Howl-oween Series – Part III: What to Watch

“The woods around Halloween-time is a scary enough phenomenon…” – Heather Donahue

How many scary movies can you watch in a day?  Depending how easy you scare, it may not be the brightest challenge to take.  This, however, is the day where it just feels wrong to ignore the horror movie trend.

Everyone, of course, has their taste when it comes to horror films.  This is mine.

No matter how bad some of these movies have scared me over the years, I can’t deny their superior quality.  As October comes to a close, I conclude this series with a countdown of my 10 favorite horror films.

Happy Halloween.

(Caution: Some of the following videos and text contain major spoilers)

 

10. The Omen (1976)

Robert and Katherine Thorn go about their lives unaware their adopted son, Damien, is the Antichrist and son of the devil.  When Robert learns Damien’s true identity, he refuses to believe a 5-year-old child could be something so evil.   Can Robert accept the truth and prevent Armageddon?  Of course, to do that there’s only thing he can do: Kill Damien.

This film is one example of how 70’s horror got it right.  Next to #3 on this list, The Omen is without a doubt the scariest movie I have ever seen.  Every element from the story to the chilling Latin-chanting score makes The Omen a movie you don’t watch at night.  It’s because this movie scares me so much that I put it as #10. I recognize how good a movie this is…I just don’t like to watch it.

Fun fact: People are typically scared of Rottweilers because they think they’re mean.  I’m scared of them because of this movie.

 

 

9. The Shining (1980)

Based on Stephen King’s terrifying novel, the Torrance family spends the winter in the mountains while husband and father Jack Torrance works as caretaker for the Overlook Hotel.  However, Jack and Wendy’s son Danny, a telepath, begins seeing haunting images from the hotel ‘s dark past, making this winter anything but pleasant.  Eventually, these wandering spirits and isolation drive Jack insane, causing him to go after his wife and son with an ax, following in the footsteps of the Overlook’s former caretaker. Can Wendy and Danny escape? Or will they become part of the hotel’s history like the previous family?

I’m not a particular fan of Stanley Kubrick’s work, but this is one of his I can watch because his non-conventional style fits horror perfectly.  Oddly enough, I was first introduced to this film through the drive-in scene in Twister (1996).  The excerpt Twister showed scared me even then.

And even now there are scenes I can’t look at it when I watch this film, namely the twins in the hall and room 237 scenes.  Forget both of those if you want to sleep at night.

 

 

8. The Strangers (2008)

All James and Kristen wanted was a quiet night to themselves. Instead, they get a night of torment as three masked strangers terrorize their remote vacation home.

Home invasion scares just about everyone. The horrifying thing about this film is its events are disturbingly realistic. Incidents like those in The Strangers have occurred many times in decades past and still do today. As far as the film’s concerned, I don’t know what’s scarier: what the strangers do, or the masks they wear.

Piece of advice though, if someone unexpectedly comes knocking around 4 a.m., DON’T ANSWER THE DAMN DOOR.

 

 

7. The Thing (1982)

A John Carpenter remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World, The Thing tells the story of 12 scientists stationed at an American Antarctic research outpost who come into contact with a parasitic extraterrestrial organism.  The organism survives and multiplies by imitating who and whatever it absorbs.  Eventually, paranoia ensues the group as they try to figure out who’s human.

As a science-fiction fan, I shamefully have to admit I didn’t see this film until earlier this month.  It obviously made an impression, as I’m including it on this list.  This is where I would normally put Alien (1979), but despite similarity in the films’ plots, The Thing features a far creepier element to its story.  Unlike Alien, the viewer can’t readily identify The Thing.  It could be anyone and everyone without the viewer knowing.

 

 

6. Halloween (1978)

The citizens of Haddonfield, Illinois are horrified when 6-year-old Michael Myers murders his older sister on Halloween night.  After escaping from a psychiatric institution 15 years later, Myers returns home where he stalks Laurie Strode and her friends.  Dr. Sam Loomis, Myers’ psychiatrist, follows him back to Haddonfield, desperately hoping to stop Myers from killing again.

Halloween is one of the most iconic horror films of all time, not to mention another of Carpenter’s.

I don’t recall this film ever actually scaring me.  Perhaps it did when I was younger, but if it did, it was nothing compared to some of the previous films I’ve mentioned here.  It’s simply a classic seasonal film to me.  What I love most about it is how it’s become so iconic in the horror genre, yet uses little to no gore.  This goes to show that gore does not equal horror.

 

 

5. The Fly (1986)

A remake of the 1958 film of the same name, Seth Brundle’s self-teleportation experiment first appears successful, but he soon discovers his invention spliced his DNA with that of a lone housefly that wandered into the telepod.  As time progresses, Brundle begins to transform, his humanity disappearing piece by piece.  Eventually, he becomes something else entirely.

I believe I first saw this film when I was 6, and strangely enough, it didn’t terrify me at all.  I remember it being disgusting, but not scary.  It was movies like this that fascinated me with science-fiction as a child.  Now, as an adult, I’m able to recognize other aspects of this film and understand just how terrifying The Fly is.

 

 

4. Scream (1996)

In the town of Woodsboro, one year after the brutal murder of wife and mother Maureen Prescott, a masked killer begins calling, terrorizing and murdering various Woodsboro teens.  The townspeople become paranoid as no one knows the identity of the killer, and the year-anniversary of Prescott’s death sends the media in a frenzy as her daughter Sidney is one of the killer’s targets.  The film ends with a startling climax when the killer is revealed to be someone the viewer never suspected.

Next to Halloween and Friday the 13^th, this is one of the best slasher films out there.  There are two reasons for this. One is the originality of the story, which provided relief after a decade of terrible, repetitive horror sequels.  The other is the play on horror pop culture and the characters’ awareness of classic horror films and their trends.  Slasher films since Scream have never been of this quality or originality.

 

 

3. The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The film’s opening title card says it all.  “In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary.  A year later their footage was found.”

This is one of only two found-footage films I like, the other being Cloverfield (2008).  I’m typically turned off from this genre, especially with horror, because it tends to be cliché and dull while the acting is nil.  There were only seven found-footage film pre-dating Blair Witch, going back to 1980.  Blair Witch was the film that popularized the genre because of its realism, primarily due to the performances of the film’s three principal actors.

I was 9 when this film came out and at least 10 when I first saw it.  As much as it terrified me of camping, Blair Witch played a role in my desiring my own video camera when I was 11.  So, oddly, there’s a sentimental factor to my liking of this film, hence its high placement on this list.

I also just find Blair Witch to be a well-made and unique film.  The frustration Heather, Josh and Mike improvise at their inability to escape the woods is so convincing, you believe these people are genuinely scared for their lives, despite it being fiction.

No found-footage film has impacted pop culture to the point Blair Witch did.  A lot of found-footage horror fans may consider the Paranormal Activity franchise scarier than Blair Witch.  I strongly disagree because Blair Witch plays heavily on the fear of the unknown, the greatest fear of all.

The basis for Paranormal Activity is paranormal involvement, hence the title. With Blair Witch, we aren’t given any visual hint as to who or what torments the filmmakers in the woods.  Sound is the only clue we have, and whenever you hear something without seeing or knowing what it is for three straight nights, that’s about the time your sanity collapses in on itself.

 

 

2. Jaws (1975)

Set in the beach resort community of Amity Island, a great white shark puts a damper on summer festivities when a young girl’s remains wash ashore.  Fearing for the safety of the island’s citizens, Police Chief Martin Brody fights the town’s mayor to close the beaches, but the mayor’s stubbornness prevails, resulting in several more deaths.  Teamed with marine biologist Matt Hooper and shark hunter Quint, the three venture out to sea to take on the predator and put an end to the summer terror, but little do they know this shark will give them more than they bargained for.

This and the #1 film on this list are two of my all-time favorite films.  Coincidentally, they’re both 70’s horror films, but while Jaws set the standard for cinematic tension, it also heavily impacted American culture.  When a film scares generations of people into avoiding the ocean for fear of being eaten, that film becomes the most effective horror film of all time.

Some dispute Jaws’ status as a horror film, and my argument on the subject can be viewed here.

I’m not a fan of swimming in natural bodies of water, particularly the ocean, because of the unknowns that come with a foreign environment.  There’s no telling what may be in the water with you, and that’s what scares me.  Jaws illustrates this fear perfectly.

 

 

1. Carrie (1976)

Invited to the senior prom by the most popular boy in school, 17-year-old Carrie White reluctantly accepts under the assurance no one’s out to hurt her.  It was the best night of her life until a joke went too far.  Drenched in pig’s blood, she hears the discouraging words of her mother in her head as she senses the false laughter of everyone around her.  Tired of the anguish, and through her recently discovered telekinesis, her emotions come to life and transform a night of magic into one of horror and death.

This is one of only three films where I have to actually look away at certain moments.  Despite these creepy elements, there’s no question in my mind the tragic story of Carrie White is my favorite of the horror genre.  This is all because of my relation to Sissy Spacek in the film.

My emotional connection to Spacek as Carrie is one of the strongest I’ve ever had with any fictional character.  Because I, too, was a skinny, red-headed, socially awkward kid in my pre- and early-teen years, I saw a bit of myself in Spacek’s Carrie, despite being a guy and actually having a stable home environment.

 

Howl-oween Series – Part II: Carrie vs. Carrie

“‘You’ll never forget it,’ she said. ‘Never.'” – Stephen King

Teens are often misunderstood.  As a result, they can suffer horrendous emotional and physical torture by their peers.  Carrie tells the story of a tormented girl who strikes back at her peers with extreme prejudice.

Invited to the senior prom by the most popular boy in school, 17-year-old Carrie White reluctantly accepts under the assurance no one’s out to hurt her.  It was the best night of her life until a joke went too far.

Drenched in pig’s blood, she hears the discouraging words of her mother in her head as she senses the false laughter of everyone around her.  Tired of the anguish, and through her recently discovered telekinesis, her emotions come to life and transform a night of magic into one of horror and death.

First edition cover

39 years after Stephen King’s best-selling novel hit bookstores and 37 after the release of Brian De Palma’s film adaptation, Carrie continues to grip readers and viewers.  Fascination with the story brought a new adaptation to theaters Oct. 18, starring Chloë Grace Moretz in the title role and Julianne Moore as Carrie’s mother Margaret White.

Directed by Kimberly Peirce, the 2013 Carrie is the second remake of De Palma’s 1976 film, but only the second theatrical adaptation of King’s novel – first remake was a 2002 TV movie.  Critical reception has been mixed (48% on Rotten Tomatoes), with the film earning only approximately $26 million so far.  Despite the film’s performance and reception, I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

I’ll always prefer De Palma’s version though.  I just don’t see myself connecting with an actress on an emotional level the way I did with Sissy Spacek.  That being said, what attracted me to the 2013 film in the first place was Moretz and Moore.  I was intrigued to see these actresses take on such dark roles, given their past performances, and impressed with the outcome.

Despite Peirce’s film nearly being a shot-for-shot remake of De Palma’s, they still had their differences.  So as a viewer, here’s my take.

Theatrical release posters for 1976 (left) and 2013 (right)

(Caution: Spoilers ahead)

The obvious difference with the remake is the modernization of the story.  This element took the longest for me to digest, but not out of disgust.  The use of smart phones, YouTube, computers and other contemporary trends is impossible to picture in 1976, so you have to disassociate yourself with that version and realize you’re watching something new.

References to Alfred Hitchcock, like the use of Psycho‘s violin screech to represent Carrie’s telekinesis, are absent in Peirce’s film.

De Palma used a lighting style that gave his Carrie a dream-like visualization.  Peirce’s use of sharper colors and less light almost makes her darker scenes feel claustrophobic.

The scores also give the viewer an idea of what kind of film they’re watching.  Pino Donaggio’s score in the 1976 film is an example of “less is more.”  The film’s themes are primarily comprised of strings and flute.  Synthesizers are sometimes featured.  Donaggio’s style emphasizes the desired emotional responses of key scenes.

Marco Beltrami uses a larger orchestra with a variety of instruments for the 2013 film, giving it a heavier musical anchor.  The film features more terrifying music, a common trend with modern horror films.  The use of “scare chords” to cause the viewer to jump is one example.

Here’s a comparison of the two main title themes.

And another of the theme played during Carrie’s rage.

Carrie

Sissy Spacek (top) and Chloë Grace Moretz (bottom) as Carrie White

Considering my earlier statement, Spacek is my obvious choice.  Moretz was excellent, don’t get me wrong, but I saw a bit of myself in Spacek’s character.  I connected with her on a deeper level than Moretz.  I was also astounded at how a 26-year-old woman could play a 17-year-old girl so convincingly and with such innocence.

The biggest difference is how both Carries react.  The locker room/shower scene when Carrie panics over her first period is a perfect example.

Both girls go into shock at the sight of the blood, and not knowing what to do, reach out to their peers.  Carrie doesn’t understand what’s happening and believes she’s dying, but rather than help, the other girls ridicule Carrie while throwing tampons and sanitary napkins at her.

Spacek goes into a catatonic state as she’s tortured.  You just want to help her because she comes off so helpless.  The gym teacher eventually steps in and puts an end to the psychological terror, but the trauma remains.

The scene is similar in Moretz’s portrayal.  She falls to the floor, screaming and crying, desperately trying to psychologically retreat as she is mocked and filmed.

The level of emotional involvement isn’t any different for the viewer.  For me, Spacek simply had more tragedy in her eyes.

Both actresses pulled off the role, and each viewer will have their preference.  For some, Spacek scared them, so maybe it was difficult to sympathize.  That wasn’t the case with me, but I still sympathized with Moretz.  What happened to her character wasn’t any less awful.

“…aware that the joke was on her (as always), dumbly embarrassed but unsurprised.” – Stephen King

Margaret White

What can I say?  Both Piper Laurie and Moore know how to play a psychotic.  You want to run away from both of them.  Laurie just scared me.  Simple as that.

The grin she dons while going after her daughter with a knife will put eerie thoughts in anyone’s head when they lie down at night.  Moore, while convincing, didn’t display that creepiness.  The scene when Carrie returns from the prom, looking for her mother, and Moore hovers across the frame in the background bore that jump-startling feeling we’ve all met before.  Laurie, no matter how many times you watch, gives you shivers.

Either way, how anyone can stab their daughter in the back when all she wanted was to be comforted is something I just can’t comprehend.  Maybe that’s because I’m sane.

I’ll call it a draw between Laurie and Moore, for their performances were equally captivating.  Laurie still scares me though.

Piper Laurie (top left, bottom left) and Julianne Moore (top right, bottom right) as Margaret White

Chris Hargensen

Nancy Allen (top) and Portia Doubleday (bottom) as Chris Hargensen

Don’t let that cute smile on Nancy Allen’s face fool you.  The character of Chris Hargensen is renowned as a relentless bully; the kind you love to hate.  Both actresses filled this role well, but how are they different?

Portia Doubleday captures every essence of a rich, spoiled brat; suitable for a bully.  Allen on the other hand was a pure, cold-hearted, evil bitch who deserved way more than what she got in the end.

Early on in both films, Carrie frustrates her classmates during a volleyball game in gym (Spacek loses her team the game; Moretz fouls up a serve, nailing Chris in the back of the head).  Chris’ response is the same in both films, projecting the words, “You eat shit!” at Carrie.

Allen delivers the insult as if she passionately hates Carrie; whereas Doubleday uses the phrase as a mere rude remark, laughing while she says it.  It’s uncalled for no matter the delivery, but Allen sounds as if she wished Carrie were never born.  This level of emotion deepens the conflict between Carrie and Chris, making the film’s climax far more intense.

On that note, Doubleday’s death as Chris was bittersweet compared to Allen’s.  The viewer sees Doubleday eat the windshield of her boyfriend’s car before it explodes.  With Allen you only get the explosion, so those few seconds of Chris’ pain are absent.  If the characters were switched with situations, it’d be perfect.

Chris’ relationship with her boyfriend Billy Nolan was also different.

John Travolta (top) and Alex Russell (bottom) as Billy Nolan

Allen’s Chris was mean to her boyfriend along with Carrie, slapping and calling him “dumb shit” repeatedly.  Played by a young, smiling John Travolta, the Billy of 1976 is a more innocent character due to his abuse, and only does Chris’ bidding because she rewards him with sexual favors.

2013 gives us a different Billy Nolan, played by Alex Russell.  He’s rugged, smiles less and wears the pants in the relationship.  He even threatens to kill Chris if she speaks of their prom prank to anyone due to its associated criminal charges.

Doubleday’s Chris isn’t abused though, and she certainly isn’t the evil, manipulative girl Allen portrayed.  You don’t feel sorry for her, sure enough, but how much you hate Doubleday’s character is up to you.

My vote goes to Nancy Allen.  She was just as spoiled as Doubleday, but donned an evil persona Doubleday couldn’t begin to touch.

“You eat shit!”

Sue Snell

Amy Irving (top) and Gabriella Wilde (bottom) as Sue Snell.

A friend of Chris, Sue takes part in tormenting Carrie in the locker room, but relents when she realizes just how cruel her actions are.  In fact, she’s the only one to show remorse.  Sue gives her prom date to Carrie to make up for her cruel act.

The look on Amy Irving’s face in De Palma’s film when Miss Collins (the gym teacher) shakes sense into her couldn’t be more shocking.  Her tears tell it all.

The guilt Irving brings to Sue almost confuses the viewer.  You don’t know whether to feel for Carrie or Sue at times, but you begin to feel relieved that things are finally going to work out for Carrie because someone’s being nice to her.  Of course, we all know that’s not how it plays out.

Gabriella Wilde plays Sue in the new film, but only well enough to where the character is present.  For me, she just didn’t bring Irving’s level of emotion to the story.  I was happy she helped Carrie, but I didn’t feel bad for her like I did with Irving.

The scene where Sue asks her boyfriend, Tommy Ross, to take Carrie to the prom in Peirce’s film came off as bland and rushed to me.  Her request came off as a casual favor rather than a romantic gesture.  De Palma’s approach and execution made the scene meaningful.  He draws out the scene and presents Sue’s favor as taboo, making Tommy take Carrie a bigger deal.

Overall, if I need only one reason to pick Irving, it’s her tears in the locker room.  Just another example of how emotion plays a heavy roll in De Palma’s film.

Tommy Ross

No brainer: William Katt.  I could go into several reasons why, but I’ll only address one, and that’s the scene where Tommy and Carrie vote for prom king and queen.

William Katt (top) and Ansel Elgort (bottom) as Tommy Ross

This is probably the most moving scene in De Palma’s film, next to Carrie’s winning prom queen (prior to the prank).  Before Tommy convinces Carrie to vote for herself, he tells her she’s beautiful, something she’s probably never heard in her life.  The scene almost brings tears to your eyes.

Pino Donaggio’s score adds a soft, romantic touch to this scene that increases the contrast to what will take place only minutes later.  It’s almost as if you’re watching a completely different film.

The chemistry between Katt and Spacek is so genuine that you don’t even have to question Tommy’s falling in love with Carrie.

Ansel Elgort, sadly, just didn’t have Katt’s presence.  He came off as more of a run-of-the-mill teen.  The same scene between Elgort and Moretz was, again, rushed and came off insignificant to me.  It’s one of the most touching moments of the story and it seems as if Peirce’s version fails to take advantage of it.

Miss Collins/Desjardin

Another draw for me.  Both Betty Buckley and Judy Greer bring a heartfelt touch to the gym teacher who helps Carrie with her self-esteem.

Betty Buckley (top) and Judy Greer (bottom) as Miss Collins/Desjardin

Greer always makes me laugh, so it was difficult to imagine her playing this character who helps Carrie while making the other girls’ lives hell.  She surprised me though with how she handled this dramatic role.  She even brought an unexpected comedic touch to the film, but that made sense as comedy’s her milieu.

At the prom, when Greer greets Carrie and Tommy, Tommy asks if she or Carrie want any punch, before speculating someone spiked it as an up sell.  Greer gives him a snotty look, saying, “Really?”  I found it to be random and funny; an interesting change of pace from the other film.

I enjoyed Greer overall, but there were two moments she lacked that made Buckley’s interpretation so awesome.

One of these is this priceless exchange of dialogue between Miss Collins and Chris during roll call the day after the shower incident.

Collins orders the girls to line up.  “You too, Chris,” she says.  “And spit out that gum!”

“Where will I put it Miss Collins?” Chris asks sarcastically.

“You can choke on it for all I care, just get it out of your mouth!”

The second moment is the powerful slap on the athletic field. when Chris refuses to submit to Collins’ punishment.  When told she has 10 minutes left in detention, Chris retorts, “Stick them up your ass!”

Collins approaches Chris and BAM!  Collins slaps her so hard that the shock on Chris’ face is almost overwhelming.  It’s such a therapeutic moment.

Greer and Doubleday don’t have this interaction, and oh was I disappointed.

Another scene in which I felt Greer topped Buckley was when Carrie tells Desjardin she’s been invited to the prom.

Greer’s comforting and reassuring Carrie moved me more than Buckley’s.  Part of what made it stronger was their interaction taking place in the locker room where Carrie was traumatized only two days earlier.  Buckley sits with Carrie outside the locker room, so the change in setting has an effect on the emotional impact of the scene.  I also found Greer’s tone more nurturing, as if there was more comfort in her interpretation.

If it weren’t for Buckley’s epic slap, I’d probably go with Greer because of the comedic element she provides while retaining a sense of purpose.  But because of the slap, it’s a tie.

Carrie’s Rage

This is the scene everyone waits for.

One may say De Palma’s interpretation is dull now that we get to see Moretz throw everyone around with her mind.  However, it’s the scene’s tension and eeriness that gives De Palma the edge.  The unbearable amount of time it takes for the bucket of blood to tip isn’t even the best part of his direction.  It’s his use of sound.

The absence of dialogue and emphasis of music sets the scene.  The camera rapidly cuts from person to person until the rope is pulled.  You are then left with a long, still shot of the blood spilling over Carrie.  The only sound you hear after is a lone, dangling bucket hitting the rafters, along with the dripping of blood.  Everything just stops, giving the scene an eerie sense of realism.

“They’re all gonna laugh at you!”

Peirce’s scene replaces this build-up with the rope and pulley malfunctioning; that familiar scenario where the one thing that can go wrong goes wrong, but then everything works out.  It’s a way of creating tension by providing a false flag rather than using the scene’s elements.  Peirce then shows three consecutive takes of the blood spilling.  I’m not a fan of this style because I find it superfluous.  It almost makes the scene comical, eliminating the tension.  The students’ reactions are also audible, which for me, removes De Palma’s realism of the humiliation because when something like that happens, you drown out everything around you.

I did, however, feel that displaying Carrie’s shower video in front of everyone after the blood spills added to Peirce’s vision.  This worsens Carrie’s humiliation, as she now has to experience one traumatic moment while reliving another.

The outcome is the same though – Carrie becomes enraged.

Moretz uses her hands as a way directing the telekinesis.  With an evil smile, she moves her hands about, controlling her peers like puppets.  I saw this as an attempt to better illustrate Carrie’s control.  De Palma focuses heavily on Spacek’s eyes during Carrie’s rage, emphasizing the use of her mind.

Both methods work.  I prefer Spacek’s portrayal because her eyes lock me in.  My most memorable moment from that film is Carrie shutting off the lights, slowly looking down at her blood-drenched dress and hands as an ominous tone meshes with screams.  Breathing heavily, she gazes toward her peers with intensity, preparing to kill them all.

The Ending

“Blood was always at the root of it, and only blood could expiate it.” – Stephen King

The last part I’ll discuss is the ending of both films.  For anyone who’s seen the 1976 film, it should be obvious that my vote goes to De Palma, hands down.

While both films show Sue visiting Carrie’s grave, placing flowers out of respect, there’s one element missing from Peirce’s film: Carrie’s arm.

As Sue places a bouquet of flowers at the grave, Carrie’s bloody arm unexpectedly protrudes from the ground and grabs her.  Sue wakes from this nightmare, unable to escape Carrie’s wrath despite her death.

This is a nightmare for the audience too.  The viewer’s heart pounds at the sight of Spacek’s arm and the sound of Irving’s screams before the abrupt cut to black and silence.  The film ends with Donaggio’s gentle theme of strings and flute as the credits roll and viewers’ hearts continue to race.

In Peirce’s film, after Sue places a single rose at the grave, the tombstone cracks up the middle; implying Carrie’s telekinesis, therefore questioning her death.  The scene is certainly a nod to De Palma’s ending while staying original, but it doesn’t leave the viewer with the lasting impression of the 1976 film.

As I said before, I enjoyed Peirce’s film.  It wasn’t bad, just different.  The film wasn’t creepy like De Palma’s, but it reflected a new era of society which made it all the more intriguing.

Despite its placement in horror and creepy elements, I have never viewed the 1976 Carrie as horror. That film, to me, has always been a tragedy, and what’s important to take from this new film is that though social trends change, people can always be cruel.

“I am sorry for Carrie…They’ve made her into some kind of a symbol and forgotten that she was a human being…But she was, and she hurt. More than any of us probably know, she hurt.” – Stephen King

Howl-oween Series – Part I: The Forgotten Horror Film

Still from the classic “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” scene of Jaws

Filmsite.org defines a horror film as “an unsettling film designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience.”

I find that our perception of horror has shifted to a narrower view these days.  Generally speaking, we expect a horror film to involve a supernatural element, zombies or a knife-wielding killer.  This is the result of three bloated decades of tasteless horror films, sequels and remakes.

In light of these trends, I dedicate the first part of this series to one of the greatest, but forgotten, horror films of all time: Jaws.

Set in the beach resort community of Amity Island, a great white shark puts a damper on summer festivities when a young girl’s remains wash ashore.  Fearing for the safety of the island’s citizens, Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) fights the town’s mayor (Murray Hamilton) to close the beaches.  The mayor’s stubbornness prevails, resulting in several more deaths, one on the Fourth of July.

Teamed with marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw), the three venture out to sea to take on the predator and put an end to the summer terror, but little do they know this shark will give them more than they bargained for.

From left to right: Shaw, Scheider and Dreyfuss aboard the Orca

Behind Psycho (1960), the American Film Institute lists Jaws as the second-most thrilling film in 100 years of American cinema.

Prior to 1975 the horror genre gave us classics such as Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Wolf Man (1941), The Thing from Another World (1951), Psycho, The Birds (1963), Night of the Living Dead (1968) and The Exorcist (1973).  These films, in their time, set the standard for what scares us.

Janet Leigh in the infamous “shower scene” in Psycho

Psycho brought anxiety to anyone who stepped in the shower.  What was once a realxing place to refresh one’s self became a claustrophobic nightmare begging the question, “Is someone there?”

Jaws took this a step further with the world’s oceans.  However, today Jaws seems to be placed aside horror films rather than among them, hence my designating it a “forgotten” horror film.

I’m sure some, along with myself, don’t hesistate to slip Jaws into the horror category, but there are certainly others who refuse on account of “it’s only a thriller” or simply an action-adventure film.

Spielberg on the set of The Sugarland Express

Action-adventure does make sense because it is Steven Spielberg after all, the man who gave us Indiana Jones.  However, we must remember Spielberg wasn’t a household name prior to 1975.  Up to this point he was known for his work in television, Amblin’ (1968), Duel (1971) and The Sugarland Express (1974).  We know him today for his family-oriented films and historical dramas; not the case in the mid-70’s.

Parts of John Williams’ Oscar-winning score is another reason some might steer away from horror when it comes to Jaws.  The score is polarized in tone, giving the listener moments of fright and joy, but then again that’s the point. Such contrast is perfect for a horror film.

Most of the film does take place in daylight, causing that fear of the dark to be less prominent.  But some things can be just as scary well-lit as in the dark.

The previously stated elements distract viewers from Jaws’ true identity when they shouldn’t; especially to those born after the film’s release.  No one would argue that Jaws is a thriller, but what makes it a horror?

 

Original theatrical release poster

The Poster

What isn’t horrifying about this image?

Just imagine yourself swimming peacefully as this leviathan slowly approaches from below.  Still calm? 

I myself always perceived Bruce as a sea monster rather than a shark, given his size.

The Theme

What does anyone think when they hear the notorious Dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun…?  Something lurking.  A slow-approaching predator.  Terror.

This musical theme is so well-known, even those who haven’t seen Jaws know its significance.

First Victim

If one only hears the horrifying screams of Chrissie Watkins, I’m pretty sure E.T. and Indiana Jones don’t come to mind.

Ben Gardner

This version of this scene, one of the most startling in the film, wasn’t actually added until after Jaws premiered.  Feeling something was missing, Spielberg went against the advice of his producers and redid the timing of this sequence to get one more scream out of the audience.  He was successful.

The USS Indianapolis

“When he comes at you, he doesn’t seem to be living…until he bites you, and those black eyes roll over white and then…then you hear that terrible high-pitch screaming. The ocean turns red, and despite all the pounding and the hollering, they all come in. They…rip you to pieces.”

Sounds like something out of John Carpenter’s world doesn’t it?

Not only one of the film’s most chilling scenes, but one of cinema’s too.  Brody and Hooper never expected their fishing trip to come with an unlikely chance of survival.  All it took to convince them was an unsettling war story.

In the Cage

He’s all alone and the only thing to protect him from a 25-foot, 3-ton predator is a set of metal bars.  As it turned out, that wasn’t even enough.

Quint’s Fate

The great hunter humbled by his game.  According to my mother, who saw this film in the summer of ’75, realistic violence like this was relatively unseen in pre-1975 cinema.  I can only imagine the shock of moviegoers at their first viewing of Quint being eaten alive.

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My generation may not understand this, but the fact of the matter is Jaws scared people in 1975, and probably more than any horror film before it considering the cultural impact.  When a film terrifies a country into avoiding the beach during the summer, it’s fair to say a powerful impression has been made.  Film critic Jeffrey Lyons said in a 2010 CNN interview that he hasn’t been in the ocean since he saw the film.

The mouth of a great white shark

For those who don’t know, Jaws is responsible for our fear of sharks.  In a 2005 National Geographic interview, shark biologist George Burgess said, “(Jaws) perpetuated the myths about sharks as man-eaters and bloodthirsty killers…even though the odds of an individual entering the sea and being attacked by a shark are almost infinitesimal.”

Shark sightings and hunting also increased, further instilling the prejudice toward these animals; a prejudice that remains today.  The fear is simply in our blood, and it’s all because of this film.

The ocean is vast and mysterious, and the fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all.  Perhaps this is why the thought of treading water with an abyss below your feet is so haunting.  Your legs just continue to idle…until something grabs you.

Maybe to most, Jaws doesn’t fit the contemporary horror genre, but we should at least agree it was the greatest horror film of its time.  Not doing so would be an insult to the film’s legacy.

A great white shark swimming beneath a ray of light off the coast of Australia