Horror movie terrifies Italian kids and angers politicians

Italy's emergency response service reported dozens of calls, especially from southern Naples, where “several panic attacks lasting more than half an hour took place on Saturday,” an employee told the ANSA news agency.

“The most serious case is that of a 14-year-old girl who was brought to the hospital in a state of paralysis,” he said.

“For the past two weeks a trailer has been shown obsessively on TV and is terrifying thousands of children. The movie is called 'Paranormal Activity,'” Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said last Thursday.

“It's a terrible thing. I took notice because my seven-year-old son told me 'Daddy, I'm scared',” ANSA reported him saying during a visit to Istanbul.

Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of the Italian fascist dictator and head of a parliamentary committee on children, said “Paranormal Activity” had “highly distressing content” and was causing “panic attacks and psychological problems among youths.”

“I don't think we can ban 'Paranormal Activity' now, but surely we need to study how to warn parents of the risks their children are incurring,” Mussolini said.

The movie, which cost just US$15,000 (11,000 euros) to make, opened in Italian cinemas at the weekend, grossing more than 3.65 million euros, more per cinema than Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar” — the costliest movie of all time.

In the flick, Katie and Micah, haunted by paranormal phenomena, decide to tape their ordeal, in the style of 1999 hit “The Blair Witch Project”.

Codacons, a consumer advocacy group, said in a statement it was “considering legal action to protect underage viewers of 'Paranormal Activity.'”

The Italian parents' association noted that admission to the movie is restricted in the United States, Britain, Germany and The Netherlands and asked for an age limit of 18 in Italy.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email