Paranormal activity, what makes it scary?

Paranormal activity, what makes it scary?

Alongside the Blair witch project, paranormal activity is proof that quality horror films can be made on an incredibly small budget. Both have a small cast, a shaky cam style of filming and are able to genuinely scare audiences by showing very little of the threat that’s pursuing them. But what really makes paranormal activity scary?

I believe that one of the scariest aspects to the film is the location in which the film takes place, a regular home. When people think of places in which they are safest and most comfortable, the place where they live is generally near the top. With the demon that haunts the main character Katie, it always has haunted her in her house. When she is speaking with Dr Friedrichs, (the psychic) she talks about being haunted as young as 8, with her house burning down under mysterious circumstances. It is made clear during this conversation that she has always been haunted while in her bed, at night. This happens to her periodically over the course of her life, and recently has come back. This is the second thing that makes paranormal activity a frightening experience. Katie is haunted, not the houses she resides in. she can’t run or escape from the demon that obsessively haunts her, as it will always follow her. Hiding under her bed covers ultimately becomes fruitless, as the bumps in the night become far more malevolent as events unfold.   The film plays heavily on loud noises in the night as well as a fear of the dark, something that the large majority of the audience can relate to. The fear of not knowing what could be hiding in the shadows is an aspect that both the characters (Katie and Micah) and the audience share. This makes the film a lot more personal to the viewer, making the films events even more terrifying.

Initially, the events which happen during the night are minor. The first occurrence isn't even caught on camera, down in the kitchen Katie’s car keys have been thrown on the floor. A few nights later, Katie's and Micah's bedroom door closes slightly before returning to its original position. Micah doesn’t take the events as seriously as Katie, taunting the demon, making matters worse. Not long after at around 2 am, Katie rises from bed and stands up staring at Micah for several hours before leaving the house and sleeping outside. These events violate the sanctity of their bedroom, an area of the house that they spend most of their time sleeping in. and where they are most vulnerable.

Door opening and closing
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL10HzYG9F0&feature=related

The malevolence of the demons actions become increasingly more serious, gradually building up the tension. The film uses banging doors and crashing noises in the night to great effect. Unlike other modern horrors which resort to false scares and cheap jumps, paranormal activity successfully combines a creepy and foreboding atmosphere, as well as the usual uses banging doors and crashing noises in the night to great effect.

The paranormal events continue to escalate as the film progresses. Gradually it seems like the demon is slowly getting closer to the bedroom. This is made apparent after Micah has put powder on the floor and the demon has left footprints that lead to Katie's side of the bed.

The films events escalate and the demons attacks begin to happen during the day, with Katie claiming she can feel it breathing on her. The most significant action the demons does is smash a photo of Micah and Katie, with the crack in the glass over his face and claw marks down his side of the photo. This acts as foreshadowing, pointing at Micah's demise later on in the film. The viewer knows that he will die, but the way in which he does is made even more horrifying due the audiences’ anticipation of his death, not if he will die or not.

1 night after the demon leaves footprints, the bed sheets are moved while they sleep, showing the audience that the demon can get to Katie physically, and foreshadows that it will. The next night Katie is dragged from her down the stairs. It is now more than apparent that the demon is now capable of interacting with her. The next morning they discover a bite mark on her back. This bite signifies the beginning of being controlled by the demon, as she becomes possessed soon after this. The possession is complete when Micah finds Katie lying on the floor a few days after gripping a crucifix so tightly that her hand is bleeding. This blood due to the gripping of the crucifix represents the death of Katie's soul, and the complete possession of her body by the demon.

Bed sheets are disturbed while Katie sleeps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdv0J0vpSSo&feature=related

Katie is dragged from bed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG8dvfbl0Xk&feature=related

Evidence to back this up is when Micah tells her that he's ready to go to a hotel for a few nights like she wanted, and she replies while in a trance, refusing to leave. Micah storms out, and after he’s gone, Katie speaks to the camera is a strange voice and says “I think we’ll be ok now”. She has given up trying to fight the demon, as the demon has possessed her.

On night 21, Katie once again gets up and stares at Micah sleeping, this time when standing on his side of the bed, foreshadowing his imminent death. She proceeds downstairs before letting out a blood curdling scream, far longer and louder than any other scream in the film. Micah awakens and rushes to help her. Then there is silence, hinting at the demise of one of them. Footsteps are heard on the stairs, followed by more drawn out silence. This adds significant tension to the scene, leaving the viewer in great anticipation. Suddenly Micah's body gets launched at the camera, which until now had remained stationary upon its tripod. Katie walks in, covered in blood. She crawls over Micah's body, allowing the demon possessing her to show its superiority over him, the only one protecting Katie. She stops at the camera that is on the floor, which is in a tilted position, adding to the confusion. She smiles, before lunging at the camera as her face takes on a demonic appearance. By doing this, the fourth wall is broken and the audience, who up until now were spectators, are as much of a part of the films events as the characters.

Ending scenehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdPd4iGzGEs