Stateside Stories

Today is Halloween, and many people will celebrate by watching scary movies. Hollywood has produced its fair share of horror flicks that have left viewers on the edge of their seats. Some have relied on jump scares, and others have been psychologically disturbing. In this article, I will be sharing some of my favourite horror movies created by Hollywood. All three movies are very different from one another, but all are worth watching and are considered classics for a reason.

Stand By Me (1986)

Arguably the most underrated Steven King adaptation, Stand By Me is much more subtle in its horror than works such as IT or Carrie. Set in the 1950’s, Stand By Me follows four boys as they try to be the first to discover a dead body by some railway tracks. On their journey, the four open up to each other about their lives, all of them struggling with inner demons. Gordy feels ignored by his family following his brother’s death, Chris believes he will turn into a criminal like the rest of his family, Teddy’s father suffered from PTSD following the Second World War, and Vern is worried about growing apart from his friends.

The movie highlights the struggles of growing up in a small town, where things are often less glamorous than they first appear. Rather than relying on an indestructible villain like many of King’s works, Stand By Me reflects the horrors of real life and the fears associated with growing up. Of course, the hunt for the corpse of a teenage boy adds a spooky element to the tale. However, what makes Stand By Me stand out is the fact that it makes viewers reflect on the real world and the failings of society. In many ways, this makes it scarier than any movie about a fictional monster.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

A classic psychological thriller, The Silence of the Lambs follows FBI agent Clarice Starling as she tries to capture a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill, who murders women and skins them in order to create a ‘woman suit’ for himself. In order to accomplish this goal, she relies on another serial killer, Hannibal Lecter for help. Incredibly manipulative, Lecter was once a psychiatrist. He was also a cannibal who ate people’s livers. What makes this movie so scary is how Lecter is able to manipulate Clarice. He frequently plays games with her; only giving cryptic answers to her questions. However, she continues to return to him, determined to find out more. Clarice faces a race against the clock; as he interviews Lecter, Buffalo Bill has captured another woman. Clarice needs to get to them before he kills her.

This movie also does not rely on any supernatural monsters. Real, human depravity is the focus, making it truly terrifying. Indeed, the movie is based on real life. The character of Buffalo Bill is based on real life killer Ed Gein, who murdered and dug up the graves of several women in the 1950’s. He also had the aim of making a ‘woman suit’, and made several other horrifying items including a lamp made of skin and a belt made out nipples. The idea of law enforcement turning to convicted killers for help in solving others cases is also not fictional. In the 1980’s, Ted Bundy was often helping law enforcement build profiles for killers. The scariness from The Silence of the Lambs comes from the fact that it is very realistic.

Jaws (1975)

Now this one is more silly. A classic suspense movie, Jaws tells the story of a small New England seaside town called Amity Bay which is plagued by shark attacks. Three men: a sheriff, a marine biologist and a fisherman have to kill the shark before it kills more people. Jaws has all the hallmarks of a classic horror movie. Creepy music is often used to inform the audience that the shark is approaching, special effects which have not aged that well are often used and the shark is killed in spectacular fashion, being blown up with dynamite. Whilst Jaws may have been scary nearly 50 years ago, today it is a movie to watch if you want some light-hearted fun. If you want to watch a horror movie without having nightmares, this is one for you.

What makes Jaws even more entertaining is the conflict behind the scenes. The three main actors all hated working with each other. The working environment was often hostile, and fights regularly broke out. In the 1978 sequel, only one of the main actors returned, and Steven Spielberg did not return to direct it. A play is even being made about the making of Jaws, due to how unbearable tension behind the scenes had become.