PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE GHOST DIMENSION

US, 2015, 88 minutes, Colour.
Chris J.Murray, Brit Shaw, Ivy George, Dan Gill, Olivia Taylor Dudley.
Directed by Gregory Plotkin.

For the last six years there has been a Paranormal Activity thriller each year, much of a muchness in content and style. But, they have appealed to the fans, though this last episode has not received such an enthusiastic response.

The earliest films were based on “found footage”, videocassettes from the past, especially the 1980s, capturing all kinds of weird goings on in houses at night. there were indications on screen of the number of nights involved, and, with the filming, the time of the activity was noted. End, the activity tends to be of the poltergeist type, mysterious and sudden shocks, things banging on the night, people being afraid (sometimes, very afraid).

The effect of the films depended on the audiences willing suspension of disbelief in such goings on at the susceptibility for jumping out of one seat at sudden editing cuts or loud noises.

Once again, we have some found footage from 1988, a mysterious deaths, a strange character talking to 2 little girls and persuading them to follow him. Cuts 2013, a family moving into a house (something like at Amity feel where people don’t know about the weird goings on at the deaths in the house before they bought it). There are the parents, the little girl, Lila, and her visiting uncle, and a friend of the family staying in the house.

But, this time the screenplay gears towards demonically presence and to Monica possession. And it is the little girl in 2013 who seems to be the target of the strange man, this time on Demon, called Toby. The various Catholic symbols in the house, rosary beads, and a Christmas creep with little girl able to identify who Mary’s baby is, Jesus.

With all the troubles, the mother phones the parish priest, Father told, if this is the house, put holy water on the forehead of the little girl and her Tory, explains that the Demons take students to conceal themselves and that, even if they moved out of the house, Demons tend to create fear but only with persons rather than places. Later, he returns to perform an exorcism, those he is a bit doubtful about it and its effect. so, while he prays and performs the rituals, making this let loose – and, with Toby and the little girls are all appearing, there is no great prospect for survivors.

Perhaps the fans have had enough of Paranormal Activity, and the producers signal that this is the last in the series.


1. The popularity of the series? The found footage genre, poltergeist activity, audience’s belief in the possibilities of such behaviour?

2. The techniques: held cameras, the placement, hand-held and fixed, the editing, the shocks, light and dark, night vision, the listing of the dates and times? The special effects, the sound effects, the score?

3. The title, audience expectations of paranormal activity? Ghosts, poltergeist activity, the transition of the plot to demons and possession?

4. 1988, the girls, the brutal death of their father, the woman, the man instructing them, coaching them, the character of Toby?

5. 2013, the ordinary family, the uncle arriving, the jokes, Skylar and her presence? The setting for the ghost dimension?

6. Finding the boxes of VHS, the camera, the examination of the technical aspects, looking at the cassettes, the strange presences, the visuals, the behaviour of the characters on screen – Leila sneezing and the character blessing her? The puzzles, the questions?

7. The characters of the father, the mother, the relationship? The uncle? Skylar and her presence? The language, calling each other dude?

8. Leila, her age, Christmas time, the tree and her putting the angel on? The crib, her knowing about Mary and Jesus? The relationship with her parents, changing, becoming sullen?

9. The nights, the dates and times, the parents watching Leila? The mention of Toby? Leila’s disappearance into the cabin?

10. Noises, presences, fears, bangs in the night, the decision to move out?

11. Father Todd, calling him in? His serious but casual dress? Manner of speaking? Friendly, the explanation of the demons, the demon taunting people rather than places, following people, feeding on fear? The holy water, the cross on the toy and Leila’s forehead? Explaining the demons used force names to conceal themselves? Leila biting him?

12. Catholic iconography, the crib, the rosary beads, the holy water, the prayers for exorcism?

13. Father Todd’s return, consulting outside the church, not necessarily agreeing with the process, the pentacle, the ring of salt, soaking the sheets in the bath, the possibility for covering the demon and destroying it? The range of prayers, the increasing mayhem? The rite, his dying and disappearing? Lay taking over with the prayers, smothering the demon, yet its rising again, and proceeding to destroy the family?

14. The notice about the boy, Hunter, disappeared, the date’s birth, sixth of June, 2005, in the quotation from the Book of Revelation 5:7?

15. The demon, pursuing the father and killing him in the corridor, choking the mother? Leila, going with the girls?

16. The appearance of Toby, the naked legs and feet, reaching out to Leila, walking away with her?

17. Audiences belief in this kind of thing – or not? Or uncertain?