On the buzz, the horror, the Blair Witch and Area 51
This Halloween season, what has movie-goers talking? Vampires? Zombies? Well, maybe those two just a little but what’s really spooking the hell out of folks is what they’re not seeing at all in Paranormal Activity, “the little supernatural film that could” currently in limited release through Paramount.
Horror fans and curiosity-seekers lined up around the block to check out ShockTillYouDrop.com’s free New York City screening on September 24, an indication that they’re craving something innovative in our beloved genre. And the film appears to be delivering the goods. Paramount has increased the theater count due to the audience response and if the film reaches a million demands, via this site, writer-director Oren Peli’s indie effort will be released nation-wide.
The last time I spoke with Peli, his film was making its Slamdance debut – you can read that interview here. Below you’ll find our most recent chat which took place this afternoon.
Ryan Rotten: Between the time we talked at Slamdance in 2008 and now this film has been tinkered with. What work did you do?
Oren Peli: There wasn’t a whole lot. We did some editing to tighten up the pace and, of course, there’s the new ending. But I would say it’s still 99% the original you saw.
Rotten: Were you intending to go back in and do that yourself or was it the fact that you had the studio and new eyes looking at it that you invoked a few changes?
Peli: It was a collaborative process. A lot of people from the studio, my producers and myself. We talked about a lot of things we wanted to keep improving to make the movie flow better. We went off of some notes at a test screening and identified the things they wanted to see and we kept experimenting until we got it right.
Rotten: What’s your take on the slowly building buzz being generated around the screenings and web talk?
Peli: I think it’s awesome. The whole thing is driven by the fans. The way Paramount set up the marketing and distribution is to really give the fans the power to decide how quickly they want the movie to expand and which cities it should go to. They’re really embracing it and we’re getting great word of mouth on the Internet.
Rotten: Your film is clearly tapping into what audiences want to see from a horror film, what do you think that is? What are they craving?
Peli: One of the things is that it goes back to a more classic formula of horror movie. Like the Hitchcock films or Rosemary’s Baby. There’s more of a slow build, giving the audience to connect with the character instead of just relying on quick cuts and a lot of early jump scares. A lot of horror movies these days have a specific formula, when something different comes along I think people want to stick with something unique and original. I think that’s one thing they respond to. The other thing is they respond to the concept of being vulnerable at night while you sleep. That’s one of the reasons I think the movie works.
Rotten: I think that opening night – when your film had its first midnight screening and the lines were around the block – was reminiscent of the old photos out there of audiences lined up to see films like The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen.
Peli: It’s mind-boggling, these people are willing to see the movie. It’s extremely flattering.
Rotten: Well, how do you feel when you start seeing nation-wide press outlets drawing comparisons to your film and The Blair Witch Project?
Peli: We haven’t gotten to the success of The Blair Witch yet, we’re definitely enjoying the word of mouth. But it’s definitely overwhelming and humbling to be mentioned in the same breath as movies like The Blair Witch.
Rotten: What’s your duty now while you prep the new film?
Peli: I’m doing a little press. Mostly we’re now relying on our friends to do a lot of the work in spreading the word and demanding the movie. With a million demands hopefully we’ll get everyone to see it soon.
Rotten: I’m sure you’re getting reports from various screenings. What’s the best audience reaction story you’ve heard yet?
Peli: We’re hearing a lot of crazy things like people leaving the theater because they can’t take it anymore. People covering their eyes through the whole thing because they couldn’t watch it. We’re hearing reports of people who have seen it and are now having trouble sleeping. It’s really amazing to think about, but it’s resonating with people all across the country.
Rotten: What do you have in mind for the DVD release?
Peli: When the time comes, it will be a full-blown special edition. I don’t know if that will be the first release or later, we haven’t talked about it much but there will be stuff to show.
Rotten: You’re at work on Area 51, is this something akin to Paranormal Activity or Cloverfield?
Peli: At this point, it’s my preference to talk as little about it as possible. Hopefully, when it’s done you’ll see what it is, but right now I have to be tight-lipped.
Source: Ryan Rotten, Managing Editor
