PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3

US, 2011, 84 minutes, Colour.
Lauren Bittner, Chris Smith, Chloe Csengery, Jessica Brown, Katie Featherston, Hallie Foote, Dustin Ingram, Johanna Braddy, Brian Boland.
Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

The previous Paranormal Activity movies have been strong box-office successes. So has this third episode.

The present reviewer was not taken (or taken in) by the first two films. While they were emulating The Blair Witch Project and the many other films that purport to be records of actual happenings (and the Paranormal Activity films even have the time code on the screen to prove what they are showing), they seemed too contrived, even taking their time to build up an atmosphere as if it were real. It would seem that you would have to be easily scared to be upset by the poltergeist kind of happenings that they were showing.

By the time of number 3, you would have to be easily and quickly unsettled rather than easily scared to be affected or frightened. There is a continuity with the other films (apart from a lot of resemblances with camera set ups in bedrooms and bumps and noises in the night) because Kate, from the other films, is reminiscing and showing footage of episodes from twenty years earlier and what happened to her and to her sister. A mysterious presence in the house has an effect on Kate’s younger sister. No wonder Kate has led a life of paranormal activity.

This episode was directed by the makers of the pseudo-documentary Catfish and they have obviously enjoyed themselves (except when they make their characters swear a lot).

Probably a bit better than the second film because of the ghostly presence and the story of the girls, but the whole series seems rather underwhelming.

1. The continuation of the series? The popularity of the initial film? Its sequel? The openness to a further film? Box office success? Audiences interested in the paranormal?

2. The film’s use of the formula – the situation, the poltergeist activity, the sinister presence in the house, setting up the camera, the surveillance, the timekeeping, the editing – and the effect on everyone involved? Paranormal and deadly?

3. The California setting, 2005, the house, finding the videotapes? The return to 1988, the different rooms? Dennis and Julie, the young children, the house, the cupboards, the activities in the room?

4. Audience belief in this kind of poltergeist activity? The spirits, the evil presence, ghosts? The effect on the children? The telekinetic aspects of personality? Differences, even in sisters?

5. Katie and Kristi, their looking at the videotapes? The film showing these tapes? Their being joined with the tapes from 1988?

6. Dennis and Julie, the video photographer, the children? Lois and her disapproval of the situation? The setting for poltergeists?

7. Kristi, psychic child, her imaginary friend, Toby? The noises in the night, the earthquake? Dennis, his associate with editing? Setting up the cameras? Photographing the activity? Photographing Kristi, her having talks with the imaginary friend?

8. Lisa, the babysitter, Randy and his work with Dennis, the experiences in the house, the frights?

9. Katie, sceptical about what was happening, her interactions with Kristi, thinking that Toby was real? Evil? Toby assaulting Katie?

10. The cupboard, its being locked, the sinister presence? The atmosphere of ghosts – and white sheets?

11. Lois, the introduction of the theme of the coven, long-running, raising demons? Dennis, alone in the house, his panic, finding the coven, Julie’s death? Lois and her control over Toby, injuring Dennis?

12. Fiction presented as fact – and audiences liking this kind of alleged realism?