So I was up early this morning having slept restlessly after watching the end of ‘Battlestar Galactica’ last night (no spoilers – suffice it to say that fans of Richard Dawkins and Thomas Merton may find themselves both satisfied; I certainly was). Cylons colonised my repose (for some reason the early models, one of whose bosses is depicted after the break, were the stuff of my childhood nightmares), but I managed to avoid the bad dreams I might otherwise have had when I was younger and less apt to resist imagining the imminent doom of the planet. I have a sensitive constitution, as they say. Which segues neatly into the reason for this post: why I am about to let you, dear reader, down.
My genial co-host and I are busy as usual in TFT Central, grafting away at the plans for Episode 98, which will – must – feature ‘This is It’ (and if you heard our preview at the end of Episode 97 you’ll know just how much we’re looking forward to that particular endeavor, although early reviews are surprisingly good), and ‘Paranormal Activity’, (image below) the once-every-ten-years-straight-outta-the-gate-micro-budget-huge-audience-scare-the-life-from-you-neo-Blair-Witch-Project, cleverly marketed with midnight screenings before opening wide wide WIDE. It will be unavoidable for the next few weeks.
And here’s the problem:
I hate scary movies.
I spent the better part of ‘The Sixth Sense’ (and, yes, before you jump in, there was a better part – and we tend to like Shyamalan round here, no matter how unpopular it makes us) employing the time-honored tactic of removing my glasses and staring at my left foot, thereby reducing the height that I would be propelled out of my seat when whatever Mr S wanted to frighten me with appeared on screen.
I got as far as being picked up by my friend Alex and half-way to the theatre before I decided that I couldn’t go through with our previous arrangement to see ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’; I was sure it would be an ordeal. (Note to the snark police: I mean for good reasons; I’m told the movie’s not bad at all.)
I even found my viewing of ‘The Black Hole’ at Escapism last week to be problematic – Maximillian Schell made me jump on more than one occasion, and the final sequence in which he is possessed by the spirit of his pet robot to rule over Hades is just about as much as my resolution can take.
So, to the presenting issue:
Jett wants us to review ‘Paranormal Activity’ this week. I can’t face seeing it. I think I can address the ethical question by carrying out one of our patented q&a reviews; and I’ll devote some serious attention to thinking ‘em up; but I just don’t think I can sustain the emotional assault course of watching the movie.
This isn’t just for reasons of psycho-spiritual balance, although I do tend to think that there’s enough struggle in most days to make me less than apt to subject myself to more for entertainment’s sake. And I’m not averse to horror films per se – ‘The Exorcist’, ‘The Shining’, ‘Quiz Show‘ (trust me – it’s a horror movie about the potential collapse of a man’s soul) each find their way into my roster of re-watchable movies, most of the time. No, I guess my resistance to ‘Paranormal Activity’ resides in a combination of the emotional terrain questions I’ve just raised, and the fact that it seems this apparently very accomplished film chooses to present the mystery of spirit as a threat. We’ve mentioned on the show before that no less a philosophical artist than Stanley Kubrick considered the tale of Jack Torrance, the hotel, and the tricycle to be ‘an optimistic story’, because, he said, any story that posits the existence of an afterlife for human beings must therefore include hope. Fair point, Stanley, even though I think he was slightly joking. Of course, ‘The Shining’ doesn’t exactly present its vision in an optimistic way. Nor, I’m told, does ‘Paranormal Activity’. [SPOILER BELOW THE PICTURE]
We see a young couple killed by ghosts. It’s supposed to thrill us. Next week, we will watch angels try to save humans from their selfishness in ‘Wings of Desire‘. It will feel transcendent to watch it again. It will thrill me. And I don’t think I’ll have missed anything by not seeing ‘Paranormal Activity’.
Now, I’ve read that Orin Peli, the director of ‘Paranormal Activity’ used to be afraid of ghosts, and that he made the movie as an attempt at catharthsis. Good for him. I’m pretty sure, however, that it wouldn’t be cathartic for me.
So here are my five questions to you, the TFT community:
Can any of you convince me to see ‘Paranormal Activity’ before we record on Friday morning?
What is the purpose of horror fiction?
Does horror on film create, reduce, nurture, or ignore horror in real life?
Is it a good thing to pay to be frightened?
And, given that Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’ looks like a serial killer/scary mental institution/murderous-rage-from-beyond-the-grave film, is there any advice you can offer to help me prepare for the inevitable repeat of my pre-emptive angst when that movie is released next year?
Gareth, I kind of face the same problem – and I'm personally facing Paranormal Activity tonight, with my roommates – but, unlike your view, I do like horror/scary movies, but it takes a certain mindset, on my part. I have to admit to liking scary movies that are either more about the evil side of man – like the Captain in Pan's Labyrinth; or the inescapable horror of nature – like the film Children of Men, and though very flawed The Happening.
My interest in Paranormal Activity is not the same interest I had when The Blair Witch Project came out ten years ago. Then, that movie had the interesting take of being a movie that presented us something real (by the time I saw it, I knew that it was fake), and with a small budget, no name actors and just some filmmakers that wanted to create something fresh. Paranormal Activity doesn't have the benefit of tricking me – and what happens if someday something like this is released and IS real; but is written off as hoax/theatrical – but instead it's been some of the comments that I've read about the movie; where the most interesting/horrific part of the movie is actually the way that
**Spoilers ahoy, possibly – but it's also part of the knowledge that might convince you to see the movie.**
the boyfriend exploits his afflicted girlfriend, and just wants to capture her torture on his camera. It's possibly not a conscious decision to do this, but it goes into the first part of things that I like about scary movies.
As for your questions:
1. I don't think that anyone can convince you to see a movie, you don't want to see. (And I've liked your Q&A episodes, where one of you hasn't seen the movie).
2 and 3. As Stephen King has said about horror fiction – “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” And I think it does all of the things you asked. We've heard of people influenced to commit horrific things because of movies (or music or even books); curb ideals of doing things that could lead to the retribution doled out in film (“Have you seen Fatal Attraction? I have and scared the shit out of me; it scared the shit out of every man in America.” – from the classic Sleepless in Seattle); I've seen documentaries about people who have lived through atrocities – holocaust survivors – who have seen movies covering that subject (and what movie covering that isn't a horror movie?); and then of course there is just the mind-numbingness of being entertained to avoid real life.
4. Whether it's the choice between paying to be scared by something made up, or having to for free be put through real horror, I'd choose to pay to be scared.
5. Shutter Island looks to be a different beast than Paranormal Activity. First I'm attracted to the idea of another film based on a Dennis LeHane novel (I liked Mystic River, and thought Gone Baby Gone was one of the best movies of 2008), and then there's Scorsese's ability to make horror/violence poetic and yet awful. (The Departed ending, or any part with De Niro from Cape Fear.) But, no, I don't have any advice on how to deal with your hesitation.
See it/them, or don't. They're only movies.
Gareth, having seen Paranormal Activity, I can say that there's nothing in there that's particularly SCARY. Don't believe all the marketing that's trying to say its the scariest thing ever. The way the movie works is its kinda creepy in places, but never actively scary (I jumped once during the whole thing). Its certainly no-where near as scary as The Sixth Sense or Signs (this one in particular terrified me when I saw it).
The thing I would say to convince you, is its worth seeing just to wonder how certain special effects were pulled off. I was strangely distanced from the movie, and during all the scary events I was more interested thinking about the execution of the effect than the supposed scary things taking place. I think the movie is worth seeing for you to admire the creative effects work pulled off on a $12000 budget, and any time you are frightened (which really shouldn't be very often, as I've said, this movie has been massively over-hyped by Paramount), you can focus on the execution of the effect itself, to distance yourself from the scary imagery. That's my 2 cents anyway.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Gareth Higgins, Shane Knee. Shane Knee said: RT @moviesforyou Problem of the Day: Has Martin Scorsese Made a Ghost Story? What am I Going to do About It? #movies http://bit.ly/4DN6Be [...]
Thanks Peter – you're encouraging me in the right direction; I'm still undecided but this is food for thought.
That's a fascinating point about the exploitation dynamic in the film and the effects work – I'm moving toward perhaps seeing it. Maybe.
That's a fascinating point about the exploitation dynamic in the film and the effects work – I'm moving toward perhaps seeing it. Maybe.
Cheers Dr. Higgins. I just returned from my venture into seeing the movie, and I thought that it was pretty good. Can't say it'll be anymore of a masterpiece, in the history of cinema, than The Blair Witch has turned out to be – although PA is many-times better than that movie. But, it's got some fun, tense moments and it's almost all atmospheric tension.
My favorite thing, in seeing it, was how the audience (including myself) giggle through scary moments. Not laughing at it in a humorous way, but in that, “I'm freaked out and the only appropriate response seems to be laugh.” Sort of the same feeling I had when I saw a certain scene in the Coen Bros.' Burn After Reading.
All that said, I will be sleeping with the lights on tonight. :P
[...] or ISO above 400.Compared to its class, however, the results are just great for the price point. Is it Wrong to be too Scared to See Paranormal Activity? – thefilmtalk.com 10/28/2009 So I was up early this morning having slept restlessly after [...]
I think it largely depends on the environment in which you see the movie. Films don't generally scare me, but this one did. Then again, I watched a screener of it on my laptop with the lights off in my house all alone. I have a friend who's scared of everything, but he didn't feel this was anything special. He saw it in a packed theater with wise-cracking teenagers.
So, I suppose it's like any other film in that your conceptions, expectations, and the environment in which you view it will greatly effect your personal verdict. I'll just say this: If you decide to see it, make sure the lights are on.
I think it largely depends on the environment in which you see the movie. Films don't generally scare me, but this one did. Then again, I watched a screener of it on my laptop with the lights off in my house all alone. I have a friend who's scared of everything, but he didn't feel this was anything special. He saw it in a packed theater with wise-cracking teenagers.
So, I suppose it's like any other film in that your conceptions, expectations, and the environment in which you view it will greatly effect your personal verdict. I'll just say this: If you decide to see it, make sure the lights are on.
Since it’s that time of year, again; yes, time for a new Paranormal Activity film – I wanted to comment and ask the hosts of The Film Talk have any opinions or desire to see the new movie (I personally know, that Mr. Loe has bypassed one opportunity to see it)? Did Gareth ever manage to bring himself to watch a moment of the original film?
I ask, because of the curiosity and because I was one of the lucky thousands who saw the sequel last night at a special premiere event in Hollywood. (It was quite amazing.) But, I also just finished relistening to the old episode where TFT discusses Paranormal Activity and now I’m curious to hear what would be said of this – in my opinion – superior sequel. (I’ve seen someone call it The Godfather 2 of horror films.)
Also, I like the new site design, the member’s section is working great, and well, that’s all.
hey there john – not wanting to speak for gareth but i’m going to anyway – i doubt there’s anyway in hell to get him to see PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2 – but i’ll see what i can do ;)