To be Seen and Unseen: The Brilliance of Horror

I had the daylights scared out of me last night. In a fabulously exclusive fashion, the indi-flick turned online buzz-worthy film, Paranormal Activity, debuted in Seattle with scares for all. When I heard about this film's marketing campaign, screening only at midnight in selective campus venues, I was of course dying to see it. The trailer, which I would typically scoff at, blatantly showcasing the cheap thrills through videotaped audience reactions, actually managed to scare the shit out of me. The free and fun-filled event easily thrived off the poor college kid vibe and expertly played into the immediate hype such star treatment would generate. And despite the verbal diarrhea that spilled from the attention-starved boys in the audience, the film truly held its own.

Paranormal Activity might just be the scariest movie I've ever seen. Now, I know, that's a tall promise and I shouldn't rip my thoughts straight from the movie poster, but truly this is something that haunts you far beyond the jumps in your auditorium seat. And I'm going to tell you why. (And this goes out to anyone looking for success in the horror genre).

What you can't see will hurt you.

My cardinal rule for scare success is exploiting what you can't see. This film thrives off the space beyond the frame. Our objectified viewing position within the confines of our "home movie" cinematic style utilizes the sheer vulnerability of the audience. We are no longer in control and are well aware of it. It is within this transfer of power that the space beyond our viewing position becomes the manifestation of the infinite terrors that breed within our imagination. The sheer assumption of the audience and lack of control we have over the image makes our mind our own worst enemy.

The reveal of our enemy is always where the horror genre loses me. Once I have a controlled image of my villain, power has been transferred back to me. I can then rationalize said image into a manageable entity that exists within the diagesis of the film.

But Paranormal Activity is a viewing experience that lives beyond the frame. What little snips of physicality that remain in our villain, are blown out of proportion, as the utilization of off camera space magnifies the intensity of our image. Sound and suggestion are the key elements. Unfortunately, there are two instances where physicality hinder the over-all pace and thrills of the film. We are given to rather privileged image of a burning ouija board, and frankly they nearly lost me there. Again, this same sort of cliched image arises with a broken picture frame, deliberately sending a threatening messaged through cracked glass; cue eye roll.

But redemption was swiftly around the corner, as night time promises unending tension. Never in my life have I been so desperate for people to stay awake forever. The film's greatest moments take place within the wee hours of morning, as our sleeping couple drifts happily beyond the realm of demons- only to then be woken by the terrors of said demon. I do not want to spoil this movie for anyone, because it was a true viewing pleasure that lives beyond its hour and a half run time. The plot is not the point of the film, nor of much importance. The film lives beyond our visual or narrative spectrum; within the dark corners of the night.