Last night's Paranormal Activity midnight screening at the Arclight in L.A. gave audience members (including myself) a good scare—something Paramount will perceive as a success, no doubt. I drove home by myself. Upon arriving at 3 a.m., I made sure all the lights were on, then retreated to my bedroom, trying not to think about all the creepy sounds my house was making.
With no gore, musical score, elaborate sets or glamorous filming locations, it's amazing how the cast and filmmakers create suspense with very little to work with. It's really one of those films where less is more—the truly scary parts are left to your own overactive imagination. It also had its share of scary movie stupidity. I can't count how many times I wanted to scream "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!" to the film’s haunted couple.
Not everyone who signed up got to watch the film, however. Hundreds who registered lined up hours before the screening, only to be turned away around 11:30 p.m. It's beyond me why the organizers would allow so many to RSVP and only schedule one screen for the film. For those who did get to see the movie, were you freaked out after? Do you still want to watch it if you were one of those who were turned away last night?
