RAVE - Paranormal Activity

Last night was Mrs. Page's Book Club Babes' night in, so I made myself scarce.

What better way to distance myself from a group of ladies discussing Jude Deveraux's The Summerhouse* than by seeing a good old horror movie?

Except this isn't your typical good old horror movie.

As every man and his guard dog knows, this movie was made for less than Elton John's weekly flower budget (about $15,000 to be more precise). Yet maybe because, rather than in spite of that comparative pittance, Paranormal Activity manages to scare the living daylights out of each audience it plays to. (I know my English Professor would say: "Never end a sentence with a preposition Page, and stop doing that with your hand!"), but somehow you can't talk about a horror movie and say things like "it manages to scare the living daylights out of each audience to which it plays".

I know my friend and fellow amateur critic Ed Gaudet has said on his Facebook page to skip this film until it's out on DVD, and then FFWD to the last 15 minutes, but as in his choice of trousers, Ed's wrong again.

In addition to Ed's advice, I also ignored the movie's poster, which says "DON'T SEE IT ALONE!" My experience with horror movies is that while you don't necessarily need to see them alone, it's always advisable to see them without screaming ladies or kids. A bit like football games really. As it was, the place was virtually empty, so it was just me and a couple who curiously chose to sit right behind me in an otherwise empty theater. Now that was creepy.

It does take some time to build up [insert Freebird and Stairway to Heaven references here] but I was totally rapt. The movie was intense throughout, and when the real action started, it was genuinely scary. Not blood and guts scary, but things that go bump in the night scary, things that pull you out of bed and drag you down the hallway scary.

Others have said that it's just like Blair Witch Project. Yes it is, but mostly in an amateur hand-held camera kind of way. If that puts you off a film, don't see Paranormal Activity or Cloverdale.

The movie's foremost achievement is telling a story that's been told a thousand times before, but doing it differently and still managing to scare you.

BOO!

* As Black Friday is upon us, I thought I'd throw in my own special offer - 2 reviews for the price of one. Having only glanced at the cover of The Summerhouse, I already know it's a chick's book with all the sex, violence, bad language, excitement, intrigue and wit taken out. So, if you're of an ultra-mild disposition, the doctor has told you to take it really easy, and you find that Miss Marple is just a little bit too racy for your tastes, read it.

And if that collection of sexist BS doesn't get me banned from Blog Club, I'll be back with my Thanksgiving for Vegetarians - How to Avoid Being a Party Pooper.