I kept the lessons of Hollywood horror movies in mind as I hunted for my new apartment. I like living in a somewhat older place, because those have more character, but I don’t want so much character that doors slam of their own volition, inhuman groans come from the walls after dark, or blood drips from the faucets. As such, I picked a nice 1971-built unit where the fridge doors are backwards, the air conditioner is a little loud and the bathtub faucet drips. But I can sleep soundly, knowing it’s not haunted.
Homebuyers’ remorse
The Perron family in “The Conjuring” — which, coincidentally, is set in 1971 — doesn’t heed my strategy. They purchase a 19th century house in the Rhode Island back country from a bank auction, not knowing the previous owners. Roger (Ron Livingston) is a long-haul trucker, while Carolyn (Lili Taylor) raises their five daughters.
The Perrons soon have a case of buyers’ remorse when the house is ice-cold despite a functional furnace, the clocks always stop at 3:07 a.m., birds constantly crash into the windows, and one of the girls gets pulled off the end of her bed at night by an invisible force.
“The Conjuring” (2013)
Director: James Wan
Writers: Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Ron Livingston
The house in “The Conjuring” is a great place to visit on film; I love the ancient armoire and the cobweb-covered old furniture in the boarded-up basement. But let’s just say it would’ve been eliminated in the early stages of my home hunt, no matter how good the price.
A lot of “The Conjuring” is typical horror movie fare. But one thing sets it apart: It’s also a biopic of sorts, because we soon meet Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). The real-life couples’ paranormal investigations had previously been the springboard for the “Amityville Horror” films, but we’re told in the opening titles that they hadn’t opened up about the events chronicled in “The Conjuring” until now.
Part of a trend
Considering that setup, it’s too bad that “The Conjuring” doesn’t stand out from a pack that includes “Insidious” (like this film, directed by James Wan), “Sinister,” “Mama,” “The Possession,” and so forth. Still, even though you’ll know where the plot is going every step of the way, it has some nice touches. As noted, the haunted house looks great.
Because of the biopic element, we get to know these characters a bit better than in most genre entries. And the way the Warrens’ team gathers evidence in 1971 is fascinating, as they use flash cameras set to take a picture when an attached thermostat detects a drop in temperature. Today, any amateur can set up a home-based ghost-detection system, as shown in the “Paranormal Activity” series. But back then, ghost hunting was a highly specialized field.
Ultimately, “The Conjuring” is a fun place to visit for a couple hours. But you won’t want to live there, nor will you desire a repeat viewing — unless you count the next Hollywood horror flick that follows this same formula.
Comments
Skyler Miller: This is a very well written review, however I have to disagree with your conclusion. It is true that much of the Conjuring contains classic horror genre elements, but it seems to me that James Wan’s recent films have been tributes to the classic horror formula rather than simple derivative works. Rather than relying on horror cliches, Wan is purposefully creating an old-school feel to films like Insidious and The Conjuring. A perfect example of this would be the opening title screen where we see “The Conjuring” scroll towards the top of the screen while the strikingly disturbing score roars in the background, a technique taken right of the early 70’s. The Conjuring was a film tailor made for fans of classic horror. I loved Insidious but The Conjuring is even better. I will even go as far as to say that The Conjuring has toppled the Shining as my favorite horror film of all time. I look forward to reading more of your reviews!# Posted By Skyler Miller | 8/3/13 7:14 PM
John Hansen: Fair enough, but I’d note that Wan isn’t the only modern horror filmmaker riffing on old-school concepts. For example, “Drag Me to Hell” also was done in the old-school style. And, to some degree, all the films I mentioned in the review. But hey, I enjoyed “The Conjuring” while I was watching it, and that’s the most important thing a movie should do.# Posted By John Hansen | 8/3/13 11:39 PM