Oh I do so love clever box-office headline wordplay! (Other websites went with bits about how Paranormal Activity "cut off," "slashed," or "slayed" Saw VI, or showed strong or "spirited" "Activity," or "scared up" first place.)
Yep, the little marketing phenomenon that could won the battle of the horror flicks this weekend, taking in $22 million to beat out the annual Saw Halloween appearance. Paranormal Activity expanded to a full wide release this weekend, finally setting aside the coy exclusivity release plan that had made it such a huge word-of-mouth event this past month.
But even when showing in almost 2,000 theaters, PA still brought in more than $11,000 per theater. Not bad for a film that cost $11,000 to make. Paramount bought the little movie for about $330,000, so with it having earned a total of $63 million so far, it's safe to say everyone involved is sleeping well at night, any demonic threats nicely staved off by the huge piles of money shoved under the mattress.
(And yes, a PA sequel is being talked about. More on that later this afternoon.)
As for poor Saw VI, it thought it owned every October--to be shown up by some upstart DIY home movie has to be galling. The further adventures in torture porn earned $15 million, about half of what the past couple Saw films have opened with. (The Saw films do well mostly with young men, while Paranormal Activity has been luring in large numbers of female film goers.)
Some of that is no doubt due to Cineplex fatigue with Jigsaw (who died about three films ago) and his followers' annual attempt to come up with new and creative ways for people to die for their sins. But some is also due to the fact that the past four Saw films have made the franchise's storyline so complex, so labyrinthine that many casual horror fans, like myself, have given up trying to follow who's who and why they're strapping people into various instruments of mutilation. Will this year's stumble slow down the march to next Halloween's Saw VII? Not bloody likely...
(Though Lionsgate could take a page from Paramount's book of creative marketing and maybe use some sort of Saw-Wiki to hype the next outing. Promoting it through a web site where non-Saw-fanatics can go to figure out the series' increasingly tangled plot and timelines?)
Spike Jonze's lovely "is-it-for-kids-or-not?" Where the Wild Things Are came in third, taking a 56% tumble in its second week--a sign that mixed word of mouth on the film has hurt it at the box office. You redblog readers have been carrying on a very interesting and thoughtful discussion this past week about whether WTWTA is a great film or a horrible film, and about its appropriateness for children of various ages.
The weekend's three other new wide releases received a less-than-enthusiastic reception. Astro Boy didn't seem to scoop up many families put off by WTWTA--it was in sixth place with $7 million. And despite high hopes from the bloodsucking crowd, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant came in a disappointing eighth place--despite some fun and clever stuff from John C. Reilly, it's attempt at mixing vamps and humor for the tween-and-teen crowd seemed to sputter out.
And then there was Amelia, which I'll be reviewing later today--I just need to decipher my notes, which kept trailing off the notepad pages as I struggled to stay awake. The Oscar-grubbing Earhart biopic starring Hilary Swank opened on a "wide limited" release to 800 screens and actually did respectable per-theater business, coming in at 11th on the chart.
The rest of the top ten was filled out with Law Abiding Citizen (fourth), Couples Retreat (fifth), The Stepfather (seventh), the delightfully resilient Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (ninth), and Zombieland (10th).
This coming week there's only one new wide release, and given that Michael Jackson: This Is It, opening Wednesday. As the posthumous performance documentary has already rung up huge pre-order numbers, it's a safe bet it will easily land atop the Halloween charts.
This is not a really good movie, as for me I have been watching horror movies for over 20 years "a veteran" in the horror movie judgment area, this movie plain blows. it is just a run down of the blair witch project so low budge and not scary at all... I will not be buying or renting this garbage when it comes out "period"
Posted by: fallenangel | October 27, 2009 at 08:26 PM
I think this film is ok,I have been a horror fan for over 35 years,and durin the 90's was just plain ready to give up and i thought horror would never have another good flick again until 1999 when the movie Blairwitch came out and not because all the hype that it was real did i enjoy it but the atmosphere and film returning to leaving things up to the audiences imagination,so this film evan though it rides under the shirt tales of the blairwitch manages to recapture the atmosphere of fear and imagination like the blairwitch. I can see this film going next to my Blairwitch dvd on the shelf in my collection.
Posted by: Keith | October 28, 2009 at 06:18 AM
I have to agree that I won't be renting or buying this movie when it comes out. I scare very easy and I'm usually one of those people that can't sleep after a scary movie, this one almost put me to sleep during the movie. There were parts that made you jump but nothing to lose sleep over. I don't recommend this movie.
Posted by: K | October 28, 2009 at 07:29 AM
I REALLY LIKED, IT WAS SUPER SCARY, AND KEPT ME ON MY TOES. i PERSONALLY HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING AFTER THIS ONE.
Posted by: CANDACE VAN NATTA | October 28, 2009 at 08:09 AM
I STILL CANT SLEEP after watching this movie!! It's been almost a week and I still expect something to grab my foot and drag me outta bed!! :(
Demons are real. I think that's what made it really creepy. And I for one have seen almost every horror film to date (almost) but this one was a good one. It got under my skin.
Posted by: April | October 28, 2009 at 10:16 AM
i was scared. nothing more is neededto be said.
While watching it it iisnt that frightening but once you start replaying scenes in your head, it gets to you.
I disagree with the tough critics saying it was bad, just enjoy the damn movie and stop being a judgemental whininies.
If you dislike this low budget horror so much, make ur own and show it up seeing as you have so much to trash on it with.
Mr. 20 yrr and 35.... BWAHSAHAHAHAHAHSAHBLAHBLAH HEHEHAHAHA
I liked it =P
Posted by: Gizzie | October 28, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Hm- I may be tempted to see this movie now that is has done so well.. Maybe not until DVD though, we'll see. As for the Saw series, I stopped watching them three movies ago. And I didn't stop because of Jigsaw, though that could be some part of it. The series just isn't unique anymore. People want something new and a hype for it, which Paranormal got and won this year. I wish I could be a writer.. I would help the entertainment industry so much! I just have to figure out how to pitch my ideas properly..
Posted by: Aly | October 28, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Gizzie, I certainly agree that, like Blair Witch, it's one of those films that gets creepier in your head later (hours, even days) when you have time to start really thinking about it.
As I said in my review, Paranormal Activity both benefits and is hurt by the massive hype and expectations. To some degree the audience is pumped up and pre-scared by all the "scariest movie of all time" claims before they even sit down. But yes, on the other hand if you go in expecting in-your-face big-time shock scares you'll be mostly disappointed -- the creepiness has to sink in a bit. (Still, I have slept just fine now for almost a month after seeing it ;) )
Posted by: Locke Peterseim | October 28, 2009 at 12:37 PM
I had no sleeping problems whatsoever...my good friend and his girlfriend on the other hand...had a rough week afterwards. She was in tears at the end of the film and didn't unbury her face from his chest for like 5 minutes straight, and then longer outside the theater.
Posted by: Matthew S. | October 28, 2009 at 02:09 PM
This movie was a waste of time and money. It was not creepy at all. People in theater got up and let way before movie was over
Posted by: Mike | October 28, 2009 at 03:10 PM
Yea. I would like to see one of you critics renting this movie and try watching it alone in your house late at night. That demon will come to haunt you. I was definitely spooked, especially because strange things like that happened in my childhood home.
Jonathan
Posted by: Jonathan Sexauer | October 28, 2009 at 04:52 PM
Matthew,
It surprises me to hear when people cry over scary movies- This movie must've made a personal impact on her.
The only movie that made me cringe and disgusted recently was Law Abiding Citizen (I don't cry from scary movies normally).. Also, The Last House on the Left.. but that was gruesome!
There's a movie coming out soon with Tobey Maguire and the preview in the theater freaked me out so badly! I don't know if I want to see it or not.. But that one wins the award of most freaked from a preview for me!
Posted by: Aly | October 28, 2009 at 05:24 PM
i could not sleep for about 2 weeks after this movie it was not scary but if you have a big imagination it will mess with your head
Posted by: Shorty89 | October 28, 2009 at 08:52 PM
Yeah, it apparently did affect her very deeply, though she was fine pretty quick...as long as she doesn't stare at my friend standing for hours on end...
Posted by: Matthew S. | October 29, 2009 at 09:26 AM
That part was by far the creepiest! When you see how much time is elapsing and she is just standing there.... Gives me chills just thinking of it!
Posted by: Elizabeth | October 29, 2009 at 03:48 PM
This movie pissed me off. I agree with one of the other comments, that people have heard all of this hype and expect a lot of jump-out scenes. None...maybe 1 or 2. People were leaving the movie early and I almost fell asleep. Some of the stuff would be scary if it really happened to you, but its not scary watching it. My girlfriend and I slept like babies that night. Not worth the money to me.
Posted by: Tone | October 29, 2009 at 10:20 PM
paranormal activity was Horror-bal Do not go see it
Posted by: turbal | October 30, 2009 at 10:27 AM
7.9 out of 10 stars
It was o.k. It wasn't a total disapointment. There were no scary scenes. The best part was that they didn't actually show some fake looking demon. That kept it a little more realistic. This may sound stupid but the TV show A Haunting scares the #%$& out of me when I watch it by myself at night.
Posted by: Sean | October 30, 2009 at 10:43 PM
I agree with turbal, do not see it-it's horror and I do hate horror films. Not seeing it at all!!! OMG-I would rather see Where the Wild Things Are.
Posted by: Livia | November 06, 2009 at 04:16 PM
No Comment!!
Posted by: Mel Jr | November 06, 2009 at 05:29 PM
Shoot! It is no longer in theaters where I live in Utah! Is it coming out on dvd soon?
Posted by: Derek Saraiva | November 08, 2009 at 02:05 PM