In the mid-2010s, horror movies featuring Ouija boards were popular. These films initially gained traction because people believed they were based on real events. One such movie that received considerable attention was the Spanish film 'Veronica.' Based on actual incidents that occurred in Madrid in 1991, the movie revolves around a teenage girl named Veronica who, along with her friends, uses an Ouija board during a solar eclipse and inadvertently summons a malevolent spirit.
From the beginning, the audience is made aware of Veronica and her family's financial struggles, with her father having passed away and Veronica taking on the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings while their mother works double shifts to make ends meet. As viewers, we can't help but feel a sense of protectiveness towards the family, hoping that nothing else befalls them, and this is exactly what director Paco Plaza capitalizes on.
The movie builds a tense and unsettling atmosphere from the very beginning, using effective cinematography, lighting, and sound design to create a sense of dread and foreboding. One of the greatest highlights of Veronica is the pervasive sense of dread that permeates the horror theme. The film's use of a muted, desaturated colour palette creates a sense of darkness and unease, which effectively enhances the horror element. The muted tones reflect the bleakness in Veronica's life. The director has deliberately avoided using bright colours to enhance the bleakness. The use of colour also serves to heighten the emotional impact of certain scenes. For instance, in the scene where Veronica undergoes a traumatic experience, the colour grading is altered to create a green tint, which intensifies a sense of unease.
Plaza's decision to shoot the film in a single location, a cramped and dark apartment, added to the claustrophobic atmosphere, which in turn heightened the sense of dread. The tight spaces created an unsettling feeling, making it seem as if there was no escape from the supernatural presence that was haunting Veronica. The cinematography, along with the use of practical effects and minimal CGI, added to the authenticity of the horror elements, creating a sense of realism that made the film all the more terrifying.
When discussing Ouija board movies on a global scale, it is important to note the contributions of Mollywood to the Ouija board movie universe. 'Aparichithan' was the first Malayalam movie based on an Ouija board and can be considered ahead of its time. During the movie's release, the Malayali audience was terrified of Ouija boards, and the release was even postponed. While there is no direct comparison between Veronica and Aparichithan, as the two movies deal with different themes, both draw inspiration from the horror tales of their respective cultures. Both Aparichithan and Veronica draw upon familiar horror tropes, using traditional elements such as revenge, ghosts, and old rituals. While Aparichithan uses the Ouija board premise to tell a ghost folktale, Veronica sets up the haunting in a seance-like ritual format with a demon entity. Despite these differences, both movies utilize the supernatural in a way that creates suspense and horror, leaving audiences scared and enthralled.
While there are many films made on Ouija boards, these two movies stand out due to the distinctive techniques employed. Ouija boards have proven to be a great premise for horror, but their effectiveness depends on how they are used in movies. Both movies have successfully created an eerie and spine-chilling atmosphere, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. The use of Ouija boards in horror movies requires a careful balance of horror and suspense, and both Veronica and Aparichithan have achieved this balance masterfully.
