So we rented Paranormal Activity on Friday night. Actually quite a scary movie. Made for something like $15,000, it’s gone on to make millions – and deservedly so.
The idea is that weird things are happening to a middle class couple, Micah and Katie, who live in San Diego. Katie’s been haunted since she was five by something that’s probably a demon – not a ghost – and has followed her to her new home, now she’s moved in with day-trader Micah. Things move by themselves, she’s seen figures standing at the foot of her bed, and so on.
The weird things happen in the night, so Micah gets himself a camcorder, connects it to a laptop, and tapes everything that goes on.
And we get to see everything that happens to them.
It’s all a bit Blair Witch and uses most of the same techniques – apparent cinema verité, filming at night, largely improvised dialogue, unknown actors – to try to convince you that terrible things are happening. Not much ever happens, but it’s the constant build-up of tension, the failure to use OTT special effects, the general weirdnesses that do happen, etc, that really play with your mind, letting you imagine the worst.
On the whole, not as scary as Ghostwatch, which actually does a better job of things visually, but scary and clever all the same.
In a moment, for those of you who haven’t seen it, the trailer. Then after the jump, let’s those of us who have seen it discuss the ending – and the alternate ones.
Stand aside Michael Parkinson with Meg Ryan; step back into the shadows Fearne Cotton and Peaches Geldof – we have a new worst interview ever. It’s Jonathan Ross with Aaron Johnson of Kick Ass, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and Casualty fame. And for once, it’s not Rossie’s fault – he really earns his salary this time.
Anyone else see Tina Fey on Ross as well? My God, that’s woman’s gorgeous. They must give her a make-down for 30 Rock. But what possessed Rossy to start slagging off Hershey bars at the end? That’s just verboten.
Time for our regular look at what TV’s on at the South Bank in London in May. Rather a lot this month, thanks to the first part of a “Rebirth of TV Drama” season and a farewell to the South Bank Show, but the highlight will probably be a preview of Luther, starring Idris Elba, which will also include a Q&A with members of the cast (fingers crossed).
