_UxLEqd074

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

#2

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10/7/09 at 8:41am

Michael Elliott
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There's a big hype around it but when it comes to horror and hype, there will eventually be a major backlash against it. I'm curious to see it even though I read a story a couple nights ago where the filmmakers are claiming fifty people left a screening in NYC because they were so scared. I'm not buying the publicity but I do look forward to seeing it.

You mentioned THE BLAIR WITCH but that's the perfect example and we can all see how horror fans treat that film today.

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#3

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10/7/09 at 9:08am

TravisR
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Elliott

There's a big hype around it but when it comes to horror and hype, there will eventually be a major backlash against it.

Yep. There's always a vocal minority in horror fans (a group that I proudly count myself among) that are really bitchy and hate everything that's popular or has some internet hype behind it.

I really don't know anything about this movie and I kind of tune out the hype so I'm looking forward to seeing it when/if it gets a wider release.

#4

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10/7/09 at 6:39pm

Michael Elliott
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I too consider BLAIR WITCH a masterpiece but more often than not I'm left disappointed with all the hyped films. I don't pay attention to the hype and quite often I'm not even aware of the hype but for some reason, after seeing the film, I leave being disappointed. I hope this opens somewhere around me but the marketing ploy is going to cause a big backlash no matter how great it is, which is a downside of the fan base and why so many are overlooked.

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#5

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10/7/09 at 7:22pm

Justin_S
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I know what you mean. I try to ignore hype because the films usually don't live up to it but occasionally one will come along and excite me. That has more to do with the plot sounding right up my alley though as opposed to listening to the hype. Self-hype, if you will. Things like Inside, The Descent and Shaun of the Dead were hyped to the moon, but I found hardly anything to like in any of them. As for this film's marketing ploy, I'm not particularly fond of it myself, especially in regards to the release strategy.

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#6

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10/7/09 at 11:59pm

Ron-P
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Elliott

There's a big hype around it but when it comes to horror and hype, there will eventually be a major backlash against it. I'm curious to see it even though I read a story a couple nights ago where the filmmakers are claiming fifty people left a screening in NYC because they were so scared. I'm not buying the publicity but I do look forward to seeing it.

You mentioned THE BLAIR WITCH but that's the perfect example and we can all see how horror fans treat that film today.

It looks exactly like Blair Witch, just indoors. And while Blair Witch was masterfully promoted the film it self was terrible. This looks to be just like that.

Sometime's you reach what's real by making believe.

#7

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10/8/09 at 2:38am

Justin_S
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So, I was doing my weekly look through nearby theater schedules, and this is being released in Arlington this weekend on an all day rotation. That's much closer than Dallas and without the headache of a midnight showing. Go figure, but at least it appears to finally be expanding.

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#8

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10/8/09 at 6:37am

todd s
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Justin,

What were the two alternate endings??

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

#9

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10/8/09 at 6:57am

RobertR
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I thought Blair Witch was one of the worst, most overhyped films I've ever seen, so if this is in the same vein (as it looks to be), I'd have zero interest in it.

#10

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10/8/09 at 8:38am

Justin_S
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Todd, in the second ending

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

after killing Micah, Katie sits and rocks back and forth by the bed for several days. Her friend is eventually heard coming in to look for her. Katie goes down, kills her, comes back by the bed for a few more days and is finally shot by investigating police when she approaches them with the knife.

The original ending has

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Katie come back into the room after killing Micah and shortly slitting her own throat afterwards.

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#11

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10/8/09 at 5:20pm

Michael Elliott
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Bumping this up as the spoilers are showing through on the main page. I guess the hidden factor doesn't hide them from the main page.

It appears the thing is playing all around me. So much for the "we must get 1,000,000" votes scheme.

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#12

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10/10/09 at 2:18pm

Jose Martinez
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only in 159 theaters nationwide this weekend and manages to make more than 2 million on friday alone!

Live Free or DIE!!!!!

#13

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10/11/09 at 6:25am

Robert Crawford
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This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "Paranormal Activity". Please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "Paranormal Activity" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Crawdaddy

G.W. McLintock: Camille, you're on your own.

#14

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10/11/09 at 9:10pm

James_Kiang
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There must be more than 2 endings as what we saw tonight was different from either of the ones Justin mentioned.

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Katie kills Micah and then looks into the camera. As she approaches it her face becomes demonic and the camera cuts off. There is a blurb after that saying police found Micah's body the next day but that Katie's whereabouts are still unknown.

#15

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10/11/09 at 9:49pm

Justin_S
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There are indeed three endings. The two that I posted are the alternates, including the film's superior original ending. In the one we got, I didn't care for the

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

face morphing and attacking the camera. Everything up to that point worked for me.

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#16

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10/11/09 at 11:40pm

Dave Mack
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saw it fri. night and loved it. Packed house, 42nd st. audience was totally into it and screaming quite a bit. Lots of fun. What you don't see is 100X scarier than what you do imho...

http://www.myspace.com/franbro

#17

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10/12/09 at 4:20am

Joe Karlosi
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Saw it last night with my wife and two friends. Our theatre was packed with a full house and everyone was getting into it, and I have to say that I got freaked out and felt fear and dread several times during this movie - and I'm someone who never really gets "scared" when watching horror films, and I personally do not even believe in the existence of ghosts or demons. There isn't anything in the way of story or plot here, but that's not the point ... the goal is to scare you, and the film certainly made good on that goal.

I think it's much to this movie's credit that the simplest means of scare tactics are the very best, and this low, low-budgeted film - with no blow-away makeup or CGI effects, no dazzling camera work (the scariest parts come with the camcorder completely still in one frame at night), and only a cast of two or three people, can be more effective than the most action-packed multi-million dollar blockbusters. You have to know HOW to make a subtle scary film where less is more, and this certainly accomplished that. It is a complete slap in the face to bloated Hollywood that an amateur project like this can trump all "traditional" horror movies of the last couple of decades when it comes to producing scares.

I thought I was getting tired of the "shot on home video" genre after THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and CLOVERFIELD (both good films, I thought) but I'm wondering if the success of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY will keep revitalizing this approach. The technique is very strong in capturing the "reality" feel of a horrific situation.

#18

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10/19/09 at 2:11pm

Mark Leiter
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I saw PA this past weekend. I really like it we had a packed house with everyone screaming and having a good time. I have just a couple of comments.

1. All the previews give away too much. If you want a truely terrifyling experience go into the theater completely unaware what the movie is about.

2. I think this is the type of movie that is most effective at a theater during Halloween with a pack house of people that also havent seen it.

3. After reading about the original ending I wish they would have stuck with it. The orignal would have been much more effective. The one used in the movie is good, but to me it was the only time that i felt like I was watching a Hollywood movie. It spoiled the climax just a little.

Mark F. Leiter

#19

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10/20/09 at 9:21am

Dennis Castro
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Everything was well done. I found it more funny than anything else. I didn't find one thing scary at all. There were a couple of scenes that were a bit creepy but that's about it. Basically I've been more creeped out watching a episode of Ghost Hunters.

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#20

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10/20/09 at 10:20am

Malcolm R
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Leiter

1. All the previews give away too much. If you want a truly terrifying experience go into the theater completely unaware what the movie is about.

Really? Most of the previews I've seen mostly show only night-vision shots of theater audiences jumping in their seats.

Uncle Joe: I'll never marry you, Selma Plout! You may as well take off that wedding dress and put it back in your Hopeless Chest!

--Petticoat Junction--

#21

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10/20/09 at 11:40am

Mark Leiter
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Malcolm R

Really? Most of the previews I've seen mostly show only night-vision shots of theater audiences jumping in their seats.

I'll spoiler this just in case someone that hasen't seen it reads this, even though this is a discussion thred.

Warning Spoiler! Click to show

The preview I saw on my iPhone thru Flixter showed the foot prints on the floor, the sheets being blown around and the the boyfriend being thown at the camera at the end, among other things, intermixed with those audience shots. With a movie that has so little going on I thought it spoiled it for me a little bit.

Mark F. Leiter

#22

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10/20/09 at 3:21pm

TravisR
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Malcolm R

Really? Most of the previews I've seen mostly show only night-vision shots of theater audiences jumping in their seats.

That's all I've seen too. I'm perfectly happy going in blind to this movie.

#23

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10/22/09 at 4:24am

Justin_S
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The second ending (not the original) is on Youtube. Search for Paranormal Activity REAL Ending Night.

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#24

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10/23/09 at 2:21am

Paul D G
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^^
Thanks for that!

#25

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10/26/09 at 6:35am

Al_S
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I saw this movie this weekend and thought it was really creepy and some parts had me jump out of my seat. I'm not a big fan of horror movies because a lot of scary movies are just made to gross you out with all the gore. I tend to like movies like the Grudge, etc which are more creepy than anything else. To tell the truth if I was in their situation I'd be out of that house the first night.

#26

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10/26/09 at 6:44am

TravisR
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Al_S

To tell the truth if I was in their situation I'd be out of that house the first night.

They did say that the demon was following the girl so moving wouldn't help her. However, if I was the guy, one of us would be out the door on the first night. I guess that's callous but the movie would have had a happier ending if I was in it.

#27

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10/26/09 at 5:00pm

Brett_M
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I saw this yesterday and it is pretty scary. I'd rank it right up there with The Shining, Session 9 and The Changeling (my favorite creepy thrillers). It's not Exorcist scary but it is very atmosphereic and subtle.

Things that go "bump" in the night...

Shadows....

There is a palpable sense of dread throughout.

Many Shubs and Zuuls knew what it meant to roast in the depths of the Sloar that day I can tell you.

#28

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10/28/09 at 1:22pm

Al_S
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Yeah, you have the same idea I had Travis. I'd be out of there and leave the girl behind.

#29

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10/30/09 at 12:24pm

Michael Elliott
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I just got back from watching it and thought it was great. As a horror fan I've been buying hyped up movies for over two decades now and to me the majority of them turn out to be piss poor films. That's certainly not the case here because all the hype I heard was actually right on target. There were at least three sequences that had my blood turning ice cold.

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#30

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10/30/09 at 8:44pm

Shawn Shultzaberger
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I didn't really like Blair Witch but I did enjoy this movie. I have to admit, it scared me. I'll be needing a light or two on tonight.

"A human being is part of the whole called by us the Universe. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest --a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for...

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