"This really is a great movie. Annabelle is so different. It reminded me a bit of Dead Silence - mostly because it was a doll, but also because of how creepy it is. The fact that Annabelle is a real doll made me very curious.
"Annabelle is based on a real haunted doll but, instead of using a Raggedy Anne doll (like the real one,) they went for something more intimidating. You can see why. The movie probably wouldn't have worked if Annabelle wasn't just a little too large and a whole lot creepy. "
Now, personally, I prefer the sequel (er, prequel?) Annabelle: Creation. I think it's a more unusual story, a more interesting story. Annabelle beats it to this list, though, because it was the first. It's also important to remember that Annabelle is a spin-off that launched its own franchise. I don't know where they could possibly go with a third Annabelle movie but you can bet I'd put my butt in the seat for it.
"I think Annabelle: Creation was better. Scarier, at least. As for The Conjuring, Annabelle and The Conjuring work brilliantly together; you can't really say one is better than the other."
Televisions play an important role in this film. You've got the Manson family on the telly, which segues into the neighbour's crazy daughter and her cult fucking everyone's lives up. The foreshadowing is subtle but effective. Television is also a useful tool after the attack; it cuts to a news report explaining what happened, then transitions seamlessly into an ultrasound.
It's not unusual to see television at the heart of a horror movie. They're man-made objects that take o their own lives. And, honestly, they can be pretty damned creepy. If you don't believe me, just watch The Ring.
There are other man-made objects in Annabelle that add an extra layer of creepy to the movie. Take, for instance, the rocking chair. I don't know about you, but I've seen enough horror movies in my time to be pretty nervous when I'm in a room with one. If you see a rocking chair in a horror movie, you can be that thing's moving on its own, right?
So, why are rocking chairs so creepy? I think it has something to do with the fact that they're associated with motherhood - another theme of the film. Who do you picture in a rocking chair? A mother rocking her baby to sleep? Or, do you picture a grandmother gently rocking away while she knits something cozy for the grandkids? When you've got a strong symbol of motherhood like that, the scariest thing you can do is pervert it by giving it its own life, which is what Annabelle and other movies do.
"Two of the scariest things in movies I've ever seen involved rocking chairs. One was Salem's Lot. The other was an episode of Armchair Thrillers. Rocking chairs great tools because they can be used to show there's something there you can't see."
On the same theme, it's important that Mia (Annabelle Wallis) is a pregnant woman then, of course, is a mother. It adds to the overall horror. There's an underlying fear all mothers face of something they can't fight taking their baby. Mia says early on that she would die for her child, which a lot of mothers watching will identify with.
And, because it's set in the Sixties, it's important to point out that the movie's ultimate mother figure is Evelyn (Alfre Woodard), who just happens to be a person of colour. There's a powerful statement in that little inclusion - though Jay would, no doubt, point out that it was probably just lucky casting.
"I actually like Evelyn most out of all the characters. Alfre Woodard is a fabulous actor and the fact that she's the one to save the entire family when she just seems like a side character is perfect."
The last man-made object that's a perfect horror implement is Annabelle herself. Even before that freaking bitch came out of her box, the number of dolls in the baby's room was freaky as hell. I don't know about you, but I find most dolls unbelievably creepy. Why is that? Is it because they're made to look like children but have no lives of their own? Is it because of those old beliefs that dolls could be used to work spells on people? Whatever the reason, I will never not be freaked out by dolls.
Annabelle, of course, is supposed to be scary. Her face seems to alter when the camera angle changes. Sometimes, she looks almost sweet but others...
"It's the same with robots. There's something wrong with a thing that looks like a human, but has no emotions. Maybe that's why politicians are so unsettling..."
As with the Manson family on the television, Annabelle is brilliant at utilizing foreshadowing. When Mia is sewing, you're waiting for an accident. Several times, the camera focuses on her as she sews without looking at the machine. I wanted to scream at her to pay attention so many times!
It doesn't just excel at foreshadowing, it also kills anticipation. The movie does it several times and it works every single time: everything stops while the characters are looking at one thing or another and, for awhile, nothing happens. Then... WHAM. It waits just long enough to hit you with the scare.
One of the most frightening moments of the film is when the little girl runs at the door and, when it swings open again, it's the dead woman. Then, there's the moment when Mia is looking under the door at her daughter and the doll falls in her line of vision. I jumped both times.
"I didn't find Annabelle frightening - I don't really find any film frightening anymore - but it was certainly jumpy. And, if it makes you jump, I've enjoyed it!
"I know you prefer it when they don't show the big bad too much because you feel it makes it less scary but I don't agree with this one. I liked the fact that they showed the demon because it was actually very frightening.
My favourite bit of the movie is the scene in the basement. It's the creepiest moment of Annabelle. The dimly-lit basement is very atmospheric and dark. Who wouldn't be freaked out if the lift wouldn't go up? Every time she hits that button, the doors slide closed, and they open on the basement again, you can feel her terror rising higher and higher. So well done."
Probably the absolute worst moments for me happened in the apartment when you think Mia's smashed her own daughter to pieces instead of the doll. It plays on a basic human fear we all share: that what we perceive as the truth might not be real. Annabelle messes with Mia's (and our) sense of reality several times as the movie comes to an end.
The Conjuring movies give you (mostly) happy endings, which a lot of horror movies don't. They never really end (because evil never does) but the main characters do okay, which is something. Sometimes you need that happy ending to shake off the gloom of an excellent horror film. In Annabelle, you have the best elements of a haunting and a possession, all rolled into one, with the trademark Conjuring (mostly) happy ending.
"If you like being scared and want something you won't see coming, this is the movie for you. There are so many frights that you won't be expecting. The score is good, the script is good. Overall, it's a top-notch modern horror film."
Did you enjoy Annabelle? I'd love to hear what you think. You can either leave a comment below or find me on Twitter. See you next time.
