The Conjuring - Thoughts

Though I’d seen the cover art for The Conjuring, owing to its not so popular cast, and its seemingly lackluster title and poster, I decided to skip checking out the trailer. Alas, there are so many good horror movies vying for our time, that some cuts need to be made. A few months later, closer to release date, people were talking about the movie; that’s about when it caught my attention. Post release, I heard additional feedback, along the lines of it being a solid horror flick, one that left the audience satisfied when they left the theater  Its somewhere around then that I decided to give it a watch. The Conjuring is based on a true story, wherein 2 paranormal investigators help a family deal with a demonic presence that haunts the house they've recently moved into.

Set in the 70’s, The Conjuring starts of slow and almost like a family drama. Though I’m not a fan or period depictions, they don’t go overboard with it, and frankly the setting just feels like a quiet town. As the plot unfolds, the possibility of the dark presence in the house is very gradually and realistically exposed, seemingly in parallel to the audience and the cast of the movie, in an extremely realistic manner. A good part of the success of The Conjuring is the fact that the plot builds momentum and gathers various bits and pieces before the true evil is finally exposed, which happens considerably late into the movie. Another aspect that makes it authentic is that unlike movies where cast members need to be singled out for the action to take place, things in The Conjuring happen as it would in real, be it two or a few, and with a level of science and thought applied to it. Add to this the fabulous characters, their development as the narrative proceeds, and the phenomenal sound effects, its obvious why The Conjuring is hard to fault, and easy to enjoy if horror is your thing. I have seen a few decent horror movies, Mama and Shutter being some of the recent ones, but rest assured The Conjuring is one of the best I have seen in a long time. Combining exorcism elements, demonic presences, and a level of reality, with an overall positive yet subtle note that faith has its benefits; expect to be satisfied like none other.

As much as I've said the cast didn't catch my attention, post the movie I stand corrected. A large part of the success can be attributed to the excellent performances from the cast members. Lili Taylor who played Carolyn Perron, though unfamiliar to me did splendidly, going through the motions of the loving and very normal homemaker, coming across as plain, yet fond as a mother would be; her progression through the course of the movie, including her portrayal of fear and aggression coming out exquisitely. Ron Livingston played Roger Perron, the head of the family, a loving father, barely making ends meet; clearly seeming in over his head with the things happening around him. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play the roles of Lorraine Warren and Ed Warren respectively, the two paranormal investigators. Their bond is also portrayed well, with mutual love, contributing to their strength as a team. Vera Farmiga is pretty standout, in the compassion and emotion that she brings out in the Lorraine character.

The Conjuring released in theaters just recently in India; with all the positive buzz surrounding it, some friends and I decided to watch this in the theater  Owing to its success, it was being played in a large 70mm screen, as against the newer more common 35mm multiplex experiences. Picture was good throughout, with mild post processing color tones added to maximize the period and quiet setting. Even with all the dark scenes and eerie moments, visuals were clear. The sound effects deserve special mention, as the intense bass reverbs were used throughout the initial narrative build-up, to signify moments of paranormal presence. Though sound is usually more effective in smaller rooms, I felt the sound effects were great. As with all horror movies, the sound effects did a good job of ensuring constant thrills and chills.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (A very real, and possibly the best horror movie in recent years)