Malveaux - Paranormal Activity

There aren't many good horror films nowadays, but the film Paranormal Activity may suggest that the future of horror films is bright. Paranormal Activity is a film written and directed by Oren Peli about a couple who is haunted by supernatural elements in their home in San Diego. The entire movie, footage from Katie and Micah, documents a series of days and nights inside Katie and Micah's bedroom. The film opens with the scene of Katie confessing her haunted past to Micah, whom she just recently moved in with. The couple then decides to place a video camera in their bedroom at night to tape the ghosts or supernatural elements that happen when Katie falls asleep. What they find on the tape each night, is the main attraction. The terror and horror that works incredibly well consists of footprints, closing doors, noises, and an erie sense of supernatural presence all captured on camera. Using those images and a low budget camera, the film plays upon real-life elements to grab viewers' attention and place them on the edge of their seats like The Blair Witch Project. The realism is the crowning achievement here. Overall, the film does a masterful job of depicting simple terrifying images while documenting a story of a couple haunted by supernatural beings. Peli allows viewers to engage in the film and shows a very convincing fictional story that's sure to keep moviegoers terrified long after leaving theaters.

Thomas-The Wolfman

“What am I watching?” That’s all I could think while watching both versions of The Wolfman. This movie isn’t about the acting. For both versions, it’s apparent that the director wanted to experiment with special effects. The effects in both movies are used in different way.

The special effects (if you even want to call it that) in the earlier version are significantly different than the special effects in the later one. The most apparent difference is when Lawrence Talbot changes from a man into a wolf. In the early version, they use several different shots of his feet to show his transformation and it’s obvious. Each shot has more hair on them and his feet slowly turn into wolf feet.

In the later, yet equally terrible, version, there’s a use of digital special effects. The audience is able to see the entire transformation of Lawrence.

Both movies have significantly different endings. I thought it was interesting that the later one took has a completely different ending. Sir John and Lawrence have an epic battle where they’re both werewolves in a mansion that’s on fire. Sir John is killed by Lawrence. In the older one, Sir John is still a man and he kills werewolf Lawrence to save Gwen in the forrest at the end of the movie.

In the first one, Gwen Conliffe plays more of a “damsel in distress role” instead of a heroine that we see her as in the later version. Gwen kills Lawrence on her own at the end of the movie and saves herself.