Let me first start out by saying that I have never given a movie a 10 rating and that this 10 rating is not because of the quality of the movie or the acting skills of the actors but purely on the fact that I was scared shitless after watching it, so much that I was too afraid to go to sleep! This movie was scarier than "The Conjuring" but surprisingly never made it to the theaters! I now regret watching the movie because I tossed and turned all last night for fear of closing my eyes! I was so scared! This is ironic considering that I searched high and low for it after seeing a preview of it. I finally found it on Netflix (DVD)and wanted to watch it so bad that I subscribed to the DVD service! "Shadow People" is based on true events about a 1971 sleep study gone wrong where people died mysteriously in Kentucky after claiming to see shadow people. The best part about the movie is that throughout the movie, they show clips of the real people and their reactions to the first event (a call to a late night DJ show) that set things in motion! It's all over you tube but since it has been said that those who watch the videos die (in a ring-type manner), I have decided not to venture that way! I ain't ashamed to admit it...I'm just too scared!

What is this movie really about? I don't think it knows. Is it a horror movie? Is it a suspense thriller, a mockumentary or a based on a true story drama? It's no genre busting masterpiece just a movie that doesn't know what its own genre is.Is this a movie about the man or about the shadow people? Is it a warning to mankind or an admission of fraudulent behaviour and a portrayal of questionable character? No. it's a move that doesn't even understand it's own message.Is it a movie that leaves us with questions about what really happened or about the nature of the universe and how we really understand? No, it's a movie that leaves us with the question why? Why did anyone bother to make a film about something they clearly have no understanding of or belief in? I suspect half way through the process the director lost faith in his message so meandered between believer and skeptic.The 'real' footage of interviews with the original people was weak and completely pointless. None of them had anything to say either way and all seemed to be quite confused as to why there were being interviewed at all.It's a very weak movie that doesn't deserve your time.

A radio talk show host (Dallas Roberts) unravels a conspiracy about encounters with mysterious beings known as the Shadow People and their role in the unexplained deaths of several hundred victims in the 1980s.I had never heard of shadow people before this film, but a little search turns up two things: they were featured in "John Dies at the End" and on the radio program Coast to Coast AM. Now, I will have to assume that the "John Dies" is a coincidence, but there is obviously a Coast to Coast connection since this film focuses on a late night talk host... nicely done, folks. And thank you for not making him as wacky as Art Bell.This is a fine effort from Matt Arnold, who has not really made a name for himself in film just yet. Could this be his big break? Perhaps. I missed an opportunity to chat with Arnold, and that is unfortunate... I would love to know about his work on "Jackie Brown".

Rarely do I come across anything in my viewing of horror movies that makes me jumpy or paranoid after turning the TV off. Most times I enjoy the film and then go on about my business with no worries. However, every once in a while a true gem of fear comes along and leaves its imprint on me as I shut off all the lights in the house and head to bed. Matthew Arnold's "Shadow People" had me searching the walls and windows for ghastly spots of unexplained darkness after watching it.Participants in an experimental sleep study in the 1970s report seeing strange shadowy figures. They and several hundred other individuals die in their sleep soon after. The phenomenon was given the name SUNDS, which stands for "Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome." Doctors wouldn't talk about the shadows.In the present, failing radio talk show host Charlie Crowe begins receiving calls from a teenager claiming shadowy intruders are coming for him. At first, Charlie believes the kid is mentally ill. His theory is challenged when the boy dies in his sleep. Things get even weirder when listeners of his talk show and people he tells about the mysterious shadowy figures begin dying in their sleep. Are these clusters of deaths a coincidence or are there sinister nocturnal forces at work?"Shadow People" takes the sort of ideas our nightmares are made of and puts them in a visual package. Everything you've ever thought about someone or something watching you in your sleep is brought to life in this creepy little indie film.Director Matthew Arnold shows great promise through his mastery of timing. He has a knack for setting up what you would expect to be your typical jump scare and somehow delivering it in an off-tempo manner that leaves the viewer surprised and shuddering.I can't say I completely agree with every choice of filmmaking he used for "Shadow People." The movie is presented in the manner of many true crime TV shows are. It's a re-enactment of "true events" with the actual people involved giving their commentary along the way. The concept is interesting but gets a bit distracting as the terror unfolds.Many religious individuals would express their belief that shadow people are demons or evil spirits. Much like in "The Possession" or "The Exorcist," the person has brought something into their house that allowed the entity access. I am of that mindset more so than any other concept brought up in this.If I were to compare "Shadow People" to other movies out there just as a way to spark people's interest, "The Ring" and "The Apparition" immediately come to mind. By no means is this a carbon copy of either of those films. They just came to mind as I sat watching it."Shadow People" is that rare horror movie that leaves a lasting impression on its audience. The fear might wear off over time, but you'll never completely stop thinking about it. We all wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air, feeling like something is sitting on us, or thinking we're being watched. Is it just our imagination or could it be the shadow people?