Is the movie 'Paranormal Activity' based on a true story?

Answer 1

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:

• According to writer/director Oren Peli, he got the idea for the movie after he and his girlfriend bought their first house together. They bought a new suburban tract house, which was still settling. At night, the house could be heard creaking and settling, causing little noises and things to fall off shelves and break. Peli doesn't say whether or not he thought his house was haunted, but that incident is what gave him the idea to write "Paranormal Activity."

• First off, the movie isn't what it seems at all. The first 10 minutes are terrible - to say the least. And then it picks up and it was excellent. Definitely check it out!

• No, "Paranormal Activity" isn't a true story. It's a made-up story like all ghost movies they make except they wanted to make it seem more real, like a documentary. I mean you can't just find a camera and all that stuff on site and say lets turn it into a real movie.
• No. There are 2 endings; it were true and they DID die, how could they make an alternate ending? What, did they come back alive, make another ending, then die AGAIN? Impossible.

  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.

• "Paranormal Entity" was in fact based on a fictitious story. In 1978, a book was published by a man named Frank Defelitta... It was then made into a movie in 1983 named "The Entity." And "Paranormal Entity" is in fact based on this book.

  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.

• No, of course it is not based on a true story: The CIA or the FBI don't share with their documents with some director. And also, if this event were true, we would have seen that in news all over the world....
• Actually - and as you can see - it is true. Think of it: When a person dies where does his or her spirit go? Well, here above the ground, and demons are true and they are very powerful.

(You can learn more about the background of the movie on the film's official website listed in the Related Links below.)

Answer 2

it is not a true story it is completly fictional

Answer 3

No, as far as I can tell, the writers have never claimed that Insidious (2011) is based on or even inspired by a true story.