Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerGremlin
Paranormal Activity plays on a pretty normal psychological fear: what happens when you are asleep. I happen to sleepwalk, so I can semi-relate to the film. My girlfriend also suffers night terrors. And finally, my mom is Psychotic, so she will go on zombie-walks at 4am doing all sorts of weird shit (when she's unmedicated). Have you ever seen what a psychotic patient looks like after _LITERALLY_ not sleeping for about 2 or 3 weeks straight? They look exactly like a demon-possessed person in need of an Exorcism.
There's a shitload of psychological research that has emerged in the past 100 years that supports a more grounded or logical explanation for early Exorcism/demon mythology. The fact that Paranormal Activity played off some of these very real psychological cues creeped me out.
I also spend many nights sleeping with the GF, and I thought Paranormal Activity exploited that very real and normal psychological aspect of life as well.
Love it or hate it, I thought it was a well-made movie that surpasses a lot of the shit that has come out in theaters dubbed "horror" in the past few years.
I eagerly await the day you all live with people who sleepwalk or go bump in the night.
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See, this is the most compelling thing about Paranormal Activity I've read yet.
But look how many personal steps it took you to be scared of the movie. It's like it was made for your life, and made it more personal, and hence more scary.
I love psychology and if/when I go back to school that's probably what I'll study and what you bring up about possession is super interesting. I was talking to a friend last night and he was saying one of his friends back in Pakistan had a 1-year old child who started speaking perfect English to them (which he was never taught). He was terrified about the idea of possession and that's why he thought the movie was scary as well.
My problem with PA is that I guess I couldn't quite relate as much. Maybe it's because I saw it when I was 12, but I give the Exorcist credit for really scaring me. I think the element of a defenseless/innocent young girl gives it that extra edge.
Anyway, I still am not a fan, but I at least see where you guys are coming from.
I'm still not sure if anything will ever get it as right as The Shining did. That's my favorite horror film for sure.