A special advance screening of The Conjuring: Last Rites in Texas turned bizarre when accounts of a man experiencing convulsions at the film started. The event, combined with the addition of a bishop issuing blessings prior to screening, has left moviegoers speculating on whether they saw a real emergency, a supernatural experience, or a big publicity hoax. Prior to the start of the movie at the Rio Grande Valley, Bishop Bryan Ouellette who has had TV appearances on Dateline and Ghost Adventures was in attendance at the theater. According to eyewitness accounts, he sprinkled holy water at the door, prayed, and gave out St. Michael the Archangel cards, which have traditionally been seen as protection from evil. Footage shared on social media soon went viral, featuring patrons both laughing and agitated by the ritual-like setting.
What Had Happened At The Conjuring: Last Rites In Texas?
The screening itself was said to have intensified when a man started having convulsions throughout the film. Descriptions are still mixed: some attest that staff at the theatre ran to assist him like in an emergency medical situation, while others argue that the timing was simply too suspicious to be written off. Lacking any confirmation from Warner Bros. or the cinema chain, gossip has only grown online.
The horror genre has long been familiar with cinematic gimmicks. In the 1970s, The Exorcist was notorious for fainting episodes among audiences and the handing out of barf bags. Years later, Paranormal Activity relied heavily on night vision shots of shocked audience members to generate hype. Against this history, critics claim that the involvement of the bishop and the supposed possession come across as too convenient to be coincidental.
While some of the guests have labeled the night as spooky but exciting, others were worried about whether the man got adequate medical care. In the meantime, the viral videos have stimulated interest in The Conjuring: Last Rites, keeping the film in the spotlight prior to its release.
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Whether it was an act of divine intervention, a masterfully planned trick, or merely a bad case of indigestion, the Texas screening has made the boundary between reality and cinema hazy.
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