issue 6 // volume 43 > Suspenseful slashers for the season Cazzy Lewchuk Opinions Editor s we reach the middle of October, scary movies are everywhere we look. One all- too-common horror theme is of the “slasher’—films where a killer terrorizes a group of unsuspecting (and, usually, dumb and horny) teenagers one by one. There are countless low-budget and low-quality slashers released every year. Most of them are predictable, cheesy, and barely frightening. It’s a declining genre for this very reason, but there are still a few classics deserving of your time this holiday season. Tina and her friends are having terrifying (and fatal) dreams of a certain figure with an orange- striped sweater, disfigured skin, Pate Rderevup Bera l mac \ (coe (AEC UTS out that deceased child murderer Freddy Krueger—perhaps the most iconic horror movie a orevus(ensmoyar- JOM tonlcmea cea en or revenge on all the promiscuous and helpless teens. Masterfully directed by the late great Wes Craven, this one will make you never want to sleep again. The original and the remake tell the same story of teenagers getting slashed by the deranged yet child-like Leatherface and his cannibalistic hillbilly family. The original focuses more on performance and suspense than gore to terrify. It’s filmed in a documentary-like style and a feels much too real for comfort. The remake contains more explicit blood and guts, if you can stomach that sort of thing. Be careful in the backwoods. The other iconic horror franchise ae by Wes Craven. Sidney and her friends find themselves targeted by the mysterious Ghostface ldller. But unlike most slashers, they’re well aware of the cliché situation and openly discuss the similarities to other horror films. Hilarious, scary, and suspenseful The Beginning of today > ‘The Birth of a Nation’ review Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist OOOO WwW the recent events in the United States, African-American relations are an issue that is important in the US election this year. While there are still terrible shootings of African-Americans by police officers, it is not as bad as what was happening in the country in the 1800s. Many people thought that the journey for African-Americans to get equal rights began with the civil war. Really, it all began with a preacher named Nat Taylor. His story was not told— on such a scale—until now. The Birth of a Nation explores a very dark time in American history, beginning with how Nat (Nate Parker) took action to try to get African- Americans equal rights. The film begins with Nat’s childhood as a slave. His owner’s family teaches him to be a preacher, and almost treats him as if he were part of their family. When Nat performs a ceremony that African- Americans were not permitted to perform at the time, his owner and best friend, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), snaps and mistreats him. In response, Nat and his friends start a rebellion against white American slave owners. Most of the film focuses on Nat’s life, but near the end of the film, there are a number of extremely violent battle scenes. During a screening of the film at the Vancouver International Film Festival this year, some people left the theater because of the graphic scenes. These violent scenes are necessary to the story, as they show how badly African- Americans were treated during that time. The film also shows Image via NBC/Universal all at once, Scream is truly an essential example of the slasher genre and among the very best. Tucker and Dale are a couple of good ol’ boy rednecks who wouldn't hurt a fly, but due to the slave owners offending women, including Nat’s wife (Gabrielle Union). Union uses her own experiences to portray her character’s reactions. Nate Parker said at the VIFF screening that he wanted to begin a conversation about African-American race relations, much like what Snowden tried to do on the subject of government surveillance. The film showed that things are better today than in the 1800s, because most white Americans were raised with different values in that time. It also showed that all Americans could work together and resolve their differences arts // no. 9 huge misunderstandings and their unintentional creepiness, they’re mistaken by a group of college kids as the typical psycho killers one would normally encounter in a horror movie. Things only get worse when the kids start getting picked off by a real killer. As hilarious as it is gory, this is a refreshing twist on modern slashers. Truly the original “slasher,” and one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most iconic films. On the run after stealing from her employer, Marian Crane stops at the Bates Motel for a stormy night. It’s run by the charming, if socially awkward, Norman Bates, along with his mysterious mother—‘“a boy’s best friend” To wind down, Marian decides to relax with a nice, hot shower... While best known for one scene in particular, the entire film is masterfully suspenseful and unnerving, and widely considered one of the best horror movies of all time. Yet another pioneering slasher movie that’s made truly iconic by its execution. After killing seVeMON Vast kas ure MSb (ores old, masked killer Michael Myers escapes from an insane EXD ZMOO BGR e-Vacw el komm ete aala title suggests, it also happens to be the scariest night of the year. The film builds its fear with an eerie soundtrack and a direction style of suspense and mystery. Often the most fright oven a BauoleeR-B(acele remo) (aciy not more—and John Carpenter may have portrayed that better than anyone else ever has. without violence, even today. Throughout the film, Nat smiles every time he performs a sermon, when he gets whipped, and even when he murders people. This keeps the audience from knowing what is in his head, making his character mysterious and engaging at the same time. The film has beautiful visuals, including the sun rising in Georgia and the cotton field that Nat works in. When you see The Birth of a Nation, you will probably be impacted by it, and hopefully it will start conversations to make things better in the future.