Paranormal Activity (2007) Review & A True Paranormal Encounter While Watching the Film

     I wasn’t going to do a review for this film originally.  However upon the release of my review of the 1973 film “The Exorcist”, along with a paranormal experience which happened to my teenage friends and I one evening, a fellow named Eugene William Elder shared a far more terrifying experience which happened to him while he watched the film “Paranormal Activity”.  I will start with my review of the film first.

     "Found footage films" are a very interesting concept…  Many people dislike them because of the amateur shaky camera shots so many present while others love them because they seem believable as they are normally shot in home video styles.  However new directors of these films have become more creative in the ways the films are shot…  I’ll admit that they are a guilty pleasure of mine most of the time because most of them end in the same way, that being that the characters documenting die in the end.  However I find that the more I think less critically about these films, the more I sink into the film and the more they become far more entertaining.  Few have been done well, but Paranormal Activity was among the top that performed well theatrically.

     The film starts with young couple Katie and Micah who move to a new house in San Diego.  Katie claims an evil presence has been haunting her since she was a child, so Micah sets up a camera in their bedroom to record any paranormal activity that occurs while they sleep.  Famous psychic Dr. Fredrichs, who reveals that Katie is being haunted by a demon that feeds off of negative energy and is intent on tormenting Katie, advises them not to communicate with the demon and to contact demonologist Dr. Johann Averies if needed.  Katie seems interested, but Micah does not take this seriously.

     The camera manages to capture many strange occurrences, which are minor at first, such as noises, flickering lights, and doors moving on their own.  However, Micah taunts and mocks the demon, worsening the situation.  During the thirteenth night, the demon angrily screeches and there is a loud thud, causing the entire house to vibrate.  

      Voice recorder tests are conducted by Micah the following morning, which reveal demonic grunting when Micah asks if it would like to use a Ouija board.  During the fifteenth night, Katie, in an apparent trance, stands beside the bed and stares at Micah for two hours before going outside.  Micah tries to convince Katie to go back inside, but she refuses and appears to remember none of it the next day.

     Micah brings home a Ouija board, which infuriates Katie.  When they leave the house, the camera records an unseen force moving the planchette to form an unknown message on the Ouija board, which then spontaneously catches fire.  Katie sees the video and pleads with Micah to contact the demonologist, but again he refuses.  During the seventeenth night, Micah sprinkles baby powder in the hallway and bedroom.  The couple are awakened by creaks, and find non-human footprints leading to the attic, where Micah finds a burnt photograph of a young Katie, previously thought to have been destroyed in an unexplained house fire.  Katie finally calls the demonologist, Dr. Averies, but he is occupied.

     The events of the seventeenth night have psychologically terrified the couple, which in turn has strengthened the demon.  Over the next few nights, the paranormal activity is excessive and intense.  They eventually call Dr. Fredrichs back to the house, but he is overwhelmed by the demonic energy upon entering.  He apologetically leaves despite their pleas, stating that his presence only makes the demon angrier.  The bleak reality causes the couple to lose all hope, which makes the demon strong enough to be able to pull Katie out of the bedroom and bite her, causing her to become fully possessed.  Micah discovers the bite mark and deciding events are too out of control to remain in the house, he packs to head to a motel.  Just as they are set to leave, the possessed Katie insists they will be okay now.

     The following night, Katie gets out of bed and stares at Micah for two hours before going downstairs…  I will leave the ending out in case some have not watched this yet.

     Paranormal Activity was a huge hit when it went to theatres worldwide, it was full of suspense and buildup.  Some people may argue that there was too much buildup in the film, leaving them thinking that it was boring because “nothing happened until the end”.  However I feel that it compliments the way classic horror films were made.  Lots of suspense, then the terrifying final conflict.  However the problem with “Paranormal Activity” is that the theatrical ending wasn’t genuine…  The original ending, if you can find it online, didn’t break the pace of the film like the theatrical one did with a jump-scare as the finale.  It was more believable than theatrical, however it was changed due to extending the franchise with hit and miss sequels…  Mostly misses.

     While I prefer the original ending, the film that most people know to be “Paranormal Activity” is still a very entertaining film if you are like me and enjoy found footage films as your guilty pleasures.  I just hope that one day we see a Blu-ray release of the original ending, because it was far better done.  Overall, I give this film a 3.5 out 5 whereas if the original ending became public, it would be more like a 4.5.  Sorry Paramount, not sorry. 😉

worldwide version - ⭐⭐⭐1/2
original indie version - ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2


     And now for the terrifying story from Eugene William Elder...

     Eugene's was visiting from Texas as his temporary duty station when his parents purchased a DVD copy of "Paranormal Activity" because they have always been intrigued by the paranormal. They also have had their fair share of paranormal experience as his entire family are very sensitive in spiritual manners. Within minutes of his parents watching the film, they received strong intuitive feelings that they shouldn't be watching it. Eugene believes that it was not likely the film itself which was making them sense such a negative energy, but rather a presence the nature of the film was attracting.

     Eugene, 27 at the time, was staying in their guestroom when he found the DVD in the trash and figured someone had dropped it in by accident. He put the DVD into their player to watch the film and found it to be "as cheesy as they come", with scenes like waking up outside and other predictable occurrences. However soon real paranormal occurrences would happen in his parent's home.

     Everything was fine up until three thirds of the film had passed. Then his family cat named Boris reared up and screamed. This wasn't some kind of cat yowl, nor a hiss. Eugene swears his cat screamed like a human would. Boris took off under the couch, which he had never seen him do because Boris was quite fat and normally would not bother with trying to fit underneath the couch. Eugene paused the video and expected that another one of their animals had bothered Boris because they had four dogs and one other cat in his parents' home.

     Eugene walked into the kitchen and froze as he saw a shadow person in the middle of it. The shadow person was about six feet tall with a slight to athletic build. It was pitch black with wisps of darkness floating over its surface. Because Eugene had many paranormal experiences in his past, he courageously decided to step forward and expel the presence from their home.

     “You are not welcome here! Get out!” Eugene yelled.

     The dark entity hissed and laughed at Eugene and to his knowledge, the matter of fact that it was not even struggling within his presence meant somehow it had been invited. Fear gripped Eugene at that moment while he emboldened himself to moved closer to it...

     “I revoked whatever invitation you have to be here in the name of Jesus, and by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. Get out!” Eugene yelled.

     The dark presence growled angrily and flew through the kitchen door. Eugene thought that the presence had vanished, so he turned off the film and put it back in the garbage, now understanding why he found in there. Later Eugene mentioned to his father what had transpired and his father looked very concerned.

     “Son, we broke that DVD and put it in the trash which left the house before you arrived for your visit... There is no way you were able to watch it...” His father explained.

     Eugene and his parents walked to the trashcan and the DVD was gone. Eugene was in complete disbelief as normally he wouldn't believe such an event happened, because he had never experienced objects reappearing after they have been removed. He though to himself, holy crap, this is crazy!

     They went to bed and Eugene was sleeping on an air mattress in the guest room. He began awakening to something getting onto the mattress with him and because he was still half asleep, he began to get comfortable with it. He rolled to his right side, snuggling up against it. However as he became more conscious, he became aware that there should be no "it". He tried to roll towards it to see what it was but he couldn't move or speak. He wanted to scream but he couldn't as the presence wrapped its arms around him, covering his arms and mouth...

     It whispered into his ear, “You’re going to be with your sister soon.” (Eugene's sister died when he was 10.)

     While still holding him with the two hands it was already folding him with, other hands pulled down his pants and raped him, leaving Eugene battered and defiled, laying in the dark sobbing.

     Morning came and he told his parents what happened. They prayed over him and they proceeded to bless and cleanse the house. Since then things randomly happened within the house, however never to the degree of the two nights he stayed in the guestroom. The other occurrences were enough to let his family know that somehow this thing still had a bond to them. To make matters worse, their family friend across the street began having similar occurrences. The dark presence performed unimaginable horrific things to herself and even her children... Eugene says that nothing to this nature happened in her house or his parents' home prior to Mr. Creepy entering his parents' home those nights.

     Eugene's mother moved away in the spring of 2008 because of the dark presence which still visited their home. She didn't want to be alone, so Eugene moved in with her while his father stayed in Texas. It seems to have not have followed them, which ironically makes Eugene sad because he fears it attached itself to their friend and her children.

     Eugene shares these words about his parents' home in Texas:

"Honestly, I would need to do a full exorcism on that house before I ever set foot in it again. Since then I have become an ordained minister, and have gone through much training and study. I think it was already attached to the house and just needed a doorway to come loose and do things to us. I believe it used that tiny twinge of supernatural fear from the film "Paranormal Activity" as its gateway and then the bit of fear it placed in my soul as its anchor to me. I do not believe it would happen now as I am in a better place. However I pray for Sherri and her children a lot and I have not heard from them, they just stopped taking my calls one day. I hope they are okay..."

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranormal_Activity

Images:
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