On this week’s episode of the podcast, George and his special guest discuss the unquestionable impact and influence of “Paranormal Activity” on the genre.
How did an ultra low budget, independent film about a haunting caught on tape become the most profitable film ever made based on investment, revolutionize a sub genre, and land at the top of our guest’s best movies ever made list? Tune in to find out!
ABOUT THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:
Episode 46: “Paranormal Activity” with special guest Matthew Schmid (1 hour, 19 minutes)
This week at the Best Little Horror House in Philly, comedian Matthew Schmid is here to talk about his pick for the best horror movie ever made: Paranormal Activity! But first, we talk about growing up in a house with Stephen King books lining the walls — and what an impact that made on a burgeoning horror fan.
We move to discuss the history of Found Footage movies, our fascination with micro and nano-budget filmmaking, and how the sub genre was propped up by the advancing technology and influx of affordable high-quality digital home cameras. As we get into the cultural context of Paranormal Activity, we examine how it dethroned Saw, the series that had previously owned October in the 2000s, and explore the similarities between the two franchises.
We then transition to the actual development of the movie, starting with the great story of Steven Spielberg’s reaction to it. We discuss the film’s rocky beginning, including difficulties nailing down an ending and challenges getting the movie released due to changing studio ownership, as well as Paranormal Activity‘s remarkable success story once it finally was released.
Finally, we explore in detail what made the film so effective and why our guest considers it the best horror movie ever made. Tune it to learn more!
ABOUT THE SHOW:
BEST LITTLE HORROR HOUSE IN PHILLY IS a weekly cast where host George Heftler and his special guest discuss the best horror movie ever made…according to his guest, at least! It’s a safe place for horror fans to talk about the movies they’re passionate about — a place to talk about venerated entries already in the canon, modern-day classics, and everything in between.
Be sure to tune in to Morbidly Beautiful every Thursday to catch a new episode of the show.
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