Suburban Demons to Darker Devils

Paranormal Activity releases it's third installment of home-shot horror this weekend, bringing the popular franchise to theaters just in time for Halloween. The plot is highly secretive, but I can guess that whoever lives in the suburban house is about to get demonized. The first two Paranormals were interesting forays into a relatively new type of film (home-shot horror), but the second saw a rather sharp decline in originality. The horror genre suffers greatly in that new ideas quickly become inane, but will this trilogy find new ways to shock and scare?

This week, I am stretching all the way back to 1973.

Demon movies can get a little too gross, but a select few actually approach the real terror possession can cause. Paranormal Activity does it pretty well, but few movies are as terrifying as this 1973 horror film. I'm keeping demons, I'm keeping children. However, the easy styling of Paranormal Activity gets replaced with directorial bravado.

This week, I will discuss "The Exorcist."

This movie has gained a terrible rapport since it was first released. It approaches a seriously dark subject matter, and some people cannot jump over that major hurdle. The subject of possession, depending on your religious belief, is a real threat that this movie uses to scare people. Many find this manipulative, and I can understand the sentiment. Not everyone should see this movie.

However, if you think you can manage, "The Exorcist" deserves appreciation. Underneath the spooky and controversial veneer, the film is spectacular. Cuts and shifts are used to tremendous effect, pulling the viewer along this terrible tale. The old special effects will probably make modern audiences scoff, but the movie was revolutionary in its day. In fact, I would say the special effects make it more watchable to modern audiences. In it's day, people would faint in the theater. Now, our desensitized sensibilities enable us to better appreciate the filming genius.

The Final Stretch:

Horror films are not the highest form of cinema. In fact, most are cheap and rudimentary. The Paranormal Activity movies are exceptions to modern contrivances, but horror used to house directing genius. Don't dismiss the entire genre too easily. "The Exorcist" is truly terrifying, but the mechanics behind the scenes are amazingly well-executed. Watch modern horror films if you want to be scared. Paranormal Activity movies will get under your skin. However, don't be too afraid to watch old horror films. They are not that scary, but they are fantastic. Horror is not a great genre of film, but there are a few gems hidden among the mud.