Paranormal Activity

Most of you have probably never heard of "Paranormal Activity." But this frightening low-budget film is gaining buzz around the country.

Several critics, including Harry Knowles and Brad Miska, are already considering it one of the scariest movies of all-time. There have been many accounts of physically shaken audience members leaving screenings before the film was over. The film scared Steven Spielberg so badly, that he couldn't be alone in a room. In fact, he brought the movie disc back to DreamWorks in a garbage bag, saying he didn't want it anywhere near his home.

Twelve college towns played "Paranormal Activity" at late-night screenings Friday and Saturday, and virtually all sold out. According to Paramount Studios, the sole exception was in State College, Pa., where disheartened Penn State football fans watched their Nittany Lions fall to Iowa Saturday evening, leaving a screening at about 75 percent capacity.

Numerous theaters reported sellouts hours before the screenings started, indicating that the studio's strategy to build buzz with college students was a success, much like "The Blair Witch Project."

Based on the positive response, Paramount is putting together expansion plans for new markets and one factor in the studio's determination of where to take "Paranormal Activity" next is the "Demand it" feature on the movie's Web site. Los Angeles is currently on top of the list, with more than 15,000 requests, followed by New York, Chicago and Dallas.

Right now, Kansas City is in 22nd place with nearly 1,700 requests. St. Joseph is at 59 requests. However, the studio is willing to consider smaller markets based on percentages, so if you want "Paranormal Activity" to come to St. Joe, click here.

To visit the official movie Web site (complete with trailer), click here. And for more on the background of this film, click on this Los Angeles Times article.