SCREAM FEST: James Wan’s ‘The Conjuring’

Just in time for Halloween, James Wan’s “The Conjuring” has come out on DVD. And this film won’t disappoint if you’re looking for a good scare. Thanks to the film’s unique cinematography (though the subject matter obviously drives a lot of horror), “The Conjuring” feels like the old-fashioned scary movie audiences have been missing.

The movie starts with the typical horror movie-setup for disaster: the happy Perron family of seven moves into a new (old) house that they bought from the bank, which means they have no idea who the previous owner was. Everyone knows what unfortunate ingredients these are in Unsuspecting Death Wish Stew, but the movie takes place in 1971. To the Perron’s defense, they had no classic horror films, like “The Amityville Horror” (1979) to learn from.

It’s worth mentioning that “The Conjuring” is “based on a true story.” Whether or not your superstition or religion allows you to believe that, that phrase begs attention.

The ’70s seemed to be a hotbed of supernatural activity, fictitious and inspired. In film, the 1970s yielded the aforementioned Amityville story and other based-on-true-events tales, such as “The Exorcist” (1973) and “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974). Other pioneers in horror that decade include “Halloween” (1978), “Jaws” (1975), “The Hills Have Eyes” (1977), “Dawn of the Dead” (1978) and “Carrie” (1976).

Wan didn’t forget this ancestry when filming “The Conjuring.” What is most striking about this film is perhaps not its frightening story or well-cast, compelling characters, but it’s camera work.

“The Conjuring” showcases several different types of shots, some of which are characteristic of a few of the ’70s movies mentioned above. There’s the slow zoom-in from a wide shot, upside down shot, uncut follow-the-subject shot, point-of-view shot and even found footage.

This movie does something very smart, in that it not only addresses itself as a period film, it takes the audience back to that time period with its visual presentation. The subject matter is just as disturbing as it was when “The Exorcist” came out, and I think Wan is giving a nod to films like that.

In order to make a good horror film, a director can’t forget horror’s roots. Arguably, the 1970s brought us some of the best films Hollywood will ever turn out, and that includes scary movies. By cinematographically paying homage to the movies that scared the heck out of audiences 40 years ago, Wan forces us to realize how important they are.

This is not to say that Wan isn’t creative, because he is. But he’s acknowledging where his creativity festered. Despite the fact that he’s from Malaysia, Wan shows a very obvious appreciation for American horror and one of the most demonic decades film has ever seen.

They just don’t make ’em like that anymore.