MovieChat Forums > Paranormal Activity (2009) Discussion > How to watch (and why people say it wasn...

How to watch (and why people say it wasn't scary)

posted 11 years ago by NoLiferMovieWatcher
43 replies | jump to latest

First off, if you haven't watched the movie yet, there are no spoilers in this post. In fact, I suggest you read this post first before watching the movie and then follow the advice.

I keep seeing how people keep going off on how this movie wan't scary or wasn't any good. Then I see most of them saw it in theaters. Do NOT watch this movie with other people. Watch it alone, and in the dark.

This type of horror movie involves massive ammounts of suspense. If you have even the slightest distraction, you will lose it and the movie will just feel boring to you. This is probably the main problem people had with the movie the first time they watched it.

From what I have seen, any superstitious belief or any belief in the supernatural will greatly improve your viewing experience. If you even have the slightest belief that it can happen, it will feel much scarier.

The acting is also different than a standard "run of the mill" movie. By different I mean that it is actually much more realistic. Just go back over old home videos you have taken and see how your family members act on camera when they know they are being recorded and then when the fact the camera is on doesn't matter anymore.

If you want to get the full effect from the movie, here is what you should do:
1. Watch alone, in the dark, and don't do anything while watching (even eating).
2. Have some belief beyond the physical, doesn't really matter what. Even if you don't believe in demons the movie will feed off the slightest doubts you have.
3. If you have problems focusing on movies, watch another one before Paranormal Activity that is short and very action packed. May not work for you, but I find it helps.
4. Don't take your eyes off the screen, watch intensely. May wear your out, but it is worth it.
5. If you have already seen it before, watch 2 and 3 alone and in the dark, as going back and watching 1 again won't make it scarier or better.

And if you are wondering, it wasn't my favorite movie and I don't think it was as amazing as some people say, but I still had to sleep with the lights on that night. (Watched it alone, in the dark, at midnight, on Halloween.)

[–] singalongjonl-1 11 years ago

Agreed, I have seen this movie so many times that I have lost count. It still scares me. The first two times I saw it in theaters, it still scared the crap out of me because when I am watching a movie, all people in the theater disappear and I almost put myself in the movie. I find ways to put myself in the main character's shoes and I feel their emotions. I have a very huge imagination and this only peaks my movie experiences. This is how I get freaked out in movies, I find myself getting scared enough that I start to tear up.

The third time I watched it alone, oh god, I would have to take breaks to look around to see if there is anything around me.

[–] JaneBingley 11 years ago

I made my eldest daughter watch this first (she is 22), as I am usually scared of my own shadow. She loved it, but thought it too scary for me.

I dvr'd it today, and watched it this morning, with hubby and children doing other stuff around the house. And it was not scary.

I have not the slightest belief in anything supernatural, and that may have helped.

What I did find somewhat scary, was the thought of having anyone standing beside my bed while I sleep. The scariest scene to me in Blair Witch was the man facing the corner in the last shot, so I guess I am scared of people standing. :)

[–] VictorVaughn 11 years ago

So are are you saying that if you would have watched in the dark on your own you would have been scared?

"What I did find somewhat scary, was the thought of having anyone standing beside my bed while I sleep. The scariest scene to me in Blair Witch was the man facing the corner in the last shot, so I guess I am scared of people standing. :)"

lol

[–] dancintoes01 11 years ago

Ha, thinking about someone just standing in my room watching me/hubby after reading your post scared me more than the movie lol.

[–] kurt-2000 11 years ago

I thought it was a 'fun kind' of scary movie. As opposed to a horror film that's stressful. Just a good all American scary movie for the Halloween season. I just wish more people had positive things to say about horror movies in general on these IMDb boards.

[–] Jackeblu 11 years ago

I saw this alone in the dark and it scared the living crap out of me. I went to bed afterwards and every little sound was making me jump. It did exactly what it was supposed to with me. I saw part 2 in the theater and it was full of teenagers screaming their lungs out...that one totally didn't scare me...but have to admit had fun watching everyone freak out so much.

[–] TheatreNachos 11 years ago

With all due respect to the OP, the fact that one has to follow at least five different rules or conditions in order to think this movie is scary (aka "get the full effect") just shows how weak it really is. Doing what you have said will work with almost any scary movie.

[–] hipster01cg 11 years ago

It depends like any horror movie, are horror movies scary if you are a horror fan? ive watched so many, maybe people are desensitised, and its just not getting to them. I found it scary personally, I get taken in by the suspense and I watched it on the laptop alone with the earphones in and I screamed. I don't have a belief in the supernatural but, the idea of simple things like breathing on you can be realistically quite scary.

I woke up one day in the middle of the night and thought someone whispered my name behind me and I totally freaked and I'm not even much of a scaredy cat. There wasn't really any other way you could've done it and bare in mind it was a indie film.

[–] Shmunkey 11 years ago

Why do you need to prepare yourself for a movie? If it's good enough then it shouldn't matter what environment you're in - the film should be good enough to engross you into it's 'world'. If you need to watch it in the dark... well, *beep*! I'm not scared of the dark but I'm wary, I'd *beep* myself if I was watching Tom & Jerry in the dark.

Fact is, most people aren't scared of this movie and think it's a flop because of all these 'rules' before hand to watch it. It wasn't scary enough and I felt it was a very cheap horror and that the writers were too lazy to write any dialog worth listening to. Bad acting, plus bad writing...

This doesn't mean I think the film is so crap only retards will get it. People are scared easily and this film works well for them. It's good enough for 4 sequels so who am I to say how awful it is? Just my opinion that I feel the writers and directors shat in my face.

[–] regexfan 8 years ago

People are scared easily and this film works well for them. It's good enough for 4 sequels so who am I to say how awful it is?

Most people got scared because of the realism element of the movie, not because they are "easily scared". The first time I watched it back in 2009, in theater, it made me wary of sleeping in the dark the whole week. But I recently watched the DVD version and I realized the scare element is gone (at least for me) on second viewing. Not knowing ANYTHING about the movie before you watch it helps. I didn't know much about the movie when I bought the tickets, no hype, nothing.

When I see people saying that only the "weak minded" or "easily scared" people love this movie, I'm always interested in knowing what movies they find "scary". The Others? The Ring? Sinister? Or The Conjuring maybe? Anyone wants to answer?

[–] natalie_princess_of_OLTL 11 years ago

I agree. The first time I saw this was at my aunt's house. She told me I HAD to watch it and went to bed. I wasn't even alone in the dark (I watched it in her room, sitting at the foot of her bed) and it freaked me out.

Another thing about this film is that it may not scare you while watching it. My aunt told me after I watched it that she thought it was rather boring... until bedtime. It scared her every time she was alone over the next few days and now she refuses to watch any of the sequels.

[–] shred-com 11 years ago

I remember when this came out so many people said it wasn't scary to them until bedtime. Personally I think it shows how well this film was done.

[–] scorpion-52 11 years ago

Meh, I wasn't scared by it in the least. I did enjoy seeing this film get spoofed in A Haunted House though.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] childers-3 11 years ago

I rented this and no one wanted to watch it with me so I watched it alone. Scared me - and I was thoroughly impressed. I tried to get my son-in-law to watch it. He walked into the living room where I had my blanket pulled up to my nose and practically curled up in a ball in the chair. He asked me what the heck was I watching. I told him. He said it looks scary. I said "you have no idea." I bought it the following week and goaded my daughter and son-in-law to watch it. They did. They agreed - scary as hell. They are hard to scare - they've seen every slasher, crappy horror movie out there, but this one was subtle and different. They both loved it. They have loved all the sequels. I didn't love each one, but there are at least 2 or 3 scenes in each one that is well done and creepy. Big budgets and blood do not a good horror movie make! The Exorcist is a prime example of this.

"Well, make something up!"/RG