Friday, July 26, 2013

The Conjuring (Suzie's Perspective)

The Conjuring

The Conjuring is not a movie for everyone. This is not just a spooky story that will be fun to giggle at in a theatre this summer. Nor is it a typical gore-fest for fans of Saw. It is quite in between and very frightening.

I am a fan of Lorraine Warren since she used to be on the show Paranormal State. She always seemed to be a lady walking between worlds with those fabulous high collar shirts and a sensitive heart. As much as I love scary movies, discovering this one was about a case study of hers and her husband Ed, made me absolutely have to go see it.

Everything about the film feels unnervingly authentic. They worked quite hard to capture the seventies (I recognized some of the patterns in the clothing and the sheets) without making it feel dated or silly. I want those coffee mugs BTW.

The acting was excellent and the horror was... terrifying. Well, more so because every time something happened Reg would grab at me setting me off and almost sending my summer shoes flying since I jumped right into the air. I had to tell him to stop holding my hand after he involuntarily and unconsciously made me smack myself in the mouth. There was one scene he said he felt bruised from watching and I said, "I know exactly what you mean."

As I said, The Conjuring is not meant for everyone.

Me? I loved it. It was scary but there was a story and a sense of truth throughout. The depiction of Lorraine Warren did not let me down and the traumatized family was one we could empathize with quite deeply. There was some language in it I personally found spiritually offensive but the Warrens are Catholic which I will forgive them for. Overall, this is a good scary story. Period. The fact that it is based on truth events adds to its mesmerizing power. At least for me because the more believable, the more compelling.

This is a frightening tale done well. Excellent story, actors and not a "CGI-infested" horror movie. It is its authenticity that scares the hell out of us. In a good way.

Update: I sent the link to my review to Lorraine and she wrote back!

"Thank you for the kind words, Suzie.
Love & Prayers,
Lorraine"

Love that lady!

No comments: