As the poster states, "What happens when you sleep?" In my case, I sleep; wake and go to the bathroom; turn on and listen to the radio. Once in a great while I will hear a sound that makes me hold on tight to my pillow, shut my eyes tight and wish for it to go away- but nothing that will make me lose sleep.
The current craze with ghost hunting is probably the reason for this film's release and popularity. Saw it with friends and there were a few times I jumped. The idea of a haunting in a nice suburban home...wait, creepy things happen in older homes and to innocent children, not young couples. Apparently the heroine of this story has been stalked by a malevolent spirit since childhood and her boyfriend stands by her regardless. He decides to use modern technology to record appartions, EVPs, and things that go bump in the night. Oh, that does happen a few times. A friend was wondering if this film lost something in the home viewing as opposed to the theatrical viewing. I'm sure it did. Three people shouting, screaming and jumping or "getting a snack" does not compare with the fun sharing the experience with a sold out audience. Check back on the entry about The Amityville Horror- I may or may not have mentioned the "fun" a shared theatrical experience.
The more I heard about Paranormal Activity the more I realized this was The Exorcist experience for the 21st Century. That film gave me sleepless nights and it was the talk of my friends back in the early 1970s. And now I understand that kids have nightmares or the creeps when watching this film at home. To this day I will not watch The Exorcist alone, unless there is a group of us ready to scream and share a bowl of split pea soup with SF sourdough!
But I am not complaining...it was a well produced film; small budget and big, ginormous box office. The young actors portrayed a nice, somewhat naive couple ready to conquer their demons (no pun intended). Editing was part of the reason the film did so well in the scare department. Makes one wonder if video recording all night is worth it. I mean, even the ghost hunters have nights with no major boo factor. It will be a film I will add to my Halloween list. This is the third film, I've watched at least, that is in the "first person" perspective somewhat- the other two being Cloverfield and the amazing Blair Witch Project. As always, keep an open mind but do have fun. Get the popcorn and snacks ready.
Boo!
"I am not going in there first...you go first."
"Oh, come on, it's just a spook house."
"But you don't know what's on the other side!"
(dialogue between yours truly /the coward/ and friend upon going through the labyrinth at Universal Studios Hollywood- the 2005 edition of Van Helsing's House of Horrors- by the way, I did let out a blood curdling scream, because around the corner I saw a demonic figure- my reflection in a mirror!)
