Source: my.opera.com

by Leanna Labrador and Moira Lozada

“How much Scare can you bear?”

Tired of watching the same Halloween classics every year? Feeling left out because horror movie marathons make you queasy? Or maybe you’re just looking for something other than yet another zombie movie to keep you up at night. Well, whichever way you choose to celebrate your Horror movie Fridays, there will always be that common ground all horror movie fans share: a bowl of popcorn, a pint of ice cream and a whole dose of scare.

1. For the Fearless

Dead Silence (2007)

Source: mavensmovievaultofhorror.blogspot.com

Screaming at the top of your lungs, not wanting to cover your eyes, freaked-out, yet at the same time amazed at the uniquely constructed plot. If all these fit into your “Horror Movie Fridays” to-do list then this might be the category for you!

The movie we picked is about a mad ventriloquist, Mary Shaw, who was hunted down by the townspeople that cut her tongue before burying her along with her collection of handmade vaudeville dolls in hoping this would end the unsolved mysteries which the townspeople believed was her doing. Surprisingly, her children (the dolls) returned from the grave and hoped to seek revenge.

This might sound a little cliché because of the rapidly growing number of “Chuckie-like” movies (e.g. “Puppet Master” and “Dolly Dearest”) but once you start watching, I guarantee you will not be able to stop as the twisted scenes just pull you deeper and deeper into the story. This movie is packaged with all the screams you need to make your Friday night complete. Definitely the missing piece in your scare-a-thon.

2. For the Faint Hearted

Misery (1990)

Some people might love the thrill of watching horror–the ratcheting tension as the climax draws near, the goose bumps, or just plain fear–but hate the truly disgusting parts (like when glistening, blood-slicked entrails are given generous screen time, or when truly hideous creatures abound.) If you’re one of those people who love horror, but can’t quite stomach the things that are just plain sick, then you’ll be right at home with Misery.

Paul Sheldon is a romance writer struggling to be more than that, but a car accident puts him in the clutches of a devoted fan. What follows is a classic tale of kidnapping, escape, and obsession as Annie Wilkes, his deranged “nurse” and self-claimed “number one fan”, manipulates Paul into doing what she wants, believing that it might cost him his life, and making his stay in Annie’s home a living hell.

The movie has all the right elements: a claustrophobic setting, humorous side characters, and a plot that moves at a great pace that leaves little room for boredom, despite its predictability.

Although it’s not entirely without blood and gore, Misery is a fantastic mix of nail-biting suspense and scream-eliciting terror that spares the more weak-hearted viewers from the whole ‘blood and guts’ routine that are staples in the horror genre. Absolutely recommended.

3. For the Introspective

Let the Right One In (2008)

Source: subtitledhell.wordpress.com

Haunted locations. Terrifying echoes of the helpless. Drooling, bloodthirsty monsters.

Let the Right One In has none of those but it’s still hailed as one of the greatest horror movies of the decade, winning no less than fifty film awards. The movie tells the story of two alienated children–Oskar, an angry, bullied twelve year old, and Eli, the new neighbor, who has been twelve for a very long time.

If you think you know where this is going, think again; Let the Right One In breaks free from typical horror movie conventions and in a genre saturated with vampire films, manages to be wholly refreshing. What it lacks in the usual edge-of-your-seat thrills it more than makes up for with the eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere it creates, and the thought-provoking themes it explores. (Let’s just say that despite one of them being an ageless killer, Oskar and Eli aren’t so different after all.)

At its heart, it is about two friends in an unconventional friendship, and the consequences of it on their lives and the lives of those around them. How it all unfolds is completely refreshing and quietly frightening, and it pulls it off without having to rely heavily on CGI or fancy special effects; through artful direction, thoughtful acting, and careful design, the movie comes alive in a subtle way, from Oskar’s pain and Eli’s love, to brutal killings and schoolyard torture. Body parts may fly from time to time, but it’s the terse dialogue and nuanced development that will have you holding your breath.

It may not be the choice for a scream fest, but it is intelligent and full of pathos. If you’re looking for a completely different kind of scare, then this is definitely one to check out.