Bradenton, FL                   Spooky season is officially upon us! No, I’m not talking about the upcoming election, nor any Colleen Hoover book, though I find both topics thoroughly frightening. I’m talking about what some believe to be the greatest holiday in the world: Halloween. More specifically, horror movies and what I believe makes a great one. 

Horror is one of those genres that’s hard to get right but also sort of hard to royally screw up. Mostly because your average “bad” horror movie is just campy with cheap effects that make it fall into the “so bad it’s good” category. Essentially, the odds that you’ll find an exhausting scary movie are pretty slim. 

But by the same token, the odds that you’ll find a scary movie so bone-chilling, so brilliantly executed on every front that you can’t help but be scared, are also slim. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve seen a horror movie or two.  

But, if for some reason you’ve been living under a rock your whole life, I recommend using that Netflix subscription you forgot about, queuing up Bird Box and witnessing the magic that is a good horror movie. 

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So, I guess we should address what horror is before we get too far. Horror as a concept in movie making is a genre that focuses on fear. It’s unique in that it’s one of the only types of entertainment that actively seeks to draw out a negative emotion from its audience. 

But if horror is the filming of a fear, what elicits that fear? As it turns out, there are plenty of factors that play into the scariness of a film. Everything from the music to the set design to the casting plays a role. One thing they all have in common is that to make them effective, the creator must understand their audience. 

Which like… yeah. I’m sure that seems like the most obvious thing in the world but clearly it isn’t since “horror” movies like Jaws: The Revenge exist but I digress. If you’ve ever taken AP Lang, or ever plan to, something you find out within week one is that audience perspective is one of the most important parts of an effective piece of media. 

Mrs. Barnes certainly likes to drill that SPACECAT acronym deep into the crevices of your brain, and for good reason. Not only do good films and books understand their audience, they respect their audience. They have to maintain some level of trust in the relationship of filmmaker and consumer. This means the consumer trusts the maker to make a film worth their time and money, while the maker trusts that the consumer is smart enough to handle their story with care… and that they’ll give them said money. 

C’mon guys, don’t tell me you thought this was just semantics, it’s always about the money in the end! But on a real note, budget is huge factor in filmmaking. It’s the difference between a made-for-TV special and blockbuster with its own premiere.  

Now if all the film students in the audience could kindly untie their knickers from the knot they’re in after that statement, I’m not saying that these productions are bad. In fact, I think it’s quite the opposite; they’re accessible and interesting and a valid art form. Frankly, some of these movies are better than their blockbuster counterparts.  

Just as an example, let’s use The Lorax because why not. When you hear that name, I’m about 80 percent sure you’re thinking of the 3D animated movie that came out in 2012 but I think of a different one. I think of the 1972 version of the same name. 

A 25 minute, made for TV special based on the book by Dr. Seuss. In my personal opinion, I think the 1972 version is objectively better and manages to be better within a third of its competitor that had a much larger budget.  

Why? Well, because the 2012 version understood its audience a little too well. By that I mean it’s a children’s film that both knows and capitalizes on its audience. So yes, it understands you, but no it does not respect you. A great example of how they do this is by making The Oncelor a scrawny, conventionally attractive man while O’Hare is short and conventionally unattractive. 

Illumination, the studio producing the movie, wants you to look at them like the Oncelor; a guy who makes mistakes but is ultimately redeemable. In reality they’re actually like O’Hare; money-hungry corporate big-shots whose only concern is growth.  

Movie making is complex, that much we can tell. But that’s alright because even when something is complicated doesn’t mean it’s impossible to achieve.  

What was it we were talking about? Oh right, horror movies! Quite the jump, I know. So what are some examples of good horror movies? 

P Lujvbyhnl Ylhkpun Huf Jvssllu Ovvcly Ivvr mvy h Ylhs Ahzal vm Alyyvy Iba Olyl’z Zvtl Nvvk Tvcplz Hufdhf  

I’m so glad you asked. I’m really feeling all the love and attention right now through my computer screen. 

Horror movies always have something to offer, whether you’re looking for a slasher or a comedy. I think that’s what makes them so unique in my eyes. Horror has aspects of everything from romance and betrayal to blood and suffering – just what you want, you know? 

The point I’m trying to make is that there isn’t just one category of spookiness. We’re going to break this down a little bit so people don’t get confused. 

First up, let’s cover some comedies. If I had to pick a top three, IT (2017), ParaNorman, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show have got to be up there. These are great examples of movies that refuse to take themselves too seriously, while still maintaining a compelling plot. 

The casting for these movies is also some of the best you’ll ever see. In the IT films specifically, this aspect really shines through. In the film’s sequel, we see the Losers Club all grown up and back in their hometown of Derry, Maine. The casting from kids to adults is incredible, with Finn Wolfhard’s, Richie Tozier being played by Bill Hader as an adult. 

Movies like ParaNorman are also fascinating to me; like what do you mean this feature film isn’t an instant classic for some people? From the incredible comedic casting with Anna Kendrick, (Pitch Perfect, 2012) and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, (Superbad, 2007), to the stellar stop motion design we’ve come to know and love from Laika studios, this movie was ahead of its time. 

Now for my next trick, I’ll be raising the dead with these supernatural horror movie suggestions! 

Anyone? No? 

Alright, I’m keeping that line in because I think it’s just stupid enough to be funny. But seriously guys, let’s talk about some supernatural stuff! My top two picks here are probably Carrie (1976) and Poltergeist.  

Carrie is a masterclass in book to movie adaptations. The movie takes what the book had going for it and expands upon it exponentially. The title character also has one of the most understandable villain arcs in fictional media to date. Like, did she brutally murder the attendees at her high school prom? Yes. Was it satisfying after everything they put her through? 1000%. 

Without drawing too much attention to it as I feel you should watch the movie and decide your feelings on this aspect of it, it acknowledges something that a lot of media in the seventies refused to: religious trauma. Carrie’s mom created an unsafe space for her child by trapping her under her religion rather than letting her explore it. Carrie’s mother goes as far as stabbing her child because, in her eyes, she had sinned… yes, you heard correctly she stabbed her child. I’ll say it again, one of the most understandable villain arcs to date. 

As for Poltergeist, it’s a classic 80’s movie, one that I can’t believe is rated PG. Granted, there isn’t any swearing or something of the sort, it’s just a genuinely scary movie. A funny easter egg in the movie that most people don’t understand now is that television would essentially shut off around midnight to 3 AM. The way this would happen? Incredibly patriotically, thank you for asking. TV stations ended the night with a montage of the White House and the Capitol Building with the National Anthem playing in the background. 

So of course, the creators of Poltergeist capitalized on that! The entire film happens because Carol Anne, the youngest daughter of the family, starts seeing flashes of light in the static TV screen and hearing whispers. Can you guess what that’s from? A poltergeist! Making hordes of little children, (because once again, this movie is rated PG), terrified of their televisions after dark. 

The concept of the movie is great, and it’s complimented by even greater writing. The phrase “run to the light, Carol Anne,” is well known in the film scene as an iconic line for sure. The characterization is also admirable, especially of the mother in my opinion. She’s funny and she cares about her daughter more than anything. She’s also not dumb. She’s really the first adult to acknowledge the potential of a ghost haunting the house and I think that allowing her to have that knowledge moves the film along in a steady way. She’s not the terrified girl in a scary movie, she’s smart and makes her choices carefully, something even modern scary movies have trouble doing. 

Next up we’ve got my personal favorite… psychological horror movies! If for some reason you thought The Shining wouldn’t be on this list, please seek help… I’m kidding obviously but of course it’s here! I’ve got three for this one, The Shining, Misery, and Get Out. 

Let’s keep this brief; The Shining is great. I fear you must be living under a rock to not know that by now. The casting of this movie is, once again, insane. Jack Nicholson is possibly the only man on earth who could’ve played Jack Torrance that perfectly. There’s a scene where Wendy and Danny, Jack’s wife and son, are out playing in the snow and Jack is watching them from inside. That’s it. That’s the scene, and it is bone-chilling. Jack Nicholson has this subtle change in his face as the camera pushes in on him where he goes from slightly frowning to slightly smirking that cements the change in him. 

You have to watch the movie because I refuse to spoil something as terrifying as this film is for you. Everything from the set design to the acting, to the music is executed in such a way that it evokes a sort of primal fear within the audience that is hard to replicate. 

As for Misery, the claustrophobia this film gave me cannot be overstated and I’m not known to claustrophobic. The movie immediately incapacitates its main character in a biblical car crash off the side of a mountain that ultimately leaves him in a full-body cast. He’s then saved by a fan, Cathy Bates (what is it with Stephen King movies and incredible casting?), who begins the movie as a harmless superfan and ends it as a crazed kidnapper! So, you know… fun, right? 

The best way I can describe how it made me feel is like someone started holding my face with two hands with love and then steadily slipped their hands onto my neck and squeezing. Except they kept changing the pressure, so I’d never know if they were letting me go or keeping me there. 

Finally, I bring you Get Out, the first Jordan Peele film to grace the silver screen and, in my opinion, is his best work. This movie is a tough watch on multiple levels but a great one. A white family that is normal on the surface is a group of kidnappers targeting and selling black people. Which is a crazy premise for a movie, but it works so well. Peele nails the fear factor in this one with the foreshadowing throughout the movie and the twist in there that I will not spoil is shocking up until the situation is revealed. A great movie with incredible writing and a creative premise that draws in the audience so well. 

The last category I want to cover before moving on is slashers. These are going to be filled to the brim with gore and disgusting moments so fair warning. My top two here are definitely Ready or Not and Scream.  

Ready or Not is a horror comedy as well, but I wanted to put it down here, so I didn’t include it up there. This movie might not be your cup of tea, but it is mine! It’s the perfect balance between plot and funny moments for the sake of funny moments. The premise is extremely creative and the execution of it is even better. This movie is also disgusting in a good way. By that I mean, I cringed the same way I did watching A Quiet Place when Emily Blunt’s character steps on the nail but like ten times.  

Our main character, Grace, is understandable and smart. She marries into a rich family that ends up hunting her down throughout the movie under the guise of a game of Hide and Seek which she very quickly finds out isn’t as innocent as it seems. She actively tries to escape her situation in clever ways that utilize what she has.  

At one point, she’s being taken back to the beautiful mansion that is the serial killer’s house by the butler and, despite being tied up, she picks up her feet and hits him over the head with her high heels until he crashes the car. She’s resourceful and absolutely deserves the title of final girl. 

Scream is your classic 90’s slasher movie. Matthew Lillard, who is possibly the best Shaggy the Scooby Doo universe has ever been blessed with, is in this movie so it can’t be too bad. Scream is essentially a murder mystery with a twist to make it a little more interesting: a costume. Ghostface is how I’ll be referring to the big bad(s) in this film, so nothing is given away. 

Ghostface starts the movie on the phone with Drew Barrymore’s character, Casey, asking what her favorite scary movie is… a totally normal thing to do to a stranger over the phone! If you couldn’t guess, Casey’s pretty dead at the end of this scene so… I guess that’s a good incentive to not pick up the phone for numbers you don’t know. 

If you couldn’t tell, this movie suffers from what I like to call, dumb white girl syndrome. Essentially, these people are stupid! Like… get up and go stay in a hotel, what is holding you here, sentimental value? I hate to break it to you, but you can’t be sentimental if you’re dead. Novel take, I know. 

Either way, this movie is such a classic. It brought some names up to the forefront of modern media and redefined some tropes that were getting old. Plus, I managed to predict the killer without giving away the twist which is something I have to commemorate the writers for. 

Anyway, hopefully that gets you started on some solid horror movies. Without further ado, let’s wrap this up with some final thoughts! 

Flz, aopz Jpwoly pz h Nyhcpaf Mhssz Ylmlylujl 🙂 

So what have we learned? Well, I know I’ve learned that I seem to have an obsession with Stephen King movies and that casting is apparently a huge deal for me! 

I think the most important takeaway here is that movies aren’t linear. One thing that works for one film might be its detraction in another. Films are hard to make because of all their moving parts, but good films are even harder to make. 

I think what I’m trying to say is that people should make movies. Every movie that I’ve mentioned here started as an idea, and in the case of horror movies, a weird idea. Greta Gerwig, one of my personal favorite directors, (directed Lady Bird and Barbie), once said that her greatest tip for early filmmakers was “make a lot.”  

Some things won’t work out. Some were never going to. But that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. Throw everything you’ve got at the wall and see what sticks and then make it.  

So, once again, horror movies are kind of complicated. But isn’t that exciting? To challenge yourself is to learn and to learn is to grow. Despite what the point of horror is, don’t be afraid of your creations, be enlightened by them. 

Also, if you’re wondering what those subheadings are about, I invite you to decode them via Caesar Cipher. Ohwwf Ohssvdllu, and go Canes!