Paranormal Acitivty Causing Major Problems in Italy

[Bojangles]

Thanks to BloodyDisgusting.com for this bit of news:

Some pretty hilarious news this evening as the AFP is reporting that low-budget US horror movie Paranormal Activity, a box office hit in Italy, kicked up a storm among politicians and associations on Monday because it is terrifying teenagers and children across the country. I know you're probably sick to death of hearing about this movie, but damned if this isn't worth a read.

"Italy's emergency response service reported dozens of calls, especially from southern Naples, where "several panic attacks lasting more than half an hour took place on Saturday," an employee told the ANSA news agency.

"The most serious case is that of a 14-year-old girl who was brought to the hospital in a state of paralysis," he said.

"For the past two weeks a trailer has been shown obsessively on TV and is terrifying thousands of children. The movie is called 'Paranormal Activity'," Italian Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa said last Thursday.

"It's a terrible thing. I took notice because my seven-year-old son told me 'Daddy, I'm scared'," ANSA reported him saying during a visit to Istanbul.

Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of the Italian fascist dictator and head of a parliamentary committee on children, said "Paranormal Activity" had "highly distressing content" and was causing "panic attacks and psychological problems among youths."

"I don't think we can ban 'Paranormal Activity' now, but surely we need to study how to warn parents of the risks their children are incurring," Mussolini said.

The movie, which cost just 15,000 dollars (11,000 euros) to make, opened in Italian cinemas at the weekend, grossing more than 3.65 million euros, more per cinema than Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar" -- the costliest movie of all time.

In the flick, Katie and Micah, haunted by paranormal phenomena, decide to tape their ordeal, in the style of 1999 hit "The Blair Witch Project".

Codacons, a consumer advocacy group, said in a statement it was "considering legal action to protect underage viewers of 'Paranormal Activity'."

The Italian parents' association noted that admission to the movie is restricted in the United States, Britain, Germany and The Netherlands and asked for an age limit of 18 in Italy."

[SamWinchester89]

Well...I don't know what's the source and I have no intention to doubt it, but I would like to say that what is scaring people it's mainly the trailer. Tag lines are mostly responsible for this, such as: "The movie that terrified America" - "You won't be able to sleep at night" or stuff like that...Of course that might have happened in other countries too....the main problem is, I guess, the fact that the American R-rating in Italy is 14 years old. Moreover the trailer has been shown at every time of day, of course, as a consequence, kids see it over and over again and they obviously get scared. On youtube, however, Italians have been commenting rephrasing one of the taglines: "The movie that terrified America...and cracked up Italy", or something like that...

[TravisLegge]

I dunno, it just didnt seem all THAT scary to me. Maybe its a cultural difference..

[VampyreRayne]

On youtube, however, Italians have been commenting rephrasing one of the taglines: "The movie that terrified America...and cracked up Italy", or something like that...

I can understand this, because some really great horror has come from Italian minds and European minds in general. However, small children aren't going to have that basis for comparison. And an R rating here, is what?, 17? I've never followed those ratings, but there ought to be more care taken to when these promos are shown. Generally speaking. I'm not one for censorship or anything, but they just aren't going to understand that its fake/simulated/generated, etc...

[FreddysFingers]

Is it bad that I actually laughed really hard when I read this?

[Maxx88]

No, because I did too!

[mrblue]

Yea same here. Really lame movie.

[Zach]

That's why it is not advisable to those have heart attacks to watch any horror movies esp. paranormal activity since it has immediate and long term effects. It can be a cause of heart attack or cardiac arrest. It is a major source of stress & can precipitate the above conditions. I have seen people running out of theater in acute panic and some even pee out. Long term effects are in pregnant ladies, as the first sense to develop is the hearing perception. Miscarriage can took place.In some case here is what happens to other people, their adrenal gland releases adrenaline and this raises their heart beat, they breath harder to gain more oxygen, and they get ready to fight or flight. So don't watch horror movies if you are not used in watching it because you could develop real phobias and traumas.But since this is a horror fan site, I dont think there are folks here that are not used to watch very horrifying films...

[mrblue]

After watching cannibal holocaust and growing up on the saw franchise makes no movie horrifying to watch for me

[Zach]

After watching cannibal holocaust and growing up on the saw franchise makes no movie horrifying to watch for me

They said that the saw franchise is actually a kind of film that have less torture than most in the sense of sadism or masochism, as most torture is self-inflicted by the characters and sometimes completely inevitable, but like you these movies make me a better horror fan...lol... and also the "Hostel" film, even some people criticize it like some of the Slovak public and their government attacked the film for its violence, and Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw noted that Hostel was "actually silly, crass and queasy. And not in a good way", I strongly disagree with that...that movie was completely awesome...

[SamWinchester89]

They said that the saw franchise is actually a kind of film that have less torture than most in the sense of sadism or masochism, as most torture is self-inflicted by the characters and sometimes completely inevitable, but like you these movies make me a better horror fan...lol... and also the "Hostel" film, even some people criticize it like some of the Slovak public and their government attacked the film for its violence, and Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw noted that Hostel was "actually silly, crass and queasy. And not in a good way", I strongly disagree with that...that movie was completely awesome...

I personally didn't like "Hostel" but that's only me...of course there's a lot of gore but that doesn't mean it shouldn't go on the big screen, after all...no one forces any1 2 go and watch those kinda movies. If one doesn't like gore, don't go watch it and u won't be traumatised, it's as simple as that...it wouldn't be fair to people who actually do like that genre...

[Zach]

well i respect your opinion about the hostel but for me they are awesome