The Conjuring (2013) – Film Review
Director: James Wan
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Lili Taylor
Certificate: 15
By Roger Crow
Period horror films have a longer shelf life than contemporary chillers, which may be one of the reasons why my first viewing of 2013 blockbuster The Conjuring looks like it was made yesterday.
Yes, I am well aware of the universe this movie spawned, including that creepy doll Annabelle and The Conjuring 2, which memorably features The Clash’s 1979 hit ‘London Calling’ over the first few minutes. Remarkable considering it’s set in 1977 and the track wasn’t released for another two years.
With the original film thankfully we are in safe hands because it stars the ever-reliable Patrick Wilson and the dreamy Vera Farmiga. The version I watched is just about the most high def version you can see – the 4K Ultra HD, which means the shadows are super black, and when there is colour it really pops. The sound is excellent too.
“Unexplained happenings”
Early on in the film we are introduced to married paranormal experts (Wilson and Farmiga), but the meat of the story is pure Amityville Horror. It centres on a likeable family who move into a creaky old house, with something untoward in the cellar and the most adorable dog, who naturally is afraid to go in the old dark house. And if you are a pet lover, spoiler alert: that cute pooch doesn’t last very long. Which is annoying, because I hate the fact pets in horror movies are so often used as sacrificial paws. Sorry, that should be pawns, and damn you AutoCorrect for coming up with a better gag than I could’ve thought of.
Anyway, all the boxes are soon ticked: things going bump in the night; unexplained happenings, and a good old exorcism. Director James Wan turns everything up to 11 with the third act, so there’s more flash, bangs and wallops than a Tommy Steele song. Yet for all the cliches, this is a beautifully crafted ghost train of a ride, which keeps you gripped throughout.
And there are some genuinely creepy thrills here, such as the thing on top of the wardrobe, and the gag with the musical mirror.
“Recapture that freshness”
Clearly designed as a franchise-launching vehicle, all the films that followed no doubt tried to recapture that freshness. And when a $20million production generates $320million at the global office, little wonder Wan and company hoped for even more success.
One of the extras docs features cast and crew reflecting on the OG movie a dozen years after the event, which is weird especially as a newcomer to the film.
Anyway, well worth a look for first-time viewers, or fans since day one who want to experience the best home viewing experience possible.
Adopted Yorkshireman Roger Crow developed a passion for film and TV in the 1970s and 1980s. He has been a published film and TV reviewer since the 1990s; a world travel and restaurant critic since the noughties, and for the past decade has assessed the pros and cons of live gigs and theatre productions around the UK. His ideal day would involve reviewing a performance of Bat Out of Hell, followed by a Pad Thai while being serenaded by Texas on a cruise around Europe.
crowsfeat.com
4K UHD special features:
- Scariest of Them All (NEW) – The cast and creators of The Conjuring take a look back at some of the greatest scares of the series, uncovering what made these films so iconic.
- Reflections on the Conjuring (NEW) – More than a decade after the release of the original film, the cast and crew of The Conjuring reflect on their experiences creating one of the most legendary horror series in history.
- The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Terror – Relive the real-life horror as the Perron family comes together to reflect back on the farmhouse they shared with diabolical spirits for nearly a decade.
- A Life in Demonology – The real demonologist and paranormal experts from The Conjuring take you inside their life’s work and into their personal occult cellar, where they keep haunted and unholy relics from their many cases.
- Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You – Director James Wan (Saw, Insidious) welcomes you into his world and gives an inside look at the scenes that scare the “@$*%” out of moviegoers time and time again.
4K Ultra HD Collector's Edition additional features:
- SteelBook
- Rigid slipcase with soft-touch finish
- A3 double sided theatrical poster
- 5x double sided character cards
- 6x behind the scenes cards
- 8-page Warren booklet
- Hide-and-Clap game instructions
- “Based on the true case files of the Warrens” sticker
The Conjuring is released on 4K UHD, 4K UHD SteelBook and as a 4K UHD Collector's Edition by Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
