Paranormal Activity sequel aims for cheap and nasty with a budget
Paranormal Activity sequel aims for cheap and nasty with a budget
Jan 20
Part of the charm that made Paranormal Activity so affective on audiences late last year was the cheap and nasty quality of the production. Critics were quick to sight The Blair With Project as an obvious comparison, and the shoestring budget film-that-could met expectations by making a killing at the box office– thanks mostly to strong word or mouth backed by some neatly planned viral marketing (also similar to ‘Blair Witch‘) by distributor Paramount.
Clever and successful as Paranormal Activity was, I still didn’t find it frightening. Quite the opposite. Fellow Reel Thinker writer Froley agrees.
So excuse me as I cringe a little at the news that Paramount have hired the director of Saw 6 (yes, Saw SIX) Kevin Greutert to helm their upcoming cash-in sequel, currently titled Paranormal Activity 2. Television writer Michael R. Perry is busy writing the screenplay at the moment. Any guesses for a less obvious title? My money’s on More Paranormal Activity. Or perhaps Paranormal ActiviTWO.
I can understand why Paramount would want a sequel right away, to strike while the iron is hot and people who remember being (apparently) scared at the original film should be willing to invest in a sequel — I’m just not convinced that a budget, typical structure and a likely glossy output is the way to go. Paranormal Activity worked because of the gritty handycam style the filmmakers were forced to use in leiu of money and time. Having those things in waiting for the sequel isn’t keeping to the true fabric of what Paranormal Activity was all about. I’ll be interested to see how or if they can make it work– because I clearly how ridiculous Blair Witch Project 2: Book of Shadows turned out… not to mention the horrendous mess that was Saw 6. It all seems to be heading in the same direction.
For all the things Saw 6 got wrong, it got one thing right – it made a profit. And that’s all the Paramount execs need to worry about: the bottom line.
Paranormal Activity 2 is slated for an October 22 release, making timely for Halloween. Should we also expect it on DVD by Christmas?
Isnt the director of Saw 6 helming the Castlevania movie next year? or was it Saw 4 director? Or maybe its the Saw 7 director whom im guessing was Unit manager(Makes the food) on the 1st Saw.
I skipped Paranormal Activity due to your review reelthinker. But im a sucker-for-a-sequel so i might pick the original up on home release.
You should check out Paranormal Activity just for the sake of it. You might like it — especially as a filmmaker.
Finally just caught it on foxtel. Come to think of it, the film maker had it easy, didn't have to worry about the camera shadows etc. Meh didnt like it, but that powder scene gave me chills. Thats about it.