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Paranormal Activity 4 |OT| Move Out or Die Hard
- Thread starter brandonh83
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WordAssassin
Member
To be honest, as much as I dislike the 2nd movie I think they did an incredible job inventing a story and weaving it into what was already established in the first movie, especially since as you said it was not written with a franchise in mind and different people wrote the 2nd one.
That's how they continue to make bank. The movies cost like a few million to make and rake in 100s of millions. And the gimmick is so easy, and there are no big names at all, there really is no reason to spend more money on them. Why? To bring in well-known actors? That would ruin the suspension of disbelief that these are just normal people. To up the effects, or add more CGI? The less CGI the better, all the effects being practical makes them much more believable. The sequence in PA3 where the girl is picked up by her hair was awful because it is so, so obvious that she's standing in front of a green screen and composited into the shot. That and the baby sequence from PA2 are the absolute low points of the series as far as the effects go.
Femmeworth
Banned
If you can make a crap load of money with a small budget, why spend more? /movie executive logic
WordAssassin
Member
Uh double post WTF
Anyway about budget, it cost $5 million to make PA4 and it's already made three times that much since it opened. So.
Anyway about budget, it cost $5 million to make PA4 and it's already made three times that much since it opened. So.
Yeah. We are in for Paranormal Activity 5. Which I like.
What is this I'm reading about PA and a spin-off series?
Expendable.
Member
Here's the teaser for the latino spin-off, with more details in the post. Also, the 5th has been confirmed as anyone could expect.
Teaser For ‘Paranormal Activity’ Latino Spin-Off, Plus ‘Paranormal Activity 5’ (Obviously) Confirmed
Teaser For ‘Paranormal Activity’ Latino Spin-Off, Plus ‘Paranormal Activity 5’ (Obviously) Confirmed
WordAssassin
Member
As much as I love the series, I'd hope they just knock it out if the park with 5, end the story with Katie and Hunter, and then transition to the spin-offs to continue the story of the coven and flesh out the rest of the mythos. They could maybe get two more movies out of Hunter and Katie, one being a prequel to 4 and one being a direct sequel, but after that I really feel like there's nowhere else to take their story.
Edit: Wait, wait. Toby, the demon from the PA movies, is going to be the demon in the spin-off movie? What the fuck? And they ARE doing both of them in 2013? God dammit... >:T
Edit: Wait, wait. Toby, the demon from the PA movies, is going to be the demon in the spin-off movie? What the fuck? And they ARE doing both of them in 2013? God dammit... >:T
brandonh83
Banned
Some of my friends think that
but I never got that out of the movie whatsoever.
.
Toby made his own Xbox Avatar, when I'm pretty sure it was Wyatt's avatar and Toby being in front of the Kinect sensor made the avatar move around
Toby wasn't even at the house until it followed Robbie there, Robbie was the catalyst of the hauntings, so I don't see why or how you could surmise that Toby went into the Xbox 360 settings, created a profile and an avatar, etc
EightBitNate
Member
I demand to see a movie about the grandma, goddamn it. What she did was really assholey.
Just got back from seeing this, and I thought it was pretty clearly the most dull one of all. Maybe that's partially because I just rented PA3 the other day, and PA4 doesn't seem that great by comparison.
Choosing to make children and a young teenager the focus of the story is pretty tiresome. Kids and teens are rarely good actors, and it's hard to establish tension since you know that none of them are going to be brutally murdered. The parents are little more than background scenery, so while they might be fair game for an awful death it's not going to have much resonance if/when they do get killed.
I really don't see how they can continue the story within the structure they've set up. The reason for the family in this film to be haunted is already pretty flimsy. Fitting more hauntings into the current story and "found footage" format is going to be incredibly difficult. I really think they ought to just pull a Blair Witch 2 and just do a more traditional film for the mythology fans that want answers. If they did a traditional horror film while this series is still successful they could probably get a decent budget for it.
Choosing to make children and a young teenager the focus of the story is pretty tiresome. Kids and teens are rarely good actors, and it's hard to establish tension since you know that none of them are going to be brutally murdered. The parents are little more than background scenery, so while they might be fair game for an awful death it's not going to have much resonance if/when they do get killed.
I really don't see how they can continue the story within the structure they've set up. The reason for the family in this film to be haunted is already pretty flimsy. Fitting more hauntings into the current story and "found footage" format is going to be incredibly difficult. I really think they ought to just pull a Blair Witch 2 and just do a more traditional film for the mythology fans that want answers. If they did a traditional horror film while this series is still successful they could probably get a decent budget for it.
Good lord, I really did not like Katie in this one. She doesn't move like she's a robot or in a trance.....she moves like a poor actress that's been told to move like she's a robot or in a trance. Her stilted trudging around the house and was kind of silly and embarassing. Her posture is way too erect and she needs to swing her arms just a little bit.
I've read over people's theories and questions and such. I'm still trying to piece together the mythology of the series since I don't remember PA2 all that well. I honestly feel like the fans and fanatics have thought way more about this than the actual filmmakers. Is there 1 demon? Are there 2 demons? Is there 1 demon and 1 ghost? Is it 1 demon with multiple forms? Why does Katie turn all monster faced sometimes? Is she possessed? By what is she possessed then? Why does Katie have to run around murdering people when the demon does a pretty good job of it on his own?
Call me cynical, but I don't think there's some grand mystery to be unraveled here. The writers and directors just do whatever they think is scary. Little kids are creepy, so sometimes they take the little kid angle. Giant monster demons are scary, so sometimes they have growling and howling and claw scratches. Katie doesn't need to murder anyone, but sometimes we need and like to have a physical, corporeal threat so the filmmakers have her making monster faces and snapping necks. There may be answers to all the questions I posed, but I don't see the point in getting hung up on them. The people running this series are doing whatever they think is scary and then retrofitting a mythology onto that after the fact.....so trying to comb through the movies and theorize or find clues isn't going to be particularly satisfying.
I've read over people's theories and questions and such. I'm still trying to piece together the mythology of the series since I don't remember PA2 all that well. I honestly feel like the fans and fanatics have thought way more about this than the actual filmmakers. Is there 1 demon? Are there 2 demons? Is there 1 demon and 1 ghost? Is it 1 demon with multiple forms? Why does Katie turn all monster faced sometimes? Is she possessed? By what is she possessed then? Why does Katie have to run around murdering people when the demon does a pretty good job of it on his own?
Call me cynical, but I don't think there's some grand mystery to be unraveled here. The writers and directors just do whatever they think is scary. Little kids are creepy, so sometimes they take the little kid angle. Giant monster demons are scary, so sometimes they have growling and howling and claw scratches. Katie doesn't need to murder anyone, but sometimes we need and like to have a physical, corporeal threat so the filmmakers have her making monster faces and snapping necks. There may be answers to all the questions I posed, but I don't see the point in getting hung up on them. The people running this series are doing whatever they think is scary and then retrofitting a mythology onto that after the fact.....so trying to comb through the movies and theorize or find clues isn't going to be particularly satisfying.
FUBAR McDangles
Member
I saw this with my girlfriend this past weekend. I've loved the series so far, she's liked the second and third one.
There were definitely some dumb parts in this newest one. Pretty much all of them have been covered already.
General thoughts:
Hopefully they switch up the formula for the next one. Give a reason why they are videotaping. They kind of did it in the 4th one, but I'd like to see them switch some things up. Maybe have one of the kids really into reality TV or something and already have cameras set up to videotape the family like that. Or have it like an older son is overseas at war and cameras are set up to send videos to him to show normal days of life or something to make him feel like he's still there.
Instead of the standard family of four, I'd like to see a bigger one. Maybe three kids, like two in high school/college, maybe some extended family living with them due to hard times. Have an uncle there who was laid off or something to add another adult. I'd just like a bigger cast than the standard four people that has been around for the last few movies.
Didn't like this one as much as the others, but I'll be right there for the next one.
There were definitely some dumb parts in this newest one. Pretty much all of them have been covered already.
If Wyatt is Hunter, who is Robbie? What separated Katie and Hunter? They explicitly stated there are two demons, which was alluded to in the others.
General thoughts:
The boyfriend was cool. The main girl's arc was odd. She was the 100% main character for a while, then all of a sudden is gone for a good portion of the film, then is the main again. What happened to the cat? Why didn't it pull a German Shepard from PA2 and die via Toby? The knife scenes were great. The dad was cool. My gf mentioned he might be alive and was in on it because we never see him actually die...maybe he's why Hunter was in the family. I doubt it but ehh. The mom was cool and died decently. Would have been better to actually see it. Boyfriend's death was lame, just a complete cop out copy of PA2 dad. Main girl's death was lame too. It would have been nice to actually advance the plot of the witchcraft stuff as well.
Hopefully they switch up the formula for the next one. Give a reason why they are videotaping. They kind of did it in the 4th one, but I'd like to see them switch some things up. Maybe have one of the kids really into reality TV or something and already have cameras set up to videotape the family like that. Or have it like an older son is overseas at war and cameras are set up to send videos to him to show normal days of life or something to make him feel like he's still there.
Instead of the standard family of four, I'd like to see a bigger one. Maybe three kids, like two in high school/college, maybe some extended family living with them due to hard times. Have an uncle there who was laid off or something to add another adult. I'd just like a bigger cast than the standard four people that has been around for the last few movies.
Didn't like this one as much as the others, but I'll be right there for the next one.
Just got back from seeing it and wow.
Much like the last one, the best part show up right before the credits roll and it only leaves you confused and pissed off (mainly because I spent $30 to see this shit)
I'll say I won't see PA5 but I will. I just wished they would work on cult angle they started in PA3 and leave the house haunting stuff alone.
Needless to say, the series is only for those who have followed this from the beginning.
Much like the last one, the best part show up right before the credits roll and it only leaves you confused and pissed off (mainly because I spent $30 to see this shit)
I'll say I won't see PA5 but I will. I just wished they would work on cult angle they started in PA3 and leave the house haunting stuff alone.
Needless to say, the series is only for those who have followed this from the beginning.
Femmeworth
Banned
WordAssassin
Member
I think, in regards to what you're guessing about the mythology and over-arcing story tying the movies together, the writers are doing a little of both. It's a LOST problem but on a movie scale - they have this universe set up, but who knows how many entries they'll get to tell the whole story? PA4 very clearly treads water up until the last 5-10 minutes. But if they blew it out in PA4, what would they do for the inevitable PA5? Will they be able to know ahead of time that the next PA is the LAST PA, like Saw did, and END the series? Or, since they cost so little to make that they'd have to BOMB to not be profitable, will they just continue to drip-feed us the story? Will they answer everything and make bank and then have to produce some bullshit sequel? That's why I'm hoping that 5 is the last one, to end the Hunter/Katie story, and then they can drip-feed and expand the mythos of the cult through the spin-offs. But I feel like they NEED to address the demons, especially Toby, in the proper PA movies. They had such a good opportunity to do this with the Kinnect gimmick and they wasted it.
Anyway, on to other things:
1) It's been made very clear in multiple movies that there are two demons. There is Toby, who is a giant monster, and there is a smaller demon/ghost that possesses people.
2) Katie turns monster-faced because she has a demon in her. She has been possessed since the middle(?) of the first movie, AKA 2/3rds through the second one. She is possessed by the small child-like ghost/demon that was sent into her house by her brother-in-law. I think the smaller demon comes and goes from her, or has her in a trace sometimes so she can be "normal" and then when the demon needs direct control over things, he does so through her.
3) As for why the demon does that when Toby does a good job on his own, who knows. We don't actually know a whole lot about the demons, 4 movies in, which is one of the things that infuriates me about this entry - we learned jack shit about the demons other than 100% confirmation that there are two. My guess is Toby is like a guard/attack dog, who handles things like brutal violence, whereas the smaller demon/Katie do things that require more planning and finess.
4) Who is Robby? Good question. If PA5 goes the prequel route that PA2 did, hopefully they'll explain this along with how Katie and Hunter got separated.
2) Katie turns monster-faced because she has a demon in her. She has been possessed since the middle(?) of the first movie, AKA 2/3rds through the second one. She is possessed by the small child-like ghost/demon that was sent into her house by her brother-in-law. I think the smaller demon comes and goes from her, or has her in a trace sometimes so she can be "normal" and then when the demon needs direct control over things, he does so through her.
3) As for why the demon does that when Toby does a good job on his own, who knows. We don't actually know a whole lot about the demons, 4 movies in, which is one of the things that infuriates me about this entry - we learned jack shit about the demons other than 100% confirmation that there are two. My guess is Toby is like a guard/attack dog, who handles things like brutal violence, whereas the smaller demon/Katie do things that require more planning and finess.
4) Who is Robby? Good question. If PA5 goes the prequel route that PA2 did, hopefully they'll explain this along with how Katie and Hunter got separated.
I haven't actually watched any of the movies since last year when PA3 came out, but I just bought all the Blu-Rays with the extended/director's cuts on them, so hopefully those shed some light on things. I'll pick a nice sunny day to marathon them and see.
I didn't get scared at all, maybe more tense at the end, but the final scene was a joke to me. Maybe that's because I didn't have the opportunity to see the other movies. But I'd like to ask you guys some things that I really didn't understand:
Who was the invisible kid? Hunter? Why Hunter/Wyatt levitates the girl and then does nothing? To test his powers? That scene didn't get any kind of response from the crowd watching. And why the demons suddenly start killing everybody? Only to be evil? Or there is any kind of motive? Why they didn't do that with the knife or when the girl is being levitated? Also, what was the father doing on that house? Where was Robbie at the end?
WordAssassin
Member
Invisible kid was a demon
The levitation scene made no sense whatsoever, especially since she never checked the tapes. She claimed to be sore in the morning, perhaps they deleted a sequence of Toby (the monster demon, there are two) shaking her around. Maybe they were checking to make sure she was a virgin. Who knows, that scene was really out of place.
The demons start killing people because they are demons.
Father was in the house looking for his son, or he got dragged there by Toby, can't quite remember.
Where did Robby go? Good question.
The levitation scene made no sense whatsoever, especially since she never checked the tapes. She claimed to be sore in the morning, perhaps they deleted a sequence of Toby (the monster demon, there are two) shaking her around. Maybe they were checking to make sure she was a virgin. Who knows, that scene was really out of place.
The demons start killing people because they are demons.
Father was in the house looking for his son, or he got dragged there by Toby, can't quite remember.
Where did Robby go? Good question.
I have a theory about the demons that I came up with in Paranormal 2, because it was so boring. Technically PA2 takes place before PA1, so nobody knows about or believes in the demons, so they are super weak. I think the demons (they might actually say this in PA1, can't remember) need people to believe in them to grow in power, and that's why they start out doing small stupid shit like closing doors and throwing pots, and once people start believing in them they get jacked and can do more crazy shit.
Clay Davis
Member
U don't have much to say that hasn't already been said, I thought it was very average throughout and really only ended up asking more questions than actually answering anything.
the scares were very predictable and recycled from past movies, katie as a character doesn't make much sense to me any more, just what is going on with her?
and who was
I thought the use of kinect was very well done, added quite a bit to the night vision scenes.
overall, I left with more questions than answers but I will be back to see the fifth movie. I'm too invested to quit now.
the scares were very predictable and recycled from past movies, katie as a character doesn't make much sense to me any more, just what is going on with her?
how was she able to just appear on the sofa during the night time scene and again during the ending?
and who was
robbie and where did he disappear to toward the end? was he a manifestation of a demon? and how come there were now two demons? a child and a bigger monster who is very kill happy.
I thought the use of kinect was very well done, added quite a bit to the night vision scenes.
overall, I left with more questions than answers but I will be back to see the fifth movie. I'm too invested to quit now.
It's an admittedly cynical viewpoint, but I just get the sense that they're making it up as they go along. I don't think it's like LOST where they have a planned endpoint and arch and have to tread water sometimes -- they just want to milk this for as long as it will last. Consider that Katie died in the original cut of PA1, or that the whole witch-coven thing wasn't remotely even hinted at until the final third of PA3. The have been vague enough about the mythology that they can expand or retroactively change it however they please.
If they answer everything how are they gonna keep stupid people like me coming back for 5, 6, 7...?
The whole camera schtick was barely worth the first movie and the novelty was completely gone by the time the second one started, so I'm just going to see where they take the whole thing.
I'm a slave. It was like this with Saw, it doesn't matter how bad I might think it is, I have to see until it ends.
Anyone stay after the credits? The ticket stub guy caught me and my girl and told us to go back and wait... wondering if anyone else saw it as well. Most people couldn't wait to get out of the theater so I imagine most missed it.
some shit about a witch or something in Mexico... I don't know.. I didn't pay attention
WordAssassin
Member
I never got into SAW because of the gore, but I'm the same way. Fuck!
We've talked about it several times, on this page even.
They're making a latino-based spin-off series and they pulled a Marvel and stuck the teaser for it after PA4.
Clay Davis
Member
where does everyone think the series is headed next? will they do another prequel to explain the gap between the second movie and the fourth or can we expect them to advance the story and finally start to explain just what the coven's aim and what the ultimate goal of the demons is.
I feel the gap leaves it open for them to do a prequel, but having just done one a year ago, would they do another so soon?
I feel the gap leaves it open for them to do a prequel, but having just done one a year ago, would they do another so soon?
WordAssassin
Member
Paranormal 2 is a prequel to the first movie as well. I wouldn't put it past them.
It's been confirmed that Toby will be the demon in the spin-off, though, so who knows what they'll do with the story in PA5. I was hoping that Toby was tied to Hunter and thus the spin-off would focus just on the coven, but I guess not. :T
Banjotanooki
Member
Saw this last night with my gf and I'm sorry, but that whole "that last 10 minutes will shock you" tagline was deceiving.
Easily the WORST one yet.
Easily the WORST one yet.
Clay Davis
Member
you're right, I forgot that the second movie was a prequel as well.
I'll probably watch the spin off in the hopes that it has some answers, I don't mind them stretching the story out, but they need to reveal something in each movie to keep people interested. it's fast becoming a joke that the movies just raise more questions and don't bother revealing anything. a friend called it lost syndrome and I'm inclined to agree with him.
brandonh83
Banned
Silent Hill Revelation makes this look like Halloween 1978.
My personal opinion is 3>1>4>2. Anyone else agree?
oh and I'm sure it's been posted but the viral marketing for 5 has already started.
https://twitter.com/@JacobDegloshi
oh and I'm sure it's been posted but the viral marketing for 5 has already started.
https://twitter.com/@JacobDegloshi
brandonh83
Banned
Close. For me it's 1=3 > 4 > 2
Ugggh, if Twitter ends up figuring heavily into the next film's plot then I just give up.
At least this is a very strong indication that the next movie will not be another prequel.
Clay Davis
Member
I definitely agree that 2 is the weakest movie, but I'm undecided on what movie I think is the best.
3 was very enjoyable, but at the same time I thought 1 was the better movie and I feel 4 was enjoyable too, but more of a letdown as it lacked answers.
so with that in mind, 1>3>4>2, but I'm still undecided. 3 could easily replace 1 and 4 could replace 1 if it was in second place.
Clay Davis
Member
isn't that the same house as the one in the first movie? it's been a while since I last saw it, but it looks eerily similar.
I'm sorry, but why does everyone seem to agree that 2 is the weakest and 3 is the best? I'm kinda the opposite...I like 2 probably the best, and 3 was the weakest in my opinion. There was a lot of little things that seemed like bull shit about 3 for me, and the scares were not nearly as good to me. I felt like the presence in 2 was a lot more threatening. Haven't seen 4 yet, thinking about going today.
WordAssassin
Member
For me,
1 had the "lasting scare" effect, freaking me out for days
3 had the SUPER intense finale that scared me in theater,
4 was somewhat enjoyable with a few good scares (
)
2 didn't scare me at all, and I found it boring (even though as other have said it did do a lot for the story)
The thing that scared me the most about 2 was "they'd better not fucking hurt the dog"
Edit: I didn't feel the demon was threatening AT ALL in PA2. He was fresh in that one, chronologically, so he was very weak. I got the feeling he just didn't give a fuck.
I really need to rewatch these.
1 had the "lasting scare" effect, freaking me out for days
3 had the SUPER intense finale that scared me in theater,
4 was somewhat enjoyable with a few good scares (
face at the end scared the shit out of me
2 didn't scare me at all, and I found it boring (even though as other have said it did do a lot for the story)
The thing that scared me the most about 2 was "they'd better not fucking hurt the dog"
Edit: I didn't feel the demon was threatening AT ALL in PA2. He was fresh in that one, chronologically, so he was very weak. I got the feeling he just didn't give a fuck.
I really need to rewatch these.
I think the problem with PA4 is that the characters rarely feel fright or dread. Part of what makes a horror movie effective is feeling empathy and association with a character as they are relentlessly stalked and taunted and frightened. But nobody in PA4 seems to realize what is going on until the final minutes.
What made Blair Witch Project so compelling was that close-up confessional where the female lead says "Mom, Dad, I'm so sorry.....I'll never see you again." It is totally chilling, when you hit that moment where someone you've watched through the whole movie realizes that they are doomed and utterly beyond help or safety.
PA4 gives you almost none of that. Everyone is completely oblivious to their fate, except for the main female character in the last few minutes. But those minutes go by so quickly that you never get to have the "I'm sorry, I'll never see you again" scene. It's a little moving when she is screaming "Mom! Dad!", pathetically pleading for help from people that can't possibly be there for help, but it's a very fleeting moment of empathy.
What made Blair Witch Project so compelling was that close-up confessional where the female lead says "Mom, Dad, I'm so sorry.....I'll never see you again." It is totally chilling, when you hit that moment where someone you've watched through the whole movie realizes that they are doomed and utterly beyond help or safety.
PA4 gives you almost none of that. Everyone is completely oblivious to their fate, except for the main female character in the last few minutes. But those minutes go by so quickly that you never get to have the "I'm sorry, I'll never see you again" scene. It's a little moving when she is screaming "Mom! Dad!", pathetically pleading for help from people that can't possibly be there for help, but it's a very fleeting moment of empathy.
brandonh83
Banned
Whoops
-other three had black backgrounds
-I do like the taskbar scheme at the bottom
-the boyfriend face lol
assholes.
-other three had black backgrounds
-I do like the taskbar scheme at the bottom
-the boyfriend face lol
assholes.
WordAssassin
Member
Hahahaha oh my god the boyfriend's face is killing me
Also I don't know how they could ever do one of these in 3D. The whole idea behind them is that they're found footage, ie people recorded the footage themselves. I could believe someone having ONE 3D camera, but then only certain scenes would be in 3D, but a fleet of 3D camera set up to capture the whole house? Would never work. They'd have to change the entire structure of the movie to be shot from the one camera and even then, who's gonna leave the 3D on the whole time? That would be pushing the gimmick to its absolute limit if believability.
*PA5 announced to be shot in 3D moments later*
Also I don't know how they could ever do one of these in 3D. The whole idea behind them is that they're found footage, ie people recorded the footage themselves. I could believe someone having ONE 3D camera, but then only certain scenes would be in 3D, but a fleet of 3D camera set up to capture the whole house? Would never work. They'd have to change the entire structure of the movie to be shot from the one camera and even then, who's gonna leave the 3D on the whole time? That would be pushing the gimmick to its absolute limit if believability.
*PA5 announced to be shot in 3D moments later*
brandonh83
Banned
They'll do it and honestly, if done right... it could be really cool. The format is already a gimmick and everyone has their minds made up about whether or not they care about the franchise so I don't see how adding 3D could hurt as long as the script and ideas are there.
It could be used effectively or terribly, just like anything else.
WordAssassin
Member
Oh I know it's a gimmick, but so far it's at least been believable. One camera in the bedroom. A home security system. A couple VHS cameras around the house. A computer network using the webcams.
But 3D cameras? They would have to either ignore the fact that its 3D in-movie, ie its shot on normal cameras and then for whatever reason post-converted before 'being released', or they acknowledge in the movie that they're shooting with 3D cameras but that shits expensive and who would have more than one?
It would either go back to PA1 levels with only ONE camera, which could work because its not technically been-there-done-that since its 3D, OR they could have it be like Cloverfield but with ghosts which would honestly be pretty cool.
But then, would a 3D movie shot on a handheld camera even work? As in, would the 3D effect actually work if the camera is always being swung around wildly?
You're probably right, it's most likely inevitable that we'll get at least one PA in 3D, I just hope they do it in a clever and believable way. The computer network in PA4 was a great idea but I felt like they really wasted the potential.
But 3D cameras? They would have to either ignore the fact that its 3D in-movie, ie its shot on normal cameras and then for whatever reason post-converted before 'being released', or they acknowledge in the movie that they're shooting with 3D cameras but that shits expensive and who would have more than one?
It would either go back to PA1 levels with only ONE camera, which could work because its not technically been-there-done-that since its 3D, OR they could have it be like Cloverfield but with ghosts which would honestly be pretty cool.
But then, would a 3D movie shot on a handheld camera even work? As in, would the 3D effect actually work if the camera is always being swung around wildly?
You're probably right, it's most likely inevitable that we'll get at least one PA in 3D, I just hope they do it in a clever and believable way. The computer network in PA4 was a great idea but I felt like they really wasted the potential.
I'm pretty sure that nobody making or watching the movie is going to care at all if there isn't an in-film explanation as to why the footage is 3D. Making it a significant part of the plot would be dumb, since most people will probably see it in 2D anyway (once you factor in DVDs and such).
WordAssassin
Member
I would care ;__;
Well yeah, obviously.
But at some point you kinda have to stop questioning the technology present in the film's projection technology. Why are these movies presented in a 16:9 Widescreen format when videocameras and webcams almost always shoot footage in a 4:3 format? Why is there high-grade surround sound when consumer-level video cameras only pick up audio in stereo or mono? Why doesn't the audio have that echo-y reverb that happens when you shoot anything with a camera-based microphone? PA3 takes place in the 80's and the quality and fidelity of the recordings are way beyond what would be available to even professional video cameras of the time (I'm sure the film has a ton of other anachronisms as well, since VHS was a VERY limited recording format). Blowing up SD camera footage on a 40" screen should look absolutely terrible, and yet it doesn't. None of this is explained away in the plot -- you just have to accept it as a necessity of making a movie that is going to be distributed to theatres.
I think it's a great opportunity to offer High Framerate 3D. In The Hobbit it was pretty jarring since it looks like a professional movie shot on a cheap video format, but since we expect the PA movies to look like they were shot on video, it won't be bothersome at all. Though mind you that the film-makers haven't said anything about HFR, but I hope they go for it.
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