LOS ANGELES , California ( CNN ) -- In its opening weekend , `` The Haunting in Connecticut '' scared and thrilled millions of moviegoers across the country . In `` The Haunting in Connecticut , '' Virginia Madsen sees strange things happen in her old house . The film , which earned $ 23 million to finish No . 2 at the box office , emphasizes psychological horror over slasher film blood ' n ' gore , which its audience apparently appreciated . But Virginia Madsen , who plays Sara Campbell in the film , confessed that , while filming , fear was not just reserved for the screen . `` We all stayed in this big , old hotel which was kind of like the one in 'The Shining , ' one of those turn-of-the- century big , old hotels , '' Madsen told CNN . `` I had a little chat with my room . I said , 'Just out of respect , if there are any entities around , I need to stay here , I have a lot of work to do , I have to sleep at night , so please leave me alone . ' `` Yet , Madsen admitted , her belief in ghosts is not very strong . `` I do have an attraction to paranormal investigation and all those kinds of shows but I 'm not sure if I really believe in ghosts , '' she said . `` The Haunting in Connecticut '' is based on the true story of Sara Campbell , a mother who moves her family into an old house in Connecticut in order to be closer to the hospital where her son , Matt ( Kyle Gallner ) , receives cancer treatment . The house was once a funeral home and , shortly after their move , the family begins witnessing strange , supernatural activities . `` Something very powerful and very real happened to this family . Whether or not you believe it was some sort of demon or , you know , they 're manifesting it -- whatever it is -- it changed their lives , '' Madsen said . Madsen , 47 , is probably best known for her Oscar-nominated turn in `` Sideways '' as Maya Randall , the restaurant waitress who gets involved in a romance with the prickly writer played by Paul Giamatti . Since that 2004 film , the actress has made several films , including `` A Prairie Home Companion '' and `` The Number 23 . '' She and the rest of the cast developed a close relationship on the set and were much like a family behind the scenes . `` I was more like a mother bear with my young actors , '' Madsen said . In fact , Madsen added , her close relationship with the younger actors made filming difficult at times . `` One scene in the movie that was the hardest for me to do was when [ Matt ] wakes up ... and his skin is all carved with these different incantations , '' she said . `` And I open his shirt and he 's just looking up at me with these big blue eyes with tears ... and he really felt like my boy , he really felt like my second son . '' Madsen said the film , complete with ghosts , séances and creaking floorboards , is successful because it has all the elements of a good horror flick . `` The movie works ... because it plays on our most basic childhood fears . 'Something 's under the bed , something 's in the closet , something 's in the mirror . ' And all of us still have those same childhood terrors , '' she said . The desire to experience those same terrors and to forget about everyday life , Madsen added , draws people to the theaters at an older age . `` I like things that go bump in the night , and scary things that are fun , '' she said . `` That 's really what this movie really is . I think horror movies are so popular because times are especially hard and I think a horror movie more than any other kind of movie is a true escape ... You 're forgetting about your life because you 're like , 'Oh my God ! ' `` CNN 's Elham Khatami contributed to this story .
`` The Haunting in Connecticut '' had a successful opening weekend at box office . Hide Caption 3 of 11 Photos:'Paranormal Activity' opens to $31.5M on its first day 'The Purge' -- the third film from