As an avid movie watcher, I have seen a fair share of movies, specifically horror movies. With Halloween, sweater weather, and fall nights just around the corner, cuddling up with a fuzzy blanket and a favorite late night snack is a must. I don’t know about you but on my off night’s, a perfect way to spend it is by getting spooked by a classic horror movie. Here are some of my personal favorites that always get me pumped for “spooky szn” and all of the fall festivities to come.
Scream
Wes Craven’s 1996 classic, Scream is a slasher film through and through. The opening scene will hook you immediately and can’t be outdone; a naive teenage girl played by the young Drew Barrymore, answers a call that forever seals her fate. Brutally murdered by a masked figure that goes by the name of Ghostface, soon sends the small town of Woodsboro into a frenzy and unlocks a mystery. Sydney Prescott, a classmate of the girl murdered, is intertwined into the story and serves as the heroine who won’t fall short until she reveals the killer’s identity. Revenge, regret, gruesome ends to characters you grow to love or hate, and unexpected twists fill the movie and allowed it to become such a successful franchise. It contains all the classic elements of a horror movie like chilling one liners coming from the antagonist, characters pointing out the irony that comes along with scary movies, famous 90s references, and dark satire. Popularly known as the horror movie that revitalized slasher films, Scream is definitely worth the watch.
IT
While giving nods to the original 1990s IT miniseries, Stephen King’s 2017 movie was an epic. Every 27 years, the evil clown-like entity that goes by Pennywise awakens to feed off of children’s worst fears. Georgie, one of the main character’s younger brother is lured by Pennywise into the sewer and shares shockingly similar characteristics of children missing from decades before. A year later, still consumed by the disappearance of his brother and other children, Bill leads a gang of misfits on an adventure to find him and discover the truth of the malicious clown. Bill Skarsgard did an amazing job of portraying Pennywise, as I could not remove his face or unforgettable voice and movements from my mind. Along with the haunting performance of Pennywise, the bond that forms between the kids in the “Losers Club” is heartwarming and shows the importance of friendship through struggles. Throughout the movie, jump scares were used to surprise and intimidate viewers. This was one of the first horror movies that I had seen in a few months that truly impressed and frightened me. I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie and am highly anticipating the 2019 sequel featuring the members of the Loser Club as adults who return to Derry, Maine to face off with Pennywise once more.
The Strangers
I vividly remember the fall night that I watched this movie four years ago and have yet to see a movie that surpasses the fear I felt. While the main purpose is horror, The Strangers contained highly realistic elements such as home invasion, unexpected violence, and the threat to a simple life. Kirsten and James, a couple, wish for a weekend getaway, seek out a summer home in a secluded location. Their night is disrupted by a woman knocking at their door who behaves oddly and leaves an unnerving feeling with the couple. Unbeknownst to them, their every move is being watched and they soon become hostages in their own home. Upon realizing there is an imminent threat, the landlines are dead and their cellphones are missing. Two masked figures- Dollface and Man in Mask bombard the couple and don’t allow them to escape. The couple are physically and psychologically taunted, knowing that their demise is at the hands of the malevolent masked people. A friend comes by to check on Kristen and James but is shot dead unable to do anything. As a viewer, I was disturbed by the gore and psychological torment of the film but couldn’t stop watching. It was a truly frightening, but well thought out movie that ended with a cliffhanger.
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense, released in 1999 was directed by the applaudable M. Night Shyamalan, is the most recent horror movie I have watched. It isn’t your typical horror movie with gruesome death scenes or chainsaw wielding serial killers but the quiet uncertainty and mysteriousness of the atmosphere tied in with the eerie music and visuals leaves you with a feeling of dread and the want to understand things not seen by the normal human eye. Cole, the little boy who can see ghosts and speaks the famous line that has been widely popularized, “I see dead people,” was one of the factors that makes this movie so great. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, feels he has fallen short as a doctor and husband, is extremely determined to help Cole. After experiencing a similar case years prior, Dr. Crowe cannot shake the feeling of needing to aid the outcasted and frightened Cole. There is a spooky essence throughout the whole movie, with haunting scenes of supernatural experiences and vivid communication with the dead that left me feeling unsettled. Similar to other Shyamalan films, the ending is a huge plot twist that lead me to question my perception of the movie but impressed me with the creativity. Besides the performance of the actors in the film that made me want to understand the “other side” more, the psychological thrill of it makes The Sixth Sense worth the watch. Because the movie was filmed and set in Philadelphia, it gives a chance for locals and horror film buffs a chance to check out spots from the scenes. I definitely recommend this movie and to explore the filming locations in the beautiful Old and Center City Philadelphia.