STOP THE HYPE

Sometimes something is so built up, so talked about, so made into a big deal, that it couldn't possibly be as good as billed.

"Paranormal Acitivity"

This is that film shot for $6,000, and made bazillions right around Halloween. Press rumblings made it out to be the scariest shit on celluloid since "The Exorcist". People couldn't make it through full viewings. Infrared shots of horrified crowd reaction in the marketing scheme are now the stuff of legend.

I saw this movie on Saturday Night and began to fear being numbed, desensitized. Losing what was left of my dying Peter Pan element (see previous post). Now I realize it's not my fault.

As Chuck D. once said, "Don't Believe the Hype", and I agree with that now legendary Public Enemy statement. But what I think is more apropos is "Dont Even Start the Hype".

I had a realization as the weekend progressed that if the media hadn't caused such a terrifying buzz about this film, it actually probably would have scared me. Really. The problem is, I went in knowing so much about what the film was supposed to do to the viewer, that it's thrills and chills were dulled. If I had known little about "Paranormal Activity" and just nicked it off the shelf at my local horrible video store took it home and watched it, I firmly believe I would have at the very least been able to claim, "Okay, that was fucked up."

Just like when critics ruin a twist simply by stating there is one, they have ruined yet another movie for me.