tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post4420837302411672680..comments2024-03-08T03:14:02.855+11:00Comments on This Island Rod: Paranormal Activity (2007)Roderick Heathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-65852657056672517022011-04-19T03:58:38.661+10:002011-04-19T03:58:38.661+10:00That's sometimes a good thing, and sometimes n...That's sometimes a good thing, and sometimes not. I just don't understand a lot of jury picks at CIFF. And I wasn't sure it was a handheld affair - it looked fixed-camera in the promos for it - and keep wanting to find some good contemporary horror. I agree with J.D. that torture is not horror in my book. You did entice me a bit when you called it Lewton-esque, since that's the kind I've really come to appreciate the most.Marilynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-34331997979389919002011-04-19T03:18:34.872+10:002011-04-19T03:18:34.872+10:00Well it's your noted festival-going habit to m...Well it's your noted festival-going habit to miss the films that win awards or everyone goes to see, so I wouldn't feel bad. Then again, with your aversion to hand-held, that's probably a good thing.Roderick Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-91858522820399126922011-04-19T02:31:00.197+10:002011-04-19T02:31:00.197+10:00I marked this to see when it was on the roster of ...I marked this to see when it was on the roster of the CIFF 2009. Then they pulled it from the festival, and when I went to the multiplex where the rest of the festival was showing, I saw it was on some of the screens the multiplex kept for its own regular schedule. That was the first indication that this would be a monster hit to me, but then I grew wary of it and didn't see it. I enjoyed your review, but don't really think I'd appreciate the film. I think Shane saw it and liked it.Marilynhttp://www.ferdyonfilms.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-46506041956152928062011-04-18T13:01:13.505+10:002011-04-18T13:01:13.505+10:00That brings up an interesting point, Sam: has anyb...That brings up an interesting point, Sam: has anybody <i>ever</i> been scared by a spook flick the second time around?Roderick Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-60455593089543656282011-04-18T10:38:51.625+10:002011-04-18T10:38:51.625+10:00I must say I was terrified by this when I first sa...I must say I was terrified by this when I first saw it in the theatre, though subsequent viewings on DVD didn't sustain the tension. But heck, that's only to be expected. It's really all about two big scares, much like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT with which it's often rightly compared to. I agree with you when you assert there's a higher level of character conflict here, and it's far more radical in the way it uses space. I can't say I am too crazy about the prospect of endless sequels, but I appreciate this high-quality re-visit Rod.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-54655302415110183512011-04-17T03:04:06.306+10:002011-04-17T03:04:06.306+10:00Olman: Sorry your comment took so long to appear, ...Olman: Sorry your comment took so long to appear, it had been marked as spam by Blogger and I only just noticed it. "Good marketing and luck" pretty well covers why most movies that are big hits become so. As I've said, I think it's mixture of factors: the hunger of the audience for good spook stuff, the weariness with overly-processed filmmaking, the quality of realism that delivers a different frisson to big-budget stuff and the presentation that blurs the line between the real and the fake in fashion that's getting a bit like the way 19th century novels used to be done in the style of letters and journals so that people would feel they were more authentic; modern film audiences love that haziness too. These things obviously can't always been added together to produce a hit every time, but in the right proportion: bingo.<br /><br />JD: I certainly hear you, and again as I've said this film has links to a very old genre, back to MR James and beyond, where the outer edges of the uncanny are traced. It is indeed a welcome return for that style, even if it's far from perfect.Roderick Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-17925438146520030562011-04-17T01:43:33.615+10:002011-04-17T01:43:33.615+10:00I actually really enjoyed this film if only that i...I actually really enjoyed this film if only that it flew in the face of the increasingly tiring torture porn sub-genre of horror. It went back to the tried-and-true formula of things that go bump in the night which I like. The sequel/prequel is actually not bad - just more of the same, which is not necessarily a bad thing and they do expand the first film's mythology somewhat.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-5777128370194211062011-04-16T12:55:35.829+10:002011-04-16T12:55:35.829+10:00I've come to notice that Horror movies never b...I've come to notice that Horror movies never benefit much from great hype, and I myself didn't expect much because I was afraid it would be a borderline ordeal like the worst patches of <i>Blair Witch</i>, so I was pleasantly surprised. But it is, Mike, very much the sort of film I suspect is best seen with no expectations, just an interesting sounding if vague title on the film festival roster and you're told it was made for no money, so you decide to check it out anyway.Roderick Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-24743217301689472292011-04-16T04:30:02.492+10:002011-04-16T04:30:02.492+10:00I was looking forward to this movie for so long an...I was looking forward to this movie for so long and ultimately found it dissapointing. I guess it loses some of the impact when not seen in a theatre full of scared people. Nice review thoughThe Taxi Driverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04352371911592068643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-27853670462693382962011-04-15T23:29:20.802+10:002011-04-15T23:29:20.802+10:00Right-o, Dan O. Nonetheless, I shall check out the...Right-o, Dan O. Nonetheless, I shall check out the sequel. They're making a third one too!Roderick Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-51743481225041881942011-04-15T22:16:13.427+10:002011-04-15T22:16:13.427+10:00This spurs the reminder I had put aside that I nee...This spurs the reminder I had put aside that I need to see Lake Mungo. I'm pretty much in line with your take on PA, but I still don't quite understand how it blew up like it did. Not that it didn't deserve to become a big sensation, but I feel there must have also been some good marketing and luck involved somehow as well.OlmanFeelyushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1137730880076755122.post-25847383054863555392011-04-15T21:08:40.461+10:002011-04-15T21:08:40.461+10:00This had me on my toes the whole entire time I was...This had me on my toes the whole entire time I was watching it, and I just couldn't get enough. The second one is OK, but this is so much better.Dan O.http://www.dtmmr.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com