The Conjuring (2013)

A red carpet interview was conducted at the LA premier for Warner Bros' latest horror jaunt, The Conjuring, with the author whose alleged true account was translated to the big screen, Andrea Perron. In the interview, she claimed that the making of the film was plagued by “a presence” known as “Bathsheba's Curse”. Aficionados of the genre will have heard of similar occurrences happening during filming for The Exorcist; crew supposedly succumbing to mysterious deaths; cast suffering physiological breakdown and, indeed, there was the fire that ravaged the original lot.  Compared to those circumstances, Bathsheba's Curse seems little more than an explainable draught; in fact, that's probably what it was till Perron eloquently sensationalised it – now, it’s “a supernatural wind” that sent the film equipment “flying”. Ironically, such plagiaristic post-production gimmickry signifies the foundation for The Conjuring’s commercial success.

Past the spoilery trailers and priest-on-standby placards of the marketing team’s induced hysteria lurks an actual film, you know! Set in 1971 Rhode Island, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) investigate alleged paranormal activity in the Perron family’s newly inhabited farmhouse. 

Lili Taylor in The Conjuring

As the situation steadily worsens, the assortment of ghoulies hone their appreciation of scare timing…true story! Or maybe that’s just director James Wan’s interpretation of events. Oddly – considering all the effort spent imposing the reference text’s legitimacy – The Conjuring spends most of its duration honouring the supernatural titles of bygone decades, nostalgically reproducing the clichés using inorganic CGI effects. Engaging characterisations notwithstanding, you just don’t know whether to believe this frightening tale that’s all too evocative of a product that circuited the Hollywood horror conveyor belt. 

Clearly, despite Andrea's revelation that the ghosts were pleased that she told their stories, the cinematic adaptation of the experience serves a less moralistic purpose; one in which those so-called pleased spirits encompass a combined 25 seconds of screen time for cheap chills, the film takes over $80million in its opening weekend and Andrea ‘The Shill’ Perron obviously pockets a huge royalty cut. 

Rating: 3/5