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7 Things You Didn’t Know About Paranormal Activity
You’ve probably heard of “Paranormal Activity”, the 2007 found-footage horror film that took the world by storm. Made on a budget of just $15,000, the movie went on to gross over $193 million worldwide and spawned a whole franchise of sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. Here are 10 fun facts about “Paranormal Activity” that will make you appreciate this horror classic even more.
1. Dark Ending
The original ending was much darker: According to IMDB, the original ending of “Paranormal Activity” was much darker than what we see in the final cut. In the original version, Katie slits her own throat with a knife while possessed by the demon. However, test audiences found this ending too bleak, so it was changed.
2. Quick Shoot
The movie was shot in just 7 days: To keep costs down, “Paranormal Activity” was shot over the course of just 10 days. The cast and crew worked long hours to get everything done in time, but their hard work paid off in the end.
3. No Fake Names
The actors used their real names in an effort to make the movie feel more authentic. This helped to blur the line between reality and fiction, making the scares all the more effective.
4. Real Life Events??
According to Wikipedia, director Oren Peli was inspired to make “Paranormal Activity” after experiencing strange events in his own home. He set up cameras to capture any paranormal activity and used this footage as the basis for the movie.
5. Improv
While “Paranormal Activity” had a script, much of the dialogue was actually improvised by the actors. This helped to make the movie feel more natural and spontaneous, and also gave the actors more freedom to react to the scares in a realistic way. In fact, many of the actors didn’t even know what was going to happen next, which added to the tension and fear on screen.
6. The House
The movie was shot in director Oren Peli’s own home: To keep costs down, “Paranormal Activity” was shot in director Oren Peli’s own home. This helped to create a sense of authenticity, as the actors were able to interact with the real furniture and surroundings.
7. Dead Awake
The movie was almost called “The Haunted” or “Dead Awake”: Before settling on “Paranormal Activity”, the filmmakers considered several other titles for the movie, including “The Haunted” and “Dead Awake”. However, they ultimately decided on “Paranormal Activity” because it sounded more intriguing and mysterious.
