Frightening films of old are sure to chill new viewers
When it comes to really
scary movies, oldies but
goodies fill the bill for
Halloween chills
By Jason George
lor the Emerald
Horror is hot. Back with a
vengeance, risen from the dead,
horror has jumped on the revival
bus.
Movies such as the sleeper hit
“Scream” (1996), its sequel,
“Scream 2” (1997) and the equal
ly formulaic (decibel intensive
soundtrack + photogenic teens +
stalking psychopath) “I Know
What You Did Last Summer”
(1997) each respectively grossed
over $125 million on relatively
small budgets. The film industry
is seeing a niche that not only at
tracts the finicky 13- to 18-year
old market but does so without a
major financial commitment
from the studios.
With the resurgence of horror
films, it would be foolish to over
look the shoulders on which
these new movies stand. But
horror is not one dimensional; a
true connoisseur of horror recog
nizes that there are divisions
even within the specific genre of
horror: slasher, classic thriller,
psychological thriller and the
disturbing are just a few of the
factions that make up the horror
market.
Here is one example from each
of the above categories:
“Halloween” (1978)
If horror movie cliches enter
your head, they were probably
first used in “Halloween.” This
includes the clutch of screaming
girls, blood and sexual innuen
do on which “Scream” and Co.
rest.
The difference between “Hal
loween” and the new crop of
slashers is that “Halloween” was
the pioneer. The story of local
madman Michael Myers terroriz
ing babysitters is one that can
make you scream even after re
peated viewings.
Michael begins his downward
spiral when he murders his sis
Hicillli i
0 Jr 1
ter on Halloween 1963 at the ten
der age of 6. Later he escapes
from the mental hospital, where
he was committed and returns to
his peaceful hometown to wreak
havoc on Laurie Strode (Jamie
Lee Curtis) and her babysitting
counterparts.
This slumber party staple be
came increasingly trite after five
sequels, but "Halloween” is the
original and a definite horror
classic.
“Psycho” (1960)
This is a classic must-see
movie no matter what genre you
are examining. With a chilling
score by Bernard Hermann and
masterful direction from Alfred
Hitchcock, “Psycho” does not
develop with the typical roller
coaster ride of thrills and chills.
Halloween Hall of Fame
1. 'Halloween'(1978)
2. ‘Psycho’(1960)
3. The Silence of the Lamb$’(1991)
4. "The Exorcist1 (1973)
Rather, Hitchcock weaves an en
grossing web of suspense and
suspicion, until finally the audi
ence is left with a resolution that
is anything but.
“Psycho” tells how office
worker Marion Crane (Janet
Leigh) decides to steal $40,000
from her boss so she and her
lover Sam (John Gavin) can
elope. On the way to meet Sam,
Marion stops at a roadside motel
to lodge for the evening. She
soon meets Norman Bates (An
thony Perkins), the owner of the
Bates Motel.
Bates appears gentle and lone
ly at first, but as the movie un
folds, it becomes obvious that he
has a relationship with his moth
er that would make Oedipus
blush. Yes, the shower scene
with Janet Leigh is a cultural leg
end in its own right. But make
no mistake — this movie is far
more than this one scene.
“The Silence of the Lambs" (1991)
Based upon the Thomas Har
ris novel, “The Silence of the
Lambs” relates the story of rook
ie FBI agent Clarice Starling
(Jodie Foster) who enlists the
help of convicted murderer Dr.
Hannibal Lecter (Sir Anthony
Hopkins) in apprehending a sim
ilar serial killer, James “Buffalo
Bill” Gumb (Ted Levine). Star
ling hopes that Lecter’s brilliant
psychopathic mind will reveal
the motivation behind Gumb’s
killing spree.
The direction under Jonathan
Demme is documentary-like,
with spartan lighting, quick
handheld shots, sharp angles.
Watching the interaction be
tween Foster and Hopkins it be
comes obvious why this movie
received five Academy Awards.
Note: This movie is one that
should not be watched alone.
The possibility of the plot occur
ring in real life is enough to dis
turb the most jaded viewer.
“The Exorcist” (1973)
Yes, this movie is disturbing
and, yes, this is one of the best
horror films of all time.
Based on a true story that hap
pened Maryland, this film tells
of little Regan Macneil (Linda
Blair) and how she must bear all
of the angst of adolescence
while being possessed by the
devil.
Her mother (Ellen Burstyn)
holds the opinion that being pos
sessed is not an admirable trait.
So, after many failed attempts at
correcting the problem, she
seeks the help of Father Karras
(Jason Miller) and Father Merrin
(Max Von Sydow) to rid Regan
of the evil spirits. Do they suc
ceed? Well, to tell is to ruin.
The movie that changed the
way America looks at pea soup
is not for the faint of heart or for
anyone with a weak stomach.
Nevertheless, it is worth a peek
and is probably the best in this
category.
While some titillate with gar
ish displays of blood and mutila
tion and others captivate with
suspense and plot twists, they all
achieve the ultimate goal of hor
ror— emotional stimulation.
Of course, which movie
should be added to the list (or
taken away) is up for debate. But
whatever you do, leave on a light
and don’t say you weren’t
warned.
Lane County Fairgrounds is host to annual haunted house
The annual Scream in the
Dark haunted house is
home to 17 rooms of fright
By Kristina Rudinskas
Oregon Daily Emerald
The freaks come will come out
at night this week for the 26th an
nual Scream in the Dark Haunted
House at the Lane County Fair
grounds.
The haunts and screams begin
at 7 p.m. and continue until 10
p.m. on Thursday Oct. 29,11 p.m.
on Friday Oct. 30 and until mid
night on Halloween. Tickets are
$5, and coupons fora $1 discount
can be picked up at Taco Bell.
Imagine rooms full of insane
dentists, caged criminals, metallic
aliens, Dr. Blood, morticians and
brains and bugs of various sizes.
About 17 rooms full of frights
and delights await the innocent
victims who wander through a
dark maze for about 15 to 20 min
utes. A low-lying fog filters
throughout the rooms as visitors
weave through the darkness. This
year the house offers visitors the
traditional spooky cemetery
scenes and recreations of mod
em day horror flicks.
“We try to get at least one new
room every year,” said marketing
co-chairman Chris Butler stand
ing in front of a blood speckled
wall with "Scream" scrawled
across it.
The sounds of chain saws and
drills may frighten the weak at
heart, but 50 local high-school
students may scare visitors sense
less as they jump out from behind
closed doors screeching and
moaning.
Eunice Wilkins, from Churchill
high school loves to hear you
scream. This is her second year
performing at Scream in the Dark.
“In the jungle room, 1 was a big
black gorilla and I scared so many
adults,” Wilkins said.
The Eugene Active 20-30 Club
has sponsored the event for two
years, taking it over from Campus
Life in 1997.
All proceeds go to supporting
children’s charities in Lane Coun
ty.
“Throughout the year charities
come and ask us for money,” But
ler said. The grants are allocated
on a quarterly basis.
The Eugene Active 20-30 Club
has 95 members from the ages of
20 to 39. They work on numerous
projects to serve the community
throughout the year. The club be
gan in Sacramento, Calif., in 1925
and a chapter has been present in
Lane County since 1927.
Butler said the cross section of
club members is amazing. It was
n’t difficult for Butler to find
coffins for the event with a hand
ful of morticians as members.
No children under the age of 11
will be admitted without an adult.
Children under the age of 6 will
not be permitted.
Butler warns those looking for
scary thrills to arrive early. On
Halloween night the line can
stretch around the building.
Last year more than 11,000
people visited Scream in the
Dark.
“Some people wait an hour and
a half in line and just turn around
and bolt when they are finally
about to come in,” Butler said.
“Some people live for the stuff
and others just freak out.”
Kick Medley Emerald
A knife-weilding ghoul is just one of the terrors that is guaranteed to make patrons scream
at this year 's Scream in the Dark haunted house at the Lane County Fairgrounds