No, "Paranormal Activity" is not based on a true story.
However, director Oren Peli told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that moving to a home in San Diego inspired the film.
"I never lived in a single detached family home," he said, so he was conscious of every noise at night, particularly of the house settling and items slipping from shelves. That led to thinking how a video camera might document the source of the sounds, which led to the movie.
He credits "This Is Spinal Tap" and "The Blair Witch Project" as influencing a movie that purports to be true, but isn't.
Additional input from WikiAnswers contributors:
In addition, do you really believe that an invisible so-called "demon" could really drag an adult like Katie (if that even is her real name)? I bet they put strings on her ankles or attached her to a bunch cables. Plus, it says "Thanks to this police station for this video." I have seen way too many movies that say that.
My point is, it is NOT true. Do not believe one second of it; this will just waste your time staying up at night afraid the "demon" is going to haunt YOU.
I did not find this out until after doing some research of my own because of suspicion... I have watched scenes and trailers of the movie and it is almost identical to that of the 2009 movie "Paranormal Entity." Note the bathroom scenes and the "rape" by an unknown force.
Another oddity: The name "Maron" in "Paranormal Entity" was the woman in the movie "The Entity's" last name.
(You can learn more about the background of the movie on the film's official website listed in the Related Links below.)
No, contrary to what the movie states, Paranormal Activity is not based on a true story.
None of the Paranormal Activity movies are based on a true story.
Paranormal Activity is purely a fictional movie
Nowhere, since the Paranormal Activity movies are entirely fictional. There is no "true story" behind them.
It was not based on any books.
No, contrary to what the movie states, Paranormal Activity is not based on a true story.
None of the Paranormal Activity movies are based on a true story.
Paranormal Activity is purely a fictional movie
No, it's just a good and scary movie.
No. don't believe everything you are told
Nowhere, since the Paranormal Activity movies are entirely fictional. There is no "true story" behind them.
It was not based on any books.
that movie is not a true story soo no
The movie Paranormal Activity is entirely a work of fiction. It is 100% make-believe. There is no "real footage." There is no "true story."
There is no real story. Paranormal Activity is an entirely fictional (make-believe) movie. It is not based on any one true story or stories.
Yes the 3rd paranormal activity movie is bades on a true story; however the 1st and 2nd were not due to the fact that the activity ceased to happen to the family after they moved out of the house where Christi met Toby. Only the main outline of the story was used for the movie the events were creates out of the writers minds. Hope this helps!
Because it is part of the movie's hype, to make people think it is a true story. Paranormal Activity is a work of fiction.