Ed & Lorraine Warren: 'Conjuring' Up The Wicked

We love to be scared. We love it even more when it's based on a true story. Director James Wan who brought you Saw and Insidious, has a new horror film out - The Conjuring. The bone chilling tale based on the true events experienced by husband and wife Ed and Lorraine Warren - the paranormal investigator dream team. The film takes place in 1971, where the Warrens give lectures on demonology at Universities, aside from debunking paranormal cases with their years of expertise. The Warrens even have a museum of haunted artifacts in their abode, taken from cases so haunting, they have a priest on the payroll who regularly visits to bless the room.

The Warrens are brought on by Carolyn Perron, played by Lily Taylor (The Haunting, Six Feet Under), to help her family of five daughters who are being haunted and taunted by dark spirits in their farmhouse. Things go bump-in-the-night, to say the least. Naturally, who The Perrons need is Ed Warren, played by Patrick Wilson (Insidious, Watchmen). Ed is the only demonologist recognized by the Catholic Church, and Lorraine Warren, played with perfect emotional intensity by Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel, The Departed) - is a clairvoyant. Wilson and Farmiga embody The Warrens and their essence. As well as Lily Taylor, who always brings it - she's got a natural pull with audiences to feel something from her emotion onscreen. Director James Wan pays homage to the Warrens, legends in the paranormal field, by portraying the investigators with complexity - never searching for cheap thrills. Wan films with a shaky cam, real-time low budget feel. Too often in horror movies the audience feels safe in the daytime, but not in this one. Wan stays true to old horror, not preferring predictability or cliches too widely used in the genre. He carefully builds the fright with each scene, reminiscent of The Others (2001), earning your chills as the movie pans out.

The cast and crew of The Conjuring have reported during interviews that there have been strange events linked to the filming, much like "The Poltergeist curse." (see earlier post) Some have repeatedly woken up during the devil's hour (between 3 and 4am), as also seen in the film. Scratches appeared on Vera Farmiga's computer after signing onto the film. The real Carolyn Perron fell and broke her hip while The Perron family visited the set. I guess treading on true events comes with baggage.

The Conjuring is the Poltergeist of the 21st Century. It's that scary. It's that good. You'll never feel the same about the clapper.

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