White Noise (2005)

[Scott]

WHITE NOISE (2005) - Watched this last night. This was really a scary film if you ask me. It sent shivers up my spine with hair on end. The whole idea of the spirit world communicating through electronic devices and even through tv images. Micheal Keaton stars as an architect who's wife dies and he tries to communicate with her.

(8 out of 10 Stars) Scariest film in years.

[Gerry]

When I saw this thread I had to double-check which folder it was in (I expected this to be in the Badmovies folder).  I thought this one was horrible.  Really stinky.  Limberger cheese smelly.  I reviewed it a year or so ago if you want my reasons:

http://www.scifilm.org/reviews3/whitenoise.html

[Mr_Vindictive]

Gotta agree with Gerry here Scott.  I had high hopes for White Noise.  I am fascinated by EVP and it was great that Keaton was acting again.  Sadly, this movie was terrible.

Nothing in it is original.  It doesn't care about the phenomenon that is EVP, it just decided to use it as a framework for a substandard ghost story.  The ending is what especially made me mad.  I'll not give it away, but I will say that it is stupid. 

This being said, White Noise 2 is supposed to be quite good.  Apparently it has Nathan Fillion this time around, and the reviews I've seen so far have been favorable.  Not sure if it is available on DVD yet or not.

[Scott]

I think I just like the topic so much that I overscored it. I would definitely say that it could have been done better. The sounds and images were sucking me in a bit. The rest of the production was weak. Overall I think it was a scary film in comparison to other "horror films". I think ghost stories are scarier than blood/guts films anyway. Perhaps I was over excited about this film and I'll keep it in the good film category, but with a generous 7 out of 10 stars. It's probably a 6 out of 10.

GHOST was a dramatic and romantic ghost story. Not a scary ghost story.

SIX SENSE was good, but it wasn't a scary ghost story.

WHITE NOISE was scary.    (7 out of 10 Stars)

Edit: I also like how they made a connection between evp and Ouija boards and seances. Never thought about evp's that way. Interesting.

 

[Khaz]

I'm kind of the fence on this one. While the movie started out good before petering out to suckiness, I woulden't say I hated it. Also id did manage to creep me out a bit, but i think that was mostly residual childhood fear caused by Poltergiest (if you remember the ghosts and the tv static in that one?) which to this day I get the willies when forced to get up in the middle of the night to turn off the TV when it is playing static. This movie could have been alot better but it is not so bad that i felt that I had lost 90 mins. of my life after watching it either. 6.5 out of 10 for me.

[Scott]

POLTERGIEST is going to be a classic film one day. Still a favorite of mine.

[Gerry]

This being said, White Noise 2 is supposed to be quite good.  Apparently it has Nathan Fillion this time around, and the reviews I've seen so far have been favorable.  Not sure if it is available on DVD yet or not.

I'm interested in this one.  I'm a big Nathan Fillion fan (after "Firefly" and SERENITY).  I always thought the concept of WHITE NOISE was good, it was just the execution that was terrible here.  I'd be willing to give the sequel a chance.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I believe my biggest problem with the film is that it could have been better considering the source material.  EVPs can be extremely frightening.  I've done amateur recordings at cemeteries and old homes in the area and almost always find something interesting.  Mind you I live in an area with homes from the late 1600s, including Blackbeard's home. 

The film just took the phenomenon and raped it over and over.  It insulted anyone who is interested/studies the phenomenon. 

If you are interested, then go to a place that has been well lived in over the years.  Preferably a building that has been there for over 40 years or so.  Take a small handheld tape recorder with you and make sure the area you are in is silent.  Start recording, ask a few general questions for any spirit that might inhabit the space, and then go back and listen to what you recorded.  I can almost guarantee that you will hear something in the recording.  If you are lucky you will be able to make out words and or sentences from the recording.

Sorry to hijack the post here.

[Shadow]

I have to go with the general consensus: great concept, poor execution. I really thought the film was going to examine the EVP aspect a lot better and have it be more integral to the story, but like Skaboi said, it just used it as a springboard for a less than horrifying tale.

Still, I bought the DVD, so that either affirms my love of bad movies or my horrible taste in modern cinema. 

[Scott]

I also found it interesting how the "white noise" produced images of the future.

[Killer Bees]

I didn't really like this movie much and that upset me.  I like Michael Keaton as an actor and I thought he did a good job, but the movie was boring and seemed to drag.

My normal criteria for a film is that I have to be entertained, however that manifests itself.  But I was really disappointed this time.

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it this time.  I might rent it again and see what happens.  But last time, the credit rolled and I thought, "what happened? Is that it?"

[Scott]

Welcome to the forum Killer Bees.........

Don't rush out to see WHITE NOISE again. It seems that a lot of people didn't like it. I just really like a good ghost story and I found this one pretty good. Not the best, but different, and dare I say scary. 

[HarlotBug3]

Another vote for a good concept, even a good execution till it takes a sloppy turn from atmosphere into razzle dazzle.

Don't bother.

Watch 'The Ring' if you want to develop a fear of technology. (The sequal was infurriatingly bad, btw.)

[Scott]

THE RING was one of the better horror flicks in the past 20 years. Still haven't seen the original RINGU.

[Khaz]

THE RING was one of the better horror flicks in the past 20 years. Still haven't seen the original RINGU.

Ringu was better than the Ring IMO, kind of like how the original Grudge was better than the one with buffy.