issue 7 // volume 43

Psychological horror
movies to chill your mind

> Tension-filled flicks for October

Design:

Cazzy Lewchuk
Opinions Editor

of the
gamers

 

He movies scare us in many ways. It could be from
the gore, or from ghosts jumping at the screen every
few minutes. Sometimes, the real horror comes from the
fears that play tricks inside our mind. In these movies,
the characters descend into madness and aren’t sure

what’s real... and you may feel the same after watching! Adam Tatelman

Arts Editor

Flawed by

The silence

> The rebirth of survival horror

 

Shutter Island (2010)

In 1954, US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio)
investigates an escaped murderess from Ashecliffe Hospital,
an insane asylum. Trapped on a spooky island in the middle
of a storm, Teddy quickly realizes this is no ordinary escape.
Suspense, twists, and brilliant directing by the masterful
Martin Scorsese make this a thriller you won't soon forget.

orror games have always

been a niche genre in the
hallowed halls of gaming. This is
probably because most popular
video games are, in essence,
power fantasies, endowing the
player with incredible sldlls or
powers within the world of the
game. Survival horror games
take the opposite approach; by
placing the player in a hostile
environment with limited
resources and a brace of
powerful, elusive threats that
hunger for human flesh, they
create an experience that thrills
not with action, but with razor-
wire tension and toothy terror.

Unfortunately, triple-A
developers like EA Games and
Capcom want to have it both
ways—seducing the niche
audience with the promise of
scares, when their products are
in fact merely lowest-common-
denominator action titles with
gruesome visuals and buckets
of gore. In the worst cases,
titans of the horror genre
like Resident Evil have been
perverted into gaudy theme park
versions of their former selves,
often resulting in the outright
death of the franchise itself.

In some ways, survival
horror games were products
of their time. Silent Hill,
the undisputed grandpappy
of them all, underwent a
number of revisions over its
development cycle due to the
engine limitations of the PS1.
Since the low draw distance
obscured the player’s vision,
the developers decided to
disguise that fault with a fog
effect, thus molding the misty
Midwestern American town
aesthetic the games are known
for. Without the budget to fix
the problem, they embraced
their limitations, making a
better game in the process.

This isn’t to say that
everything old is good and
everything new is shit; that’s
just the nostalgia pills talking.
Rather, this shows us that
survival horror was born
from experimentation, back
when games first slithered
from the primordial pixel

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Bruce Willis plays a psychologist who befriends a
troubled young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who has some
disturbing abilities. In one of the most parodied lines
ever, the boy eventually reveals that he can “see dead
people.” While there are ghosts, the real tension comes
from murders, twists, and even heartwarming human
emotion in M. Night Shyamalan’s horror debut.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodi Foster) investigates serial
killer Buffalo Bill, who’s been kidnapping young women
for sinister means. To understand his psyche, she enlists
the help of another killer: currently incarcerated cannibal
psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). As
Clarice and Hannibal face off before Buffalo Bill kills again,
the lines of who’s interrogating who begin to blur...

Misery (1990)

Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is a novelist who’s been in a
serious car accident. He’s found by Annie Wilkes (Kathy
Bates), who’s not only a nurse, but claims to be his biggest
fan! Lucky for him, right? Unfortunately, Paul soon discovers
Annie’s sinister past and tactics as she holds him hostage
while he recovers. Kathy Bates’ performance here goes down
in history as one of the most terrifying movie villains, ever.

The Thing (1982)

In an Antarctic research station, a group of scientists
fall prey to an alien parasite. It can take the shape

of its victims—meaning no one is sure who to trust.
Although it didn’t do well in theatres, this one has gone
on to be considered one of the greatest horror movies
of all time from genre master John Carpenter.

The Omen (1976)

Diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) switches his stillborn
son with an orphaned baby in Rome. Young, precious
Damien seems to be an innocent child—yet terrifying

events constantly happen around him. Eventually, Robert
must confront the truth that Damien is actually the son

of the Devil and the Antichrist. Driven by tension, this

one is truly frightening to believers and atheists alike.

Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins} is a Vietnam veteran tortured
by the horrors he witnessed. He now suffers from delusions
and hallucinations in the present. Although his loved

ones try to help, Jacob quickly descends into madness,

not knowing what’s real or imagined—and you may find
yourself questioning what’s really going on as well.

The Witch (2015)

In 1630, an isolated Puritan family is shocked by the
disappearance of their baby. Naturally, they suspect their
eldest daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) of being
involved in witchcraft. While something supernatural

is probably going on, the scariest thing here comes

from the harsh realities of a devout Christian lifestyle

in the 1600s. This one leaves a deep impact—and

you may never look at a goat the same way again.

arts // no. 7

  
 

 

pool, taking their first shaky
steps onto the polygonal
shores of 3-D. Developers
were literally re-learning how
to make games, and creating
new types of gameplay with
every attempt. Much like the
Wild West, it was uncharted
territory—unregulated by
corporate publishers, and
utterly unpredictable.

Sadly, this wonderment
was not to last. When
gaming officially surpassed
Hollywood films as the most
profitable mainstream form
of entertainment, it brought
with it the necessary ills of
big business; sequelization,
planned obsolescence, and
reproducible formulas. These
things aren't bad on their own,
but they can kill creativity
when prioritized too much,
as their purpose is only to
perpetuate their own existence.
Seeing the unique charm of
horror sublimated to formula
was perhaps an inevitable
consequence of this change.

Whenever an industry
becomes too cynical and greedy,
consumers and creators alike
begin to jump ship. Compare
Sony’s software sales to their
hardware sales. The PS4 may
have outsold the Wii U, but it
still has very few exclusive titles
to offer. Nintendo has actually
fielded more exclusives, and it
shows in their software sales.
Compare this to the recent
boom of the Indie gaming
scene, populated by ex-triple-A
developers gone rogue, fronted
by a new wave of horror titles
with decades of technological
improvement at their back.

Among others, Scott
Cawthon has made a killing in
the Indie horror scene with his
Five Nights at Freddy's series.
Though I am nota fan, evena
contrarian jackass like me must
acknowledge its importance
in the memetic resurrection of
the horror genre. The franchise
proves that huge budgets
and design committees aren't
necessary to connect with the
basic human fear response.
All that’s necessary is a small
group of programmers with an
eye for experimentation and
a devious streak, and a niche
audience who loves a good scare.