Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction

Film Review: The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Scared the Crap out of Me)

This film scared the bejesus out of me. Not the kind of jumping at shadows scary that fades almost as soon as the movie ends, or at the most the next day, but the deep rooted sort of fear that can wake you up weeks or even years later in the middle of the night and paralyse you in the dark in your bed.

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Apparently based (loosely) on the true story of the German case of Anneliese Michel, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is a curious mix of horror and court room drama. Laura Innes is the defence lawyer for Father Moore (Tom Wilkinson), the priest accused of negligence resulting in the death of Emily Rose (Jennifer Carpenter of Dexter). He, like her family, claim she was possessed and died during an exorcism, carried out as per her wishes. The other side argue Emily suffered from a psychological illness and wasn’t cared for properly.

Laura Innes is a sceptic. But Father Moore warns her that believer or not, evil will be watching her now that she is an instrument of good, acting against the dark forces. He also warns her that 3.00am is the typical time for such evil to occur. For whatever reason, that’s the time the barrier between our world and theirs is at its weakest. Sure enough, she starts to wake at 3.00am and senses she is not alone. (Now I am terrified of waking in the middle of the night and glimpsing 3.00am in the alarm clock).

I’m not sure why this film affected me so much. I’ve seen other possession films and never given them a second thought. But Emily Rose freaked me out. I think it’s the idea of something crawling inside my body that terrifies me. In this film, when Emily is possessed, she is not always alone. One horrifying time, she’s in her dorm room with her boyfriend who’s in the same bed as her when the demon enters her body, constricting and distorting her bones. The fact this happened with another person nearby adds to the horror. It seems if a demon is determined to possess your body, surrounding yourself with family and friends will not help you. It can claim you whenever it wants. *Shudders*.

The very fact that exorcisms take place in real life gives me goosebumps. Is possession by demons a real phenomenon? I hope I never find out. ****

Who’s seen this one? Did it scare you as badly as it did me, or am I just a wimp?

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Blog Tour: The Awakening and Other Stories

The short and sweet one week blog tour for The Awakening & Other Stories kicks off today. Meet lonely ghosts, an old witch, ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, and of course, one or two vampires.

Put on the kettle, close the curtains and curl up by the fire. Dive into 8 short tales, each with a slice of the paranormal.

Ghost Story – Who is the shadow in the window of the abandoned house, and what or who is he waiting for?
The Awakening – It’s time for Sabrina to wake up and face the light.
End of the Line – Cassie wants to die. When midnight rolls around, she stands on the tracks waiting for the train to come.
Milsa Loris – The once magnificent kingdom of Milsa Loris comes alive one night each winter. The King’s witch is brewing up a little magic, sure to make the soup all the tastier.
The Old Vampire – Hailey spent her life dreaming of a dark prince falling in love with her. He never showed up, until now.
The Knocking – Alison’s grandfather has one eye on the next life. After all, he’s heard a lot of rapping at his door lately.
The Boy on the Beach – Kate’s grandmother warns her about the boy with the green eyes. Will she pay heed?
Snowglobes– It’s busy at Calvin’s Cabins this Christmas. Eddie and Maggie are a young couple in trouble. Not to fear, Calvin is always ready to lend a hand.