Psycho Review By Erik Haley

        If you were going to ask 100 people what the first slasher film was, a lot of people would say Psycho. However, while Psycho definitely influenced the genre itself and has many of the same elements, it misrepresents the film to just label it as a slasher. In truth, the film does not play as a slasher or even completely as a horror film, but rather as a psychological suspense film. While the scenes when they came out were indeed intense, nowadays they have been overshadowed, for better or worse, by special effects that have dulled modern audiences response to gore and violence. Yet still, Psycho is still considered one of the best films of all times and as one of the most frightening. This distinction is rightfully deserved because Psycho scares us the old fashioned way: by making us fear for the safety of characters in a new situation.
        The story of Psycho is not obvious on first glance. We start off with a woman, Marion, in a hotel, having just had sex with her lover, Sam, whose divorce has not been finalized. As she wants to leave to start a new life with Sam, she gets the opportunity when someone gives her $40,000 to put into the bank through her job. She steals the money and leaves to meet her lover. However, paranoia about being followed makes her feel guilty, so she stops at a motel for the night planning to return the money. She meets Norman Bates, the hotel manager, who lives with his home-bound yet controlling mother. He seems nice and acts friendly to Marion, but he blows up when she makes the suggestion that he place his mother in a home. He apologizes afterwards, though, and Marion decides to return to her room to shower. During the shower, however, she is brutally attacked by Norman's mother in the film's famous scene. Norman finds the body and disposes of it. When other people, including a detective, Sam and Marion's sister also turn up at the hotel to unravel the mystery, there lives are also in jeopardy.
       The true strength of the film comes from two things: the suspense and the shower scene. The film does not focus on violence but rather makes us worry for when the violence will come. While the Bates motel may seem like a safe place, we the audience have this suspicion that it is not as safe as at first glance. This suspicion is confirmed as we witness Norman lift up the eye holes of a picture to spy on Marion getting undressed, clearly sexually obsessed with her. This seems to be her downfall, as it causes Norman's mother to savagely attack her in the shower. However, aside from that one scene, more on that later, the film is remarkably free of violence that would identify it as a horror film. Rather, we are afraid more about what will happen to the characters as they explore the house Mrs. Bates occupies, not of the scenes that occur when she does find her victims. The final scene of the film also leaves us with a sense of dread. Even though we have an explanation for the film's events, the killer still is more than willing to kill and is slowly biding their time until they are released.
        Of course, any one who sees Psycho will talk about the shower scene, and for good reason. That scene alone has made the actress, Vera Miles, scared to take a shower, and she is not the only person to make that claim. It may then surprise people when they look back and realize that the knife never enters Marion's skin. A quick series of cuts makes us believe that we see her being impaled, while in reality neither Marion nor her stunt double was in that scene. However, besides this, we all are frightened because we see Marion scream, a knife coming down and Marion fall in the tub with blood swirling around the drain. It also works well because it shows something we all fear: we are very vulnerable in the shower. If any of us were to be attacked in there, it is doubtful that we would end up any different than Marion. HItchcock's genius was preying on this fear as well as our fear of the violence that hides behind innocent faces.
        While the film owes a lot to Hitchcock, it also owes a lot to Anthony Perkins, the man who played Norman Bates. Anthony had previously played only nice boys down the street. Thus, people did not expect his character to be so timid around his mother, while also being so violent towards any one who even accidentally offends her. He is very convincing at shifting from weak and obedient to forceful and scary. While the other actors do a great job of playing their roles, in truth, it is Anthony Perkins who steals the show.
        Psycho was a film that revolutionized the industry when it first came out, making horror films a more respectable genre than it had been in many years. It influenced John Carpenter, who arguably made the first true slasher film of Halloween. It was condemned as being too violent and obscene on release; now people say they are disappointed in how little violence and sex is shown. But that diminishes what Psycho is actually about. It is Hitchcock doing what he does best; making the audience uncomfortable and nervous about what will happen. In that respect, Hitchcock succeeds admirably. Psycho, while neither a true slasher film or true horror film, is a masterpiece of a thriller.

Insidious Review by Samantha Mauney

The makers of Saw are returning to their low-budget roots with this supernatural horror flick that centers around a young couple trying to keep their family together after tragedy strikes.

At the start of the film, the Lambert family, composed of husband and wife Josh and Renai, two boys and a baby girl, has just moved into a new house. Soon thereafter, they begin to settle into their daily routines. One day, having realized that she has lost some sheet music, Renai journeys into the attic. Using a ladder to turn on the light, she breaks one of the wooden steps, and leaves without finding what she's looking for. Later, their son Dalton is exploring the attic and falls on the same ladder hitting his head on the floor. His parents, having evaluated him, think that everything is fine until the next morning when he is unresponsive. Doctors are baffled as Dalton remains in the same comatose state for three months.

Shortly after moving him home, strange events begin to occur around the house. Family members are besieged by visions of people and other things that go "bump" in the night. Tensions mount throughout, leading to a climax 

Overall, the film is a little too predictable for my taste, which is due in large part to the overbearing score that doesn't build suspense so much as it provides a warning of when the next big scare is coming. The music also does a great job of killing any subtlety that the filmmakers might have been trying to inject into the movie regarding certain Easter egg-type features.

This film takes the traditionally harmless, however supernatural, concept of the out-of-body experience and makes it, well, insidious. Whether or not this twist is a hit or miss is debatable. In general, if you're looking for a horror flick with a great story, then Insidious might not be for you. However, if you enjoy new twists and ideas inserted into conventional concepts, it's definitely worth a watch. I give it about 7 out of 10 stars.

Scream 4 Review by Corbin Bond

         Ten years have officially passed since the world saw Ghostface last in Scream 3; however, the terror is far from over. Today, I went with the Virginia Horror Society to see the fourth installment of the franchise that reinvented the horror genre in the 1990's, and I must say right now that I may give minor spoilers on the film but nothing major. I will wait until after many have seen it before I add on to this review. However, I will start my review by giving my verdict on Ghostface's return to slice up Woodsboro. I absolutely LOVED THIS MOVIE! I have always loved every Scream film and hold the series very dear to me. This was absolutely no exception. In fact, I would have to place this film at the same level as the second film.
            However, before I start sounding like a hyper fan, I want to give a bit of a synopsis of the film. Ten years have passed since Sidney's final encounter with Ghostface, and now things have changed. Sidney is now a very popular author publicizing her newest book on her life, Out of Darkness. Her last stop on her book tour is back in her home town we have not seen in 15 years. However, with her return comes a ghost from the past. Not only does the new generation take the bloody history of Woodsboro as a sick but entertaining gimmick, but Ghostface has also returned to kill on the anniversary of the original Woodsboro murders. Meanwhile, Dewey is the chief of police and Gale, his wife, is retired and finding it incredibly difficult to write her next book. Furthermore, Sidney can't just protect Gale, Dewey, and herself, she also must fight to protect a group of new teenagers that very much resemble the original cast of Scream. Meanwhile, Ghostface holds nothing back and produces a trail of carnage forcing Sidney to suffer and watch as people around her die brutally.
              First of all, this is by far the goriest film in the entire Scream franchise. For example, there are rooms drenched in blood and even disembowelment. It is very horrifying and brutal to watch because it shows that after 15 years, Ghostface has evolved his tactics to fit the newest rule of this new decade - the kills are much more elaborate and ten times more brutal and horrifying. Furthermore, the body count in this film is higher than any Scream film, with a grand total of 15 deaths in the entire film. Meanwhile, speaking of the new rules, this film does exactly what the first one did with the presentation that this decade, the Horror genre has developed new rules and regulations. Now anyone can die, happy endings are very unlikely, and to quote one hilarious line, "to survive a modern horror film, you basically have to be gay." What is even more perfect about the film, is its criticism on the remake, as there is clear parody of not only the original Scream but also the Hollywood trend of remaking films for clear money grabs leaving no room for original ideals.
            Meanwhile, another factor to point out is the film's clever combination of bloody horror and excellent sarcasm and comedy. Three characters do this excellently. First, Gale Weathers Riley has shown herself as the absolute best at delivering one liners as she gave lines that were so hilarious the theater was nearly in stitches from laughing so hard. Next, there is Kirby Reed, played by Hayden Panettiere, who is the smarter and funnier version of Tatum from Scream. She knows all about Horror films and loves them, and she even has a collection of amazing classic Horror films. Meanwhile, she is the perfect portrayal of an awesome sarcastic teenage girls. She was amazing at delivering one-liners while even being scared out of her wits. Finally, there is Sidney's publicist, Rebecca, played by Alison Brie, who is the modern equivalent to Gale in the original Scream. She starts off sympathetic, but soon becomes a bitch that you absolutely love to hate and love to laugh at.
           The next major feature of importance is the opening scene. The Scream films are known for very impressive and clever openings, and this opening has to be the second best opening after the superb and infamous opening with Drew Barrymore. It meshes the first Scream opening with the opening in Scream 2 and does it so cleverly and shockingly, that by the end of it I was in complete awe. It was absolutely beautiful and had one of my favorite lines in the movie. The usage of current day celebs in the opening made it absolutely brilliant and frightening and twisted. Moreover, the ending has to be one of the best endings to a Scream film ever. The reveal was an amazing twist, and the explanation was probably one of the most disturbing and truthful outlooks on this generation. However, this film is also extremely heartbreaking in that one moment literally had me and some others I saw close to tears due to shock. Meanwhile, the ending to this film is also extremely satisfying in that it has a possibility of producing a sequel, but Scream 4's ending can easily also be seen as very worthy ending to the franchise.
          There is a clear full reference to the original Scream and then some throughout the entirety of the film. This film is a very worthy sequel for Scream and it is the best sequel since Scream 2. In fact, it is equal and also much better than Scream 2. Meanwhile, though it is a clear sequel, this film also shows itself as being a reboot as well. However, this is not a bad thing. Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson knew exactly what they were doing when they were making this, and it works 100%. The presentation of the film as a sequel/reboot of the franchise was brilliantly done. Furthermore, this clearly reflects the criticism on the Hollywood remake fetish. However, this film shows that sequels can do much better when adding originality as we can see with the amazingly clever writing of Kevin Williamson. As for the master of suspense, Wes Craven, he has completely outdone himself this time, as this is his best film to date since the original Scream films. Meanwhile, this film is also one of the most original sequels to a horror franchise that I have seen. Craven has proved himself as the master of suspense in producing a film with terrific scares, clever kill shots, and plenty (and I mean PLENTY) of blood shed.
          The characters - old and new - were all amazing and meshed well in the film. I very much liked these new characters because they are relatable to modern society. Meanwhile, the old actors, especially Neve Campbell, make this film even more impressive. Neve Campbell carries this film throughout and shows Sidney as a strong and much more powerful heroin. She is not afraid anymore and will fight back no matter what the cost. I have my complete respect towards her as an amazing actress. Courtney Cox and David Arquette were the perfect team of keeping the comic relief available when needed. They were amazing at keeping the film's Horror and comedy balanced. Finally, there is the amazing voice of Ghostface, which is done exquisitely by Roger Jackson. He is absolutely chilling in his voice as he is very crisp, clear, and insane. He gives Ghostface, while unknown, the perfect horrifying identity and really makes the part shine as not only does he deliver frightening lines but he is not afraid to get clever and present funny and scary lines together.
          The last thing to point out is the music of the film. Scream 4 has my absolute favorite soundtrack as not only are songs that have a 90's nostalgia feel, but the scores from the original Scream films is also used and taken to an even further and darker level. Thus, we see another way in which this film can be seen as a sequel and a remake. The soundtrack has some amazing songs - my favorite being the one during the beginning of the ending credits.
            In conclusion, Scream 4 is absolutely the best sequel in the franchise in that it ties and simultaneously outdoes Scream 2. The acting is superb, and the characters were hilarious and likable. The deaths were brutal and horrifying, while the black comedy was sharp and clever making Scream 4 a surefire success. The twists and turns in this film were insane making it into a complete roller coaster ride. Scream 4 is the sequel that people have been waiting for and it exceeds those expectations tenfold. Finally, with all of its brutality and disturbing content, this film has the best message of any Scream film - "First rule of remakes - don't f**k with the original!"

The Scream Trilogy Review by Corbin Bond

         In celebration of Scream 4 being released tomorrow, I felt it would be very important that I review each one of the previous films in their entirety. I will review the fourth installment in the franchise after I see it this weekend with the Horror Society. Let me just say that this review may contain some spoilers, so please take that as a proper warning, especially if you haven't seen the films. I strongly insist that you see the films before reading this review so that nothing gets ruined.
         With that let's begin with what is clearly one of the greatest Horror franchises in history, and it has, now, only 4 films! Unlike Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees, the infamous Ghostface has only appeared in currently 4 films, and in a way, it places him on a pedestal compared to other slashers because this series has been created and set very smartly. However, the most important factor about these famous films is that they are known not just as amazing Horror films, but they are also very smart, clever, and suspenseful murder mysteries that ingeniously blend comedy with gruesome terror and kills. Overall, this series holds a very special place in my heart as it is the only franchise besides A Nightmare on Elm Street, that I have ever watched every installment. Meanwhile, the film also stands above many other Horror films because of its sharp, and funny, criticism on the genre it takes part in. The Scream franchise has shown itself as not just a smart Horror series but also as a brilliant form of modern satire.
        It all began in 1996 with a single phone call, the events to follow would lead to not only the first brutal killing of a major star in Horror since Janet Leigh's death in Psycho, but it would also bring about the beginning of a phenomena that would rock the latter half of the 1990's. With the brutal killing of Drew Barrymore at the opener to Scream, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson showed themselves as Horror film masters. Thus we begin with the one that started it all - Scream. The film would utilize an all-star cast of huge 90's stars, and with a smart blend of laughs and scares, made a killing at the box office. The film tells the story of our heroin, Sidney Prescott, who is tormented by the rape and murder of her mother and trying to cope with the loss. Neve Campbell, I must say, has my complete respect in that she makes Sidney a character that one could easily meet in the real world. She is a suffering teenager, but she is also smart in that she knows Horror films. She knows their flaws, and she knows how to fight back. She is by far the best Horror movie heroin since Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Meanwhile, her character has flaws like all normal people, she is still vulnerable to attack but not afraid to fight back if necessary.
        Next, we are given a group of teenage friends. What is most fascinating about these people is that they know about film. They mention a huge amount of films in the movies in terms of reference. The best example of this can be seen with Randy, who perfectly reflects the Horror movie nerd. He knows all about the genre and the rules that we have constantly noticed but never fully recognized. The presentation of rules of survival in Horror films, I found to be another interesting part of this film. It is an amazing formula to utilize when watching old Horror films and is quite fun. Meanwhile, we have the typical wild girl friend, Tatum, who gives some very interesting one-liners. However, the most satirical character in this film, has to be Gale Weathers, who is portrayed to perfection by Courtney Cox. She is the perfect bitch that you love to hate, but you cannot  help but laugh at her phrases. We are also given the character of Deputy Dewey Riley, who is not only Tatum's brother, but he is also another extremely quirky and comedic character that holds the film together. Finally, it is important to discuss the characters of Billy Loomis and Stu Macher. Stu is probably the next best comedic character in the movie, but he is also quite known for have an enormous "creep" vibe. Meanwhile, Billy, the brooding and suspicious boyfriend of the heroine, is an interesting character both psychologically and in terms of mystery.
           The one major factor that Scream is known for though is the emergence of Ghostface, the masked slasher who is bent on killing everyone close to Sidney before killing her. He is definitely one of the more terrifying serial killers in a Horror film in how he mentally tortures innocent people through disturbing phone calls. The opening with Drew Barrymore, is just one piece of evidence to show how Scream proved to be one of the most terrifying films of the 1990's. The kills are intense in this film, especially the opening scene involving multiple disembowelments. Furthermore, after its release, the amount of caller ID users increased dramatically. What I found to be even more frightening about these phone calls wasn't the insanity as much as how seductive the voice of the killer sounds on the phone. Roger Jackson does superb voice work in leading people on before scaring them half to death turning brutal murders into twisted games. However, the more fascinating factor has to do with the mystery of who is behind the mask.
           Another smart part of Scream is that it leaves you guessing about who the killer is. At times it does leave hints for us to follow, but then we are given a twist to second guess ourselves until finally realizing we were all right to begin with. SPOILER ALERT!!!! The reveal of Billy as the killer was believed and then refuted until finally the ending when he coldly and disturbingly shoots Randy. To add to the twist the reveal of Stu as the accomplice was not seen at all. This reveal delved into further twists when we find out Billy's true motive of revenge against Sidney's family. He's the one who killed her mother because of her affair with his father cause his mother to abandon him. Talk about issues! Either way, the ending of Scream shows Sidney's fighting back as she makes Randy and Stu scream in agony as she gets her ultimate revenge on them leading to the death of the killers and an intense, yet very happy, ending to Scream.
            Then by 1997, the sequel, Scream 2, reached theaters. This is, in my personal opinion, an example of a brilliant sequel. It stays true to the storyline and continues right where the original left off. However, it also brilliantly shows itself as an individual movie and not just a Horror sequel. The opening of Scream 2 would ultimately see not the death of one major star but two, Omar Epps and Jada Pinkett. The opening murders take place fascinatingly in a movie theater playing the film based off of the events of the original Scream, cleverly titled Stab. This clearly is a smart way of showing a movie not only acknowledging itself but also cleverly parodying itself with a movie within a movie. The more frightening aspect of Jada Pinkett's death is how she is killed by Ghostface in a crowded movie theater filled with people wearing similar costumes so no one can see who is killing her. Meanwhile, when she does scream in front of the screen they all stare at her like she is an act for the movie making a critical view on society's psychological inability to help people when surrounded by others.
              Thus, we return to Woodsbor- SIKE! We find Sidney now in college as a much smarter survivor from the Woodsboro murders. Now a theater major at Windsor College, Sidney has developed many defense mechanisms to protect herself from anymore psychos chasing her. She has caller ID which she utilizes  impressively to her advantage in the beginning against a prank phone caller. However, what makes matters more worrisome is not only does Sidney have to deal with the fact that the man she wrongly accused for murdering her mother, Cotton Weary, who Billy and Stu framed, but she also has to deal with the restarting of the murders. Moreover, Gale has returned with even more clever lines and even more bitchiness to bring to the table, but thankfully Sidney is able to beat her out of her senses, AGAIN! Dewey returns as well as the awesome and funny protective big brother as Sidney, Randy, and their new college friends deal with the return of Ghostface. Furthermore, we are given the rules of the sequel in that there is much more of body count and so on.
            Sidney has moved on with a new boyfriend, Derek, and her roommate/best friend, Hallie; however, unfortunately history must repeat itself as Sidney is haunted by murders that constantly mirror the Woodsboro murders as we are given the signs of a copy cat killer. What Scream 2 does ingeniously is presents a huge amount of possible suspects. By the time we are revealed the identity it is shocking as we never expect it. As always, Ghostface does a very brutal job at killing his victims. Sarah Michelle Gellar's cameo appearance and death really felt most reminiscent to Drew Barrymore's death. Meanwhile, this time Ghostface does not hold back, he is willing to kill everyone close to Sidney and make her suffer. This we can see clearly when Randy dies brutally in the news van. This sad death really brings the remaining characters together more. Gale and Dewey come much closer and finally become more romantic in their relationship they started briefly in Scream.
            Neve Campbell also shows herself as a much more respectable actress as she develops Sidney even further into the fighter she was meant to be. She never gives up and truly wants to end this nightmare once and for all. By the film's conclusion, she is the one to carry the film. However, another actor to take into account is Liev Schreiber as Cotton Weary. He definitely makes himself to be a complete asshole as well a prime suspect, but as much as he makes us hate him, he is also quite interesting to learn about. It was definitely smart of Kevin Williamson to add him to the sequel. However, what really makes this film awesome is that it has probably the best current twist ending in the series.
          SPOILER ALERT!!! The reveal of Mickey, "the creepy Tarantino film student," is extremely clever in that his reasonings are clear criticisms towards the criticisms of Horror. By wanting to get caught, so he can claim insanity by blaming the movies, Mickey is parodying how many in the 1990's blamed the media for violence. My opinion on the matter is that the media really has nothing to do with it. These acts of violence in the real world are chosen by the person not solely from media influence but from the individual's poor mental reasoning and rationality. This is proven when Mickey is killed by the true killer, Mrs. Loomis (aka. Billy's mother, aka. Debbie Salt). By killing Mickey, Mrs. Loomis even criticizes Mickey's plan by saying that blaming the movies made absolutely no sense. She shows herself as the biggest and meanest bitch in this entire series, and you want to see her die. Let's just say that SIDNEY LET'S HER HAVE IT!!! The final showdown between Sidney, Mrs. Loomis, and Cotton, though very tense also makes for a very suspenseful and awesome ending to the sequel.
            Three years later, we see the return of the Scream franchise, in the form of the very underrated Scream 3. Admittedly, this film does have it's flaws, especially since Kevin Williamson was not able to write the film. Instead the film was written by Ehren Kruger based off of what Williamson had outlined for Scream 3. True the film has it's issues compared to the other two, it does provide us with an interesting finality to the series, which shall start again very soon with the fourth installment. The third film, takes the major Scream characters to Hollywood. We are still given the major actor opening death as Cotton and his Hollywood actress bite the dust in the very beginning. Then we move to the studio of Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro.
           Neve Campbell reprises her role as Sidney, who is now in the California countryside and has many added precautions such as alarm systems and locked gates and guns! However, as a recluse from the world, we unfortunately do not see much of Sidney in the film. Instead the film is significantly carried by Gale and Dewey. The other actors, who are spoiled and very unlikeable Hollywood celebrities are clear victims who you know will ultimately bit the big one. However, they are hilarious characters. The best one has to be the character of Jennifer Julie (aka. Judy Jergenstern), played by Parker Posey. She is a hilarious and dumb character who tries to be a copycat of Gale. However, Ghostface cuts the comedy short by slicing through the actors in the order they die in the actual movie.
            Meanwhile, in the country, Sidney is haunted by phone calls from someone who claims to be "mother." She also suffers from disturbing dreams about her mother. The best part of this movie is the added mystery of Sidney's mother. Not only did she sleep around with a lot of people in her infidelity. Sidney's mother was also an actress for a few years but the controversy in the 1970's Hollywood setting was too much for her, so she left to return and settle down in Woodsboro. Ghostface has also shown himself to be smart again as he uses a voice changer to trick the main characters with the voices of other characters they all know.   Randy also returns in a video to describe to possibility of a trilogy. He gives the horrifying possibility of Sidney's death.
             Scream 3 redeems itself to me in its reveal of the killer. SPOILER ALERT!!! When we finally learn who the killer is, we never see it coming. The killer is the director of Stab 3, Roman (aka. Sidney's brother). While in Hollywood, Sidney's mother was raped and had a son who she disowned, and this drove Roman insane and willing to ruin Sidney's life once and for all. The most fascinating part is that Roman motivated Billy to kill in the first film thus bringing about a filling of all the holes. He is the reason for everything that happened to Sidney, and as all the Scream films go leads to an ultimate final showdown between sister and brother. Sidney holds nothing back in that she is absolutely tired of this torment in her life and is willing to sacrifice it all to end everything once and for all. Though she is shot and, at first, presumed dead, she is much smarter than Roman ever could be and the final act ends with Roman's turn to scream for his life. Finally, though Scream 4 is coming out, before there was knowledge of another, Scream 3 provided a definite sense of finality in how Dewey and Gale finally get engaged and Sidney no longer fears leaving her doors open to the outside. She is no longer afraid and is no longer weak. Thus, we see an ending to the series. That is until now.
              Overall, the Scream franchise has shown itself to be a fascinating part of Horror history as it was one of the first of its kind to parody and criticize the very genre it supported while also scaring people to death in the 1990's. It's got the scares, laughs, and satire to provide us with a clever look at modern society and the Horror genre that ultimately revitalized the genre entirely for new generations of Horror fans. However, now we have seen a new decade and many new rules to take the place of the old ones. Thus, allowing Ghostface to return again to criticize and frighten a new audience and old audience with the new rules. The Scream franchise is a fascinating series that should not be missed.

Krueger vs. Krueger - A Comparison of the Original and Remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street by Mary Lasher

The first horror movie I ever saw in theaters was A Nightmare on Elm Street.  The first question you may ask when reading this is probably: Exactly how old are you?  Followed by: And why are you still in college?  So let me rephrase the first sentence – the first horror movie I ever saw in theaters was the 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, starring Jackie Earle Haley as the diabolical and homicidal Freddy Krueger.  And, to be honest, the only reason I went to see it was because Haley was in it – I had enjoyed his performance in Watchmen, and I figured I therefore would enjoy his performance in A Nightmare on Elm Street.  However, my initial excitement about seeing the movie turned pretty rapidly to dread as I sat there in the theater, watching the credits roll, waiting for the killing to begin…

At the time I was not a horror movie enthusiast.  I could count the scary movies I’d seen on one hand.  I also had the reputation for being a bit of a wimp.  So, needless to say, the movie scared me pretty badly.  I spent the ride home repeatedly checking the back seat to make sure Freddy wasn’t going to pop up from behind and kill me.  I also stayed up until two in the morning, trying to avoid falling asleep for fear that Freddy was waiting for me in my subconscious.  I attributed these emotions of extreme fear to the fact that I was a scaredy-cat, a thought solidified by the reviews I read of the movie.  Critics were saying it was predictable and essentially a well-attempted but still failed homage to the original movie, which I had not seen at the time.

When I finally did see the original later that year, I was, to be honest, disappointed.  I was expecting something much better than the one I’d seen that past April.  Instead, I got cheesy fright attempts, bad dialogue (this includes Freddy’s infamous one-liners), and ridiculously gory death scenes.  I thought the remake had a much more cohesive story line, and I thought that Jackie Earle Haley made a much better Freddy.  His character was much more consistent, rather than the inconstant and remarkably not frightening Freddy that showed up in the 1984 film.  His lines were much better (granted, they had lines from all the previous Freddy films to work with, but I still laughed a lot harder at their delivery in the remake.)  I also thought the minute change in Freddy’s background story was an excellent addition.  To me, a trusted member of the community who worked with kids that turned out to be a child molester of the worst sort is much more horrifying than a random child murderer who stalked the streets, or at least is much less cliché in the horror genre.  Because people like that exist in real life (and the number is growing every day), it made it seem all the more believable.

I also thought the fright sequences were much scarier.  Yes, a few were predictable, but instead of thinking, oh, great, they’re in a dream again, how boring, I found myself repeating the thought process of –they’re in a dream.  This has to be a dream.  Wait, is it a dream?  It’s got to be a dream.  At this point Freddy would appear, and I’d jump three feet into the air and shout (mentally), “HOLY SHIT IT’S A DREAM!”  I also thought the death scenes were much improved.  While I thought infamous death scene where a character gets dragged around a room in the original was wonderfully done, especially for the time, I thought the first death scene of the remake was much more shocking than even the infamously gory death scene towards the end in the original (which I thought was ridiculous to the point of laughter).  The end of the film, too, was better and more shocking than the ending of the original.  Although I had sort of guessed what would happen, I still jumped out of my seat, unlike in the original, which reminded me of something out of Beetlejuice.

That being said, the original was a groundbreaking film.  Nothing like it had been seen at the time, and for the 1980s the special effects were amazing.  Robert Englund really created new rules for horror movie villains, one reason why his performance as Krueger ranks as #40 in the American Film Institution’s Top 100 list of 100 Heroes and Villains.  For 1984, this movie must have been terrifying.

As a classic horror movie, the original A Nightmare on Elm Street is a definite must-see.  It has helped to form an important part of American cinematic culture and therefore must be given credit where credit is due.  However, the remake was superbly done, and if you’re looking for a good scary movie that will keep you up at night, the remake is the way to go.

The Serpent and the Rainbow Review by Corbin Bond

          Imagine being in a world where one day a person could be declared dead and the next they are walking amongst the population like they were never buried in the first place. This is the case in Wes Craven's nightmarish film on the Horror of voodoo in The Serpent and the Rainbow. The film, which is based off of truth, is the story of Dennis, an anthropologist who has worked in the the farthest reaches of South America and other areas in search of medicinal sources to cure ailments in the United States. After surviving in the Amazon on his own, Dennis is assigned to go to Haiti to find an infamous drug capable of bringing about zombification. 
          While in Haiti, we are presented with images of 1985 Haiti in the middle of a revolution and the historical disappearance of Baby Doc. Meanwhile, we are presented with violent secret policeman who eventually arrest Dennis and brutally torture him in an unforgivable interrogation. However, the central point to this movie is the depiction of voodoo. The imagery in the film is very much a signature of Wes Craven, seeing as this follows his masterpiece, A Nightmare on Elm Street. What's even more fascinating is the mix between dream and reality as we are given multiple haunting and gruesome dream sequences in Dennis's mind. Probably the best examples are the dreams of a woman in a veil who is in fact a zombie. She seems to be a disturbing guardian angel for Dennis as we see her multiple times throughout the film. 
        What makes this film even more fascinating is the fact that Wes Craven and his producers filmed on location in Haiti during these revolutions. Furthermore, one of the actors in the film is one of the most famous voodoo priests in Haiti. The film crew was given permission to film on sacred voodoo ritual grounds. They were shown the entire process of creating a zombie in Haitian voodoo along with the drug used in the ritual. These processes served as the basis in showing such scenes of voodoo ritualism. This is impressive in how it gives the film a great sense of realism. 
       Meanwhile, the effects in this film are gorgeous as we are shown some very interesting moments with puppetry and makeup that are very frightening. The zombies are very chilling. Meanwhile, the many hallucinations that Dennis suffers from are extremely disturbing and truly nightmarish. One in particular places him in a coffin filling up with blood as he drowns inside. Another very sublime image depicts a burning boat on the water with a corpse in a crucified stance at the front of the boat. Combined with the frightening events occurring in Haiti with the secret police, the film is very much a Horror film for the eyes. It clearly reflects Craven's work in A Nightmare on Elm Street in combining the real world with the world of the unexplained - a mixing that is very true to Gothic fiction that precedes modern Horror films. 
       Another factor about this film is that the acting is also very well done. Bill Pullman shows himself as a very impressive actor in his presentation of a man terrified for his life but willing to sacrifice all to find the truth of Haiti's "zombie drug." Meanwhile, the presence of the actual voodoo practitioners, as mentioned earlier provide a very high sense of realism in this Horror atmosphere. Speaking of the atmosphere, we are presented with a very isolated feeling in this film as Dennis is technically alone in this country and very vulnerable to the horrors it has to offer.
         In conclusion, The Serpent and the Rainbow is a new nightmare for Wes Craven to present to all Horror fans. It not only has some very terrifying moments that cry out to many traditional fears, such as being buried alive and loss of control, but the film presents us with a very realistic setting that just makes the film all the more suspenseful. Furthermore, with haunting visuals in the form of dreams and hallucinations accompanied with some very impressive special effects, we are given a film that is both impressive as well as terrifying. The acting is superb and we are also given a very good amount of character development and depth. Overall, Wes Craven had already proved himself as a master of Horror with A Nightmare on Elm Street; however, The Serpent and the Rainbow adds further justification to this argument as it shows Craven as a director with a basis in imagery that is both mesmerizing, beautiful, and absolutely nightmarish.

Fright Night Review by Corbin Bond

        What if you found out that right next door to you was something that was not human? This is the horrific case in the 1980's cult classic Fright Night; however, this is more than just any Horror film. Very similar to Scream in the mid 1990's, Fright Night, has a very powerful comic touch to it as we are given a rather funny and scary commentary on the Horror genre, specifically vampire films. With a very impressive cast of lovable characters and one liners along with some even more impressive special effects, Fright Night is one night that will entertain, amuse, and frighten all together.

          The story for the film is quite simple. High schooler, Charlie Brewster, is an average 80's Horror movie nerd with a special place in his heart for vampire films starring the classic "vampire killer," Peter Vincent. Meanwhile, Charlie is dealing with teenage issues in terms of his intimacy with his loving girlfriend, Amy, along with trying to pass High School trigonometry. Meanwhile, Charlie also shows himself as the average 80's High schooler in that he seems to be part of a clichéd friend trio - Amy, himself, and the hilarious "Evil" Ed. However, Charlie's normal life takes a swift turn to the horrific as a mysterious new neighbor moves in right next door. We come to find out that this neighbor is the suave and debonair Jerry Dandridge - played excellently by Chris Sarandon. Jerry has a gruesome secret. Behind his seductive appearance, he is a vicious vampire who isn't afraid to raise some hell in the neighborhood by killing anyone who threatens him. Charlie, of course, finds out and thus seeks the help of the famous Peter Vincent, and from then on it is up to these two to save the neighborhood from this creature of the night.

          This is, of course, a very short summary of this masterpiece because many sudden obstacles come between Charlie and stopping Jerry. Jerry is on a whole new level of vampire in this decade defined by mostly slasher films. He is conniving, brutal, and malicious in his attacks on Charlie and those he cares about. One particular scene in a night club near the film's climax proves this monster's brutal capabilities. Meanwhile, we are given comic relief especially in the brilliant "Evil" Ed, who is filled with one-liners and cocky phrases that just make you wanna bust out laughing at times. Meanwhile, Amy plays the damsel in distress who doesn't believe Charlie about the existence about vampires until it's too late. Finally, Charlie is the clear hero followed by his awesome British partner, Peter Vincent - who is portrayed as a modern day mock of Van Helsing by Roddy McDowell.

         Overall, this is definitely one of the greatest vampire films, as well as one of the most impressive Horror films ever made not just because of its social commentary and comedy, but also because of its Horror elements. This has to be noted as a film with some absolutely amazing effects, especially in makeup. Jerry Dandrige's transformation into a vicious vampire is terrifying because he completely changes into a pure blood thirsty animal with some of the most frightening fangs ever. Meanwhile, he is also developed true to the original vampire mythos as he is able to change into a bat, fog, and even a wolf. The original vampire weaknesses also apply; however, Jerry is a very good villain in that he will not go out with a brutal fight.

        When discussing the effects, one cannot ignore some of the gory effects as well. The film, though not incredibly bloody, has some very interesting gory moments. Some of which seem very reminiscent to The Evil Dead. The cinematography also is fantastic as we are given shots that are very eerie as well as disorienting. Furthermore, I have to say, without spoilers, that this film has one of the most awesome endings in terms of effects in a vampire movie. It really ends with an awesome bang.

        Another thing to take into account with this film is that it doesn't take itself seriously and plays with that brilliantly. It plays on the fact that some Horror involves cheesy qualities; however, the film utilizes these cheesy qualities to its advantage because it makes it stand out, like Scream would 11 years later. The film commentates on the loss of acknowledgment that even some of the most classic horror films, though cheesy, were in fact better than the focus and popularity of slashing maniacs hacking up young virgins. The film cleverly criticizes this love of slasher films by giving us the anti slasher film focused entirely on the classic supernatural horror of vampires and the world beyond the grave. Moreover, in the end we are given one of the best Horror films of all time that would develop fast cult classic status. Meanwhile, the film would spawn the reemergence of even more impressive vampire films, such as 1987's amazing film, The Lost Boys. In conclusion, Fright Night is definitely a night to be remembered again and again and again.

Alien Review By Erik Haley

         In space, no one can hear you scream. Thus reads the tag-line of one of the most impressive horror sci-fi movies ever made. While it's concept may seem simple, it is one of the greatest horror films because it preys on several human fears: creatures that are far more powerful than us, the dangers of technology and betrayal by people we consider friends and comrades. Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien is one of the horror films that keeps its viewers in suspense of what will happen next, while still using a restricted amount of gore at just the right time.
         The film starts off with the crew of the spaceship Nostromo being woken up from hibernation to answer a mysterious distress call from a ship on a nearby planet. When they arrive on the ship, an alien attaches to a crew member's face and becomes impossible to move. However, the alien eventually falls off and everything seems to be back to normal; until an alien bursts out of the man's chest at breakfast. The alien quickly escapes and the crew try to kill it in case it damages the ship. Unfortunately, there are three problems with this plan. One, the alien has acidic blood, so killing with anything other than fire will cause the ship's hull to be eaten away. Two, the alien is growing, And three, the company who finances the mission has decided that the alien might be more valuable alive rather than dead. It's a game of cat and mouse in a rather cramped maze, and the humans are now the mice.
         The two main characters of the film are instrumental in understanding the appeal of the film. The alien is one of the most realistic special effects in film; it seems like the demon we see in nightmares. The creature knows nothing except for hostility for the crew and devouring them. It cannot be reasoned with and it cannot be killed due to its resistant body. It is a monster that humanity prays to never encounter.The other main characters is Ellen Ripley, the person who takes charge of the Nostromo shortly after the alien appears. She is not hesitant about disregarding the ship in order to make a successful escape; the lives of the crew come before anything else. She is one of the strongest females in horror for good reason; she is more than willing to do anything to take out the creature.
         In addition, the film has a nice criticism of businesses. The profits that can be made from making the alien a weapon are more important to the company than the cargo of the ship or the lives of the crew. The setting on a spaceship makes the entire premise very effective; it is probably the greatest draw to the film. Unlike some other slashers where it would be plausible for the victims to runaway from the killer, there is no where for the characters to run in this film. The main characters are trapped with a monster; they have no hope of survival without drastic measures. This is what makes the film so great, and is unfortunately lost in the sequels. While the second film in the series was a good film, it still does not make as noticeable an impression. The rest of the series is better off forgotten. All in all, the film is one of the most powerful horror films ever made.