Paranormal Activity director Oren Peli‘s next film is no secret — he’s been talking about it since Slamdance. We even mentioned it breifly in a previous posting. But now that Paranormal has become a viral box office sensation, the project has been officially announced in the trades. What is it? Peli is going to Area 51. Details after the jump.
Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
When Paramount Pictures announced that they were planning a viral limited release for the indie horror film Paranormal Activity, most people wrote it off as the studio dumping the film in a few theaters before the enviable dvd/blu-ray release. At /Film, we immediately saw the potential of the Demand it campaign, especially when it comes to small film distribution. This even prompted Derrick Comedy to launch their own Demand It campaign for the indie comedy film Mystery Team (Demand that Mystery Team come to your city now!).
This weekend, Paranormal Activity expanded to 33 cities. The campaign worked and the Thursday through Saturday midnight screenings sold out in all venues, earning a per screen of $16,000 for a total estimated gross of $535,000. Hundreds of thousands of fans across the country have voted for their cities on the Eventful Demand It website, prompting Paramount to expand to over 40-markets. Beginning next Friday, October 9th, Paramount will begin offering the movie at all hours, including the previous midnight only venues.
Posted on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 by David Chen
In this week’s /Filmcast, Dave Chen, Devindra Hardawar and Adam Quigley discuss the ongoing Roman Polanski saga, praise Community and Cougar Town, reflect on the similarities between Lost and FlashForward, remind you of the greatness of LA Confidential, get freaked out by Paranormal Activity, and continue to chronicle Hollywood’s downfall through the proliferation of remakes and film adaptations based on popular brands. Special guest Eric D. Snider joins us this evening.
You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us next Monday at 9 PM EST / 6 PM PST at Slashfilm’s live page as we do a double review of The Invention of Lying and Zombieland.
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Posted on Friday, September 25th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
At Telluride I got my first glimpse at Paranormal Activity, the $11,000 microbudget Blair Witch-style POV haunted house indie which scared audiences at Slamdance. I screened the film outside, in a park, in the darkness of night. Girls screamed, guys laughed nervously, and many people shielded their eyes with their hands. I didn’t write a review at the time because I wanted to see the film again. I wanted to see how it would play in a movie theater, and I wanted to watch the audience’s reactions. I knew that a midnight screening at during Fantastic Fest was planned, and decided to wait as the Alamo Drafthouse would surely be the perfect crowd.
This movie is well crafted, and makes a lot of a little. The film basically focuses on a couple in a house. Two other minor characters make short appearances, but for the most part this film is minimalist – two people, one house, one video camera, and a ghost/demon. Both of the characters are natural and likable, which makes this film all the more believable. And while you might not be scared out of your mind (I’ll admit I only jumped once or twice), you’ll have a lot of fun — especially if you see this with your girlfriend and a lot of friends.
After the screening, I recorded a very quick three and a half minute video blog reaction with Kent from WeAreMovieGeeks.com and Rusty from GordonandtheWhale.com. Watch that now after the jump.
Posted on Sunday, September 20th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
The Los Angeles Times has published a great article on Paranormal Activity, which features a bunch of interesting tidbits:
Posted on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 by Devindra Hardawar
Paramount is currently gearing up to release the low-budget horror film Paranormal Activity on Sept. 25th in a few select cities. In addition to the typical marketing campaign, they’re also doing something quite innovative to figure out where to open the film next: They’re asking fans. They’ve started an Eventful page for the film, and are asking fans to demand screenings in their area. The areas with the most demands will be the first to get future screenings.
Posted on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
The ultra-low-budget horror film Paranormal Activity has been building acclaim over the past year since it screened at the Screamfast and Slamdance film festivals. I was able to see this film, in the dark, in an outdoor park, at the Telluride Film Festival, and I think Paramount has the next Blair Witch Project on their hands, if they market it right. Even if you aren’t creeped out, you’re sure to have a lot of fun if you see this in a packed auditorium. Teenage girls at my screening were screaming throughout. A door opens by itself, scream. Nothing happens, scream. The way this film builds tension, will have you on the edge of your seat, and your date squiring and gripping for your arm in the seat next to you.
Right now they’re doing a very small release, in a few select cities on September 25th, to get people talking. They have released a brand new movie trailer, which consists mostly of reactions to a test screening. Smart move. I must warn you, one of the shots in the trailer is from very late in the film, and could be considered a spoiler. Watch the new trailer embedded after the jump.
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Posted on Monday, September 14th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
A few new movie posters have popped up on the interwebs today, including a teaser poster for Pixar’s Toy Story 3, a one-sheet for the $11,000 supernatural thriller Paranormal Activity, and the Thomas Jane‘s mystery thriller Dark Country. Check out previews of all three posters after the jump.
