About Paranormal Activity (HBO)

Released in 2009, "Paranormal Activity" is a ground-breaking horror movie produced by Oren Peli. The movie takes its audience on a chilling and suspenseful ride, featuring the story of a young couple, Katie and Micah, who move into a suburban home. Soon after, they begin to sense a malevolent presence and decide to set up cameras around the house. The horrifying events recorded on tape form the entirety of the movie. The film popularized the "found footage" genre in horror and created a highly successful franchise.

Making / Production

Oren Peli wrote, directed, and edited the movie on a meager budget of approximately $15,000. Interestingly, most of the film was shot in Peli's own home. It used a "found footage" style of storytelling, making it seem more authentic and real, adding to the fear factor.

Actors

• Katie Featherston as Katie: Katie brought a believable performance in her role as the primary victim of the paranormal incidents. Her acting added authenticity to the project, helping it to become a hit.
• Micah Sloat as Micah: Micah's character shows a steady transformation from skepticism to fear, providing a very realistic portrayal.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie was shot in merely seven days.
• Most of the dialogue was improvised, thus enhancing the realistic feel of the movie.
• "Paranormal Activity" ended up grossing roughly $193 million, making it one of the most profitable movies ever made.

Awards

The movie bagged a number of awards. Notably, it won the Best First Feature at the Fantastic Fest in 2007 and the Best Horror Film award at Spike TV's Scream 2009.

Quotes

• "You demanded it. Now, in select cities, it's back." - promotional catchphrase
• "I feel it, I feel it breathing on me." - Katie
• "There's footsteps in but there's like no footsteps out." - Micah

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie has a minimalistic approach in terms of music and sound. Essentially, the soundtrack is the absence of sound, creating a looming sense of dread and anticipation of horror.