Since 2009, horror fans have delighted in the Paranormal Activity franchise. What started as one man’s dream to tell the most real and terrifying ghost story of all time has grown into an industry giant, inspiring a plethora of imitators and legitimate contenders.
Now, this long road is coming to an end on October 23rd with its final stop: The Ghost Dimension. This installment promises to be a hell of a finale, actually showing us the paranormal ghostings for the first time in the series. Audiences will get to finally see the enigmatic demon known only by its moniker, “Toby.”
In celebration of the franchise coming to an end, we here at Dread Central would like to remember fondly our favorite moments from the series. A list could easily be made for each installment, but to honor the series, I’ll be picking out my two favorite moments from each film in order. I’m sure you all have your own favorite bits so check it out and see if you agree!
Paranormal Activity (2009)
The film that started it all and the one we literally demanded. Employing a bold new kind of guerilla marketing, the film had to be requested by a legion of fans in your town before it could be brought to a local silver screen. What started as a handful of theaters grew in a month to a worldwide release, all through the power of audience demand. Looking back, it’s easy to see why. Oren Peli’s bold vision brought maximum terror with limited effects, showing everyone what can be accomplished with $15,000, two actors, a camera, and one killer idea. His dream would become a legend, an icon of the horror community, and one of horror’s standout Cinderella stories. Katie and Micah’s story has inspired horror hopefuls the world over, and rightly so.
1) Footsteps
One of the most terrifying shots of the entire Paranormal Activity series, it represents everything that made the movie great. Simple, effective, and scary as hell, the footprints appearing in the talcum powder is a shining example of how basic practical effects can still be used to send shivers down our spine. I remember my first time witnessing the infernal footprints. Alone, here in the Dread Central offices, every time the camera timer slowed down, my hair stood on end. When I heard the thump and saw the prints press into the fine powder, I froze. It literally scared me stiff. If I were to rank the series’ best moments, this might very well be at the top.
2) Ouija Board
There are so many awesome moments in Paranormal Activity, I struggled limiting it to two. I thought about going with the big finale or one of the many exceptional bumps in the night, but the Ouija board scene sticks with me the most. While Micah and Katie spend a night out to relax, we watch a mysterious force write an unknown message on the distant board. After it finishes, the board catches fire, leaving behind a mysterious and foreboding design. One of the more quiet scares, it adds a depth to the movie beyond the jump scares. The audience is left wondering what was said and what it all means.
Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
The next step of the franchise expanded both the story and cinematography. The plot followed Katie’s sister, Kristi, and her family; and we watch events unfold from multiple angles. Instead of just watching one couple from one angle, we now see how the haunting is evolving in every room and threatening everyone in different ways. We also begin to get a sense of the motivation behind the mysterious entity with the reveal that there may be some connection to a demonic pact, with the asking price of a first-born son. This installment is best known for refining the series, and these two scenes epitomize that.
3) Locked Door
Ramping up to the climactic finale, this scene made it clear that the demonic force was done messing around. Harkening back to the scene from the first where Katie is ripped out of bed, Kristi is dragged down the stairs and shut in the basement. After a two-hour time jump, we see Kristi emerge, sullen and changed. We find out that there are strange markings on the door that look to spell out something unknown. It’s never clear what exactly happened to her down there, nor what the markings mean. It marries the mystery and physicality nicely, and those aspects kept fans coming back year after year.
4) Night Vision Exorcism
The peak of the action, the exorcism brings the intensity of the demonic force to new heights. The whole house shakes as furniture flips and hanging installations come crashing down. It leads up to a tense descent into the basement. After the action has subsided, they wrap the films together by burning the same picture that Katie finds burned in the first movie. Transferring the malignant spirit to Katie, this explains the cause behind the haunting in the first film. Once again, Paranormal Activity 2 successfully joins together the tense mystery plot and explosive supernatural action. It is a pivotal moment for the series, expanding it in a believable and interesting way.
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
The third installment takes us back in time to 1988, when all of this paranormal activity started. These past ghostly troubles were mentioned in the first film so it was a logical next step for the story. This is also the point in the series where the entity is given the moniker Toby, expanding the lore behind both the demon and the witches’ coven. Shooting the movie proposed a unique challenge and opportunity, as the technological limitations of the time period wouldn’t allow for things like handheld night vision or digital playback. How they play with this is pretty ingenious, with clever additions like the camera on a swivel fan delivering some of the best scares.
5) Ghost in the Sheet
Simple and effective, the scene where the swivel camera comes upon a mysterious figure draped in a sheet tickles my black little heart. Even though you know something is bound to happen as the camera swivels slowly left and right, it still makes you sit on the edge of your seat when you see it. It is one of the more subtle scares of the series and undeniably predictable. However, it encapsulates what fans love about Paranormal Activity: You know something is bound to go bump in the night, but it still scares you when it happens.
6) Invisible Force
This is one of my personal favorite moments in the series. It isn’t the most intense, even in this film, but it shows us that Toby is expressly capable of hurting you. While we were no stranger to people being dragged or furniture being flipped, the physicality of the scene brings the movie to a new level. It is clear that real deadly bodily harm is on the table, even for the kids. The wait is unbearably tense, and the force when Toby pulls Katie’s hair is both shocking and terrifying.
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
Returning to the modern era, Paranormal Activity 4 springboards back in terms of technology. Free from the limitations of the 1980’s, they go whole hog with modern inventions. Things like Skype, camera phones, and the Kinect are heavily incorporated. Focusing on a new family several years after the events of Paranormal Activity 2, it is slowly revealed how the two are connected. For much of the movie, we are left wondering if this was all planned or just an unfortunate chance encounter. By the end of the film, all these questions are (mostly) answered, as we once again face the murderous coven.
7) Garage Assault
A twist for the series, the danger is much more worldly this time. While certainly a supernatural force is responsible for the attack and blocking Alex’s exit, the threat is more realistic. Rather than being launched across the room or bitten by an unknown creature, Alex is in danger of suffocating. For a series that built itself on the unexplainable assaults of an invisible force, making the danger much more earthly was a bold choice. Her solution is also practical, as she rams her way out of the garage. For a series where everyone has always seemed helpless in the hands of an unstoppable monster, it’s a change of pace to see a practical solution to a threat.
8) Trail of Toys
Another one of the series’ subtle scares, the trail of toys leading to Wyatt’s room builds tension. Early in the film, the action hasn’t quite ramped up yet to the point where the family seems in immediate danger. At this point, most of the scares are delivered through the creepy statements and flat affectation of Robbie. The trail of toys leading to a child-size bed in the closet raises even more questions about the obviously strange little boy. Did he do this himself to frighten Alex, or was it the result of a much more sinister force?
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)
Boldly stepping away from the “spooky stuff in a house” format, The Marked Ones takes the hauntings outside. Focusing on a low-income Hispanic family, culture and superstition play a huge part in giving this film a unique flavor. Rather than showing strange things happening around a house while no one is looking, this film tells the story of Jesse’s gradual transformation at the hands of a malignant spirit. Since location doesn’t matter as much, the film focuses on the characters instead. We get a greater sense of who these people are, why they care about each other, and the struggle they face with Jesse’s changing persona. It isn’t afraid to have a sense of humor along with the dread, and the banter in it feels natural. This film is my favorite of the franchise, and it stands out as being fun, fresh, and most importantly, scary.
9) Playing With Your New Demon
I love it when a scary story can have a little fun with itself. Yes, scary ghost stuff should be the meat and potatoes, but a side dish of comedy can make the whole meal better. Soon after Jesse first realizes there are strange things going on around him, he discovers that this supernatural force also imbues him with strange powers. The entity won’t let him be hurt, and he has increased strength and stamina. So naturally, being teenage boys, they are way more interested in doing neat tricks and putting them on YouTube than freaking out and calling an exorcist. It reminded me of that scene in the original Poltergeist, where at first they were more interested in playing with their supernatural forces than fleeing from them. It rounds out the characters as more than just vehicles and is a great example of the kind of fun that The Marked Ones brings to the screen.
10) Breaking Space and Time
There’s nothing funny about this next scene. For me, this moment is the pinnacle of the series in regards to effects and intensity. As Jesse’s grandmother attempts to exorcise the demon, the lights go out, and Jesse vanishes. As the group frantically looks around for him, the fabric of reality in the living room begins to bend. As it contorts to the point of breaking, Jesse explodes back into reality with an unleashing of violent force. The whole living room is tossed about in a hurricane of energy. The group retreats to a bedroom and finds Jesse unconscious when they return. At this point, we know just how much danger Jesse is really in and the power of this entity. The scene blindsides you with its unexpected flurry of explosive action and perfectly encapsulates why I love this exceptional spin-off.
Bonus Round: Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night (2010)
Oh, Tokyo Night, how I missed you. Many of you probably aren’t even aware that there was an unofficial Japanese spin-off. Released a month after the actual Paranormal Activity 2, Tokyo Night came into my life when I saw it on the self of Rasputin Music in Berkeley, CA. In a store with an incredible selection of eclectic films, this little curiosity was odd even among the oddballs. I obviously couldn’t pass it up and spent the evening witnessing ghost attacks in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Since this is a review of the main series, I won’t get into listing my favorite bits of Tokyo Night. It’s actually not that bad, though a bit tame compared to what we got from the main franchise. For a curiosity, it is enjoyable. Check it out if you’re like me and perpetually craving more found footage ghost stories.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
The time is almost upon us again to venture to our venue of choice and witness the final installment in our beloved franchise. From what we’ve seen, they are cranking it to 11 for this installment, with impressive CGI that allows us for the first time to see that invisible force that has been tormenting families for years. Fans will finally get answers to their questions, and the series conclusion should not be missed by anyone who wants to know where it has all been headed.
So tell me… are you also excited to finally see the enigmatic monster known thus far only as “Toby”? How excited are you for the series to be coming full circle? Also, what were some of your favorite moments from the franchise? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll see you in theaters October 23rd!