Halloween Movie Countdown #7: Paranormal Activity

Are you surprised to see something so modern on this list? I suppose we've set a rather classic precedent thus far with Rosemary's Baby, Psycho, and The Omen. That being said, it's positively silly to think that all the good horror movies were made in previous decades. It's an easy mistake to make, though, in this barren wasteland of crappy horror films released anymore. Since M. Night Shyamalan fell off the map, in the early 2000s, Horror needed a new innovator to shape the genre for years to come. That innovator showed up in 2007 and rose to prominence in 2009. That man's name is Oren Peli and he wrote/directed Paranormal Activity.

Paranormal Activity was one of those independent gems that movie geeks like me hear about and follow even when the general audiences have no clue what it is. I remember reading about it for months, hearing how terrifying it was even though I'd never seen a trailer or anything. I believe it was late September or early October 2009 when it came to my local area. At the time, I was sitting at home with a minor back injury that left me uncomfortable, but capable of doing simple things, so I went to a movie. It was this. The general public's idea of the film is so different now that it's been sequelized and turned into a large mythology. There was none of that in 2009. There was simply the most effective use of found footage in a horror film and some genuinely great scares.

Is it possible that you don't know what this series is basically about? Well, if it is, let me explain it to you. Paranormal Activity is the tale of Micah and Katie, a relatively normal co-habitating couple. When Katie complains about strange sounds in the house, Micah takes the opportunity to go purchase expensive cameras and software because he's also a tech geek. (God, reading how dated this sounds already makes me feel really old). Since the only time the two aren't fully able to notice these sounds or weird happenings is when they aren't conscious, Micah sets up the camera to record them sleep, just in case they catch anything. It turns out they do catch quite a lot, and the scares begin.

As with any horror movie, you really should only know enough to get you hooked, then stay as far away from spoilers as possible. If there's one genre that's ruined by spoilers, it's the horror genre. As far as the pop culture obsession over this series goes, I'm not sure someone could watch this for the first time and not have some idea what kind of spoilers are in store, but that was really the beauty of the first one. It had such a creepy atmosphere that was presented in a way that was so fresh at the time. Now, found footage horror is more of a "Meh," reaction than anything. Can you believe that a film with its first wide release in 2009 is now vintage? I really can't.

This is far and away the scariest of the Paranormal Activity series and currently stands as a modern classic for the way it captured audiences and continues to years later. If you ask me, this is the movie Poltergeist dreamt of being. If you want to be afraid of your house, afraid of going to sleep, this is certainly that movie. Even more than that, while it becomes absolutely terrifying if you let it really sink into your brain, it's fun as hell. This film, and the subsequent sequels, found a perfect balance between scares and fun. Its characters are lose enough that they feel real nearly every time, and, though you know bad things are coming, you're excited for the activity to begin. The film becomes incredibly atmospheric as the nights progress and we slowly watch the activity wear on Katie and Micah's sanity and ultimately their relationship.

The really sad thing to take away here is how dated some of this is. I don't rewatch these movies, but upon reflecting on what a big deal it was that these characters decided to film themselves, it makes the way modern culture had adopted that process seem like it took way longer than it did. In this film, Micah is a weirdo for filming everything with his big clunky camera. By the time we get to the fourth film, it's not strange at all that a teenager would constantly be talking through a webcam or using her phone to see what the eyes don't let you see in the. It's an evolving series, but it all began here with the creepiest and best of the bunch. This is definitely a great Halloween movie, especially for those who turn the lights off and the sound off.