Textual Analysis - Paranormal Activity

Textual Analysis Paranormal Activity2

Paranormal Activity2 is a 2010 American supernatural horror film directed by Tod Williams and written by Michael R. Perry. The film is a follow on to the 2007 film Paranormal Activity, beginning two months before and following up with the events depicted in the original film. It was released in theaters at midnight on October 22, 2010 in the United States, United Kingdom and several other counties.

The film includes Trodorovs Narrative Structure providing an equilibrium, which stems from a normal American Family moving into a new house hoping to live a normal life not knowing the hidden facts and disturbed history that is associated with the stability of the house and the corruption and torture is yet to bring to this family especially an young innocent baby (Hunter). Soon after the disruption occurs when a strange break in occurs in the family home. Every room is completely trashed except for their infant son Hunter's bedroom, which results in the family putting security camera’s on every room to capture the strange events happening in the house, as they surmise that an evil spirits could be in their home as Katie and Kristi remember being possessed with a demon when they were younger. It is also discovered that on occasion, a human can make a deal with a demon for wealth or power by forfeiting the life of their first-born son, and until Hunter (baby boy), there had not been a male child born in Kristi and Katie's family since the time of their great-great grandmother. After many appearances of this spirit, the new equilibrium occurs when the spirit leave with Hunter (baby boy) never to be seen again. The film is in chronological order as events develop and flow from beginning to end. The narrative of the film is closed because the audience begins to understand why the previous events were taking place and it simply was to receive ownership of baby hunter as he was sacrificed for riches and power. Horror films are known for their conventions being restricted in comparison to other films as not much is given away in the initial stages. This provides a sense of anxiety as the audience watches intensively trying to figure out the plot for themselves. In Paranormal Activity we get the background information why everything is happening in between various moments in the film in order to fully grasp what is happening as we go along.

The screen shot shows the possessed character in baby Hunters room. Previously before this character appears in the door way, the furniture in the room moves on its own without being touched. The narrative displays this un-normality in order to frighten the audience. This effect is often used in horror films as Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural. This is exactly what Paranormal Activity tries to portray to the audience. The characters are stereotypical of the horror genre. For example the character in the still image in dressed in full black, stood with clenched fists, head down, and long hair covering the facial expression in a dark room. The characters body language shows the character is about to do something out of the ordinary. As the character dressed in full black stands puzzled, and looking almost lifeless by baby Hunters crib. With the background information given in snippets throughout the film the audience gathers why this is happening.

Baby Hunter who is the main target in the film is a young baby whose life is promised to evil dark forces beyond a human being control. This sacrifice made for baby Hunters life threatens the lives of the other family members who know nothing of the pack made years ago with these evil spirits. This shows the directors desperation to make his target audience aware of the unknown spirit world, the things in which they are capable of and the stupid careless decisions in which humans make to attract these irregular occurring situations. The screen shot demonstrates normality and non-verbally shows the viewer that circumstances like these can indeed happen to anyone who plays with the un-rested dead and wigi boards.

 In the screen shot we see a trashed house. The still image shows the affect the spirits have left after raiding the house in search of baby Hunter. This type of environment detected in the still image is often seen in horror films. This shows a sign to those who live a normal life that something is not right as the spirits make it known to their victims that they are dominant.

This image can be compared to this similar image taken from the Grugde2. Just like the still image of the family home taken from Paranormal Activity2 this images shows a messy home, looking very abandoned with signs of it being burnt and trashed. Just by looking at this house the audience can see that the environment is not a liveable, automatically draws connotations of the environment having some history behind it and its appearance.

  

This still image shows the spirit attacking Kristi (Hunters Mother) in Hunters room just before she is about to check on baby Hunter before she goes to bed. The victim of the attack hangs onto Hunters crib for dear life as she is vigorously dragged out of the bedroom by the spirit, helplessly and not having any control or power to resist the attack and fight back. This sort if behaviour is often reflected in horror films showing the victim in lower proportion of the attacker. As very often the victim is left hopelessly to fend from his or her self alone with no sense of help or security.

 The image taken from Paranormal Activiy2 can be compared with this image from Grudge2 as this victim lies on a hospital bed strapped down, as the lights go dim, with no help left in the care of the spirits. Her facial expressions stress her emotions of feeling terrified of the occurrences soon to take place which may lead to death.