Watch Paranormal Activity Online

If you like really and truly scary movies, then you should watch Paranormal Activity online. Screenings of the movie repeatedly saw viewers leaving in the middle of the film, not because they didn't like it, but because they couldn't take it. Even though it is only out in limited release, Paranormal Activity has developed serious buzz as one genuinely frightening horror movie.

Basically the premise is simple: a young couple is haunted by a demonic presence. Boring, right? Not this time. The movie was shot during a one-week period, and the director, Oren Peli, an Israeli by birth who moved to the US at 19, puts everything he has into this movie. It actually premiered two years ago at the Screamfest Film Festival in 2007. It was also part of the Slamdance Film Festival in January 2008. The movie is presented through the "eye" of the camera set up by the young couple to film the paranormal activity.

Oren Peli got the idea for the movie when he himself began to experience unusual occurances at his home. Peli has said that he has been afraid of ghosts his entire life and wanted to channel that fear into something productive. Peli spent a year prepping his own house for the shoot, painting, adding furniture and carpet, and even creating a stairwell. He also did extensive paranormal research.

When you watch Paranormal Activity online, you may think at first that it's a trick: this movie just isn't scary at all. But hang in there. Peli did this deliberately, creating an atmosphere and slow building of the plot rather than relying on too much action and gore. The film was made with $15,000 and a hand held video camera. There was a plot outline, but no real script. The actors were given outlines of the phases of the story.

There was talk that Dreamworks would do a remake of the movie and when it was released on DVD, the DVD would have the studio version and the original version. However, part of the contract with Peli promised a one-time screening of the original movie to gauge audience reaction.

The audience reaction was so strong that they decided to dispense with the remake altogether. Watch Paranormal Activity online and see how long it takes to be comfortable in your own home again.