After interviewing all of the writers and editors for The Buzz, Damascus’ student-run newspaper, there were many unique movies that were thrown out. And here we will talk about some of the staff’s ideal horror movies to cozy down with a hot cup of cocoa and watch during the spookiest time of the year.
Caitlin Patrick – Advisor – “Nightmare Before Christmas”
Once the topic had been thrown out, the first person to naturally go to for this question was the head of The Buzz, and teacher at Damascus High School, Ms. Patrick. In response to being asked what her favorite horror movie is, she quoted: “’Nightmare Before Christmas,’ it’s definitely a classic, it’s not too scary, and it combines two great holidays: Halloween and Christmas. I first saw the movie when I was 10 years old, and watched it growing up. My favorite part is probably when Jack first discovers snow, and he sings the song ‘What’s this?‘”
The Nightmare Before Christmas, while an old, timeless classic, it is known also for its dark visuals and suspense at times. The movie follows the adventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s pumpkin king. After growing bored of the same cookie cutter routine of performing as the pumpkin king during the annual Halloween festival in his town. He envies someone who is in a red suit and brings cheer to people all around the world.
Mia Dove – Editor-in-Chief – “Blink Twice”
“My favorite horror movie is ‘Blink Twice.’ I just thought it was really good at keeping you in suspense, and it kind of represents Jordan Peele’s style in horror movies but with a different director. It can honestly be a real life scenario and no one would ever know about it, because it is all about Hollywood dynamics and it stuck out to me that this could really be happening and no one would ever know. And I love the role that Channing Tatum played, as always.”
“Blink Twice” is a unique mix of thriller and horror, centered around a tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). At a fundraising event he meets a cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie), their interaction led to Slater offering her an invitation to go on a vacation on his private island. On this vacation, Frida and other female guests are treated with gift bags, fancy dinners, and are given hallucinogens. But when strange events start to happen (they’re being taken advantage of while under the influence of psychedelics and made to forget), Frida must solve what is going on if she hopes to make it off of the island alive.
Isabelle Strouble – Sports Section Editor – “The Exorcist”
“I like ‘The Exorcist’ because it takes place in Washington DC, specifically in Georgetown where I have been several times. I like how they did the girl because her eyes are scary. The cast did a great job in making the film feel real.”
The Exorcist is a 1973 horror film that took the world by storm, it follows the demonic possession of a 12 year old girl named Regan and two Catholic priests who try to save her life through an exorcism. The movie explores the concepts of faith, evil, and vulnerability as a whole.
Mara Kuroda – Entertainment Section Editor – “Se7en”
“Probably ‘Se7en,’ because the killer is very creative and the ending was very shocking to see and I love Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt.”
The movie ‘Se7en’ is about two detectives, one retired and one just starting out in the field, that get put on a murder case. The murder kills his victims using each one of the Seven Deadly Sins they think suits the victim the most. The detectives have to figure out who it is before he completes all of the seven kills.
Sophia Teixeira Simoni – News Section Editor – “IT chapter 1+2”
“I think there’s more friendship [than horror] and talks about friendships and how they can support each other and I think that is very beautiful.”
IT, is a movie about a group of outcast children who live in the small town of Derry. Starring: Bill Skarsgård. Taking place in the 1980s, these children band together to tackle a problem in the form of a shapeshifting monster called Pennywise who preys on children in their town. Chapter 2 of IT takes place 40 years later in the future where they all have to suffer the consequences of their own actions that they did during their adolescent years.
Sarah Nachbar – AP Style Editor – “Nope”
“I like the theme of relationship[s] between humanity and the unknown leaves nature alone [and] expectation isn’t worth the risk/ consequences .”
“Nope” is a sci-fi horror film about a man and his sister who live at a horse ranch in California. Suddenly one day they spot something unusual in the sky above their home as the owner of a nearby property attempts to profit off of this phenomenon.
Sarah DeStefano – Assistant Sports Section Editor – “The Unknown Number”
“It’s not really a horror movie but it scared the living bejeezus out of me, made me very thankful I have parents that don’t hate me. It was very interesting to see the story play out, you couldn’t tell who was doing the directing until the end. I absolutely love the production aspect of the show.”
“The Unknown Number” is a short crime documentary following a teen girl and her boyfriend. They have been receiving threatening text messages from an unknown number for over 15 months. When the authorities investigate these exchanges, they discover something far beyond their initial comprehension.
Jaiden Campain – Staff Writer – “The Thing”
“‘The Thing’ (1982) because it’s very suspenseful and at any point you don’t know who the monster is before they start revealing it. The parts of the movie I enjoy are the suspense and gore.”
The Thing is a famous science fiction horror movie starring Kurt Russel and Keith David that takes place at a remote research station in Antarctica. The film follows a group of American scientists who were working at their base camp before being terrorized by an extraterrestrial being known as the “Thing.” Throughout the movie, the hostile alien morphs into the shape of its victims, and other horrifying monsters as it picks off victims one by one.
Anonymous – “The Great Pumpkin”
“My favorite part of the movie was when the great pumpkin finally appeared.”
For a classic special episode of the peanuts, “The Great Pumpkin” centers Linus and his adamant belief in a mythical being known as the Great Pumpkin who is said to rise to different pumpkin patches and bring toys to good children on Halloween night. Despite being told by all of his friends that the Great Pumpkin doesn’t exist and that he should go trick or treating with them, Linus stays persistent in his beliefs and even gets Sally to wait with him. The lesson of this TV special is about faith, loyalty, and sometimes disappointment.
Collin Hy – Staff Writer – “Scary Movie”
“You know, I’m not really a big fan of horror movies, but in this case it’s kind of a parody which I really enjoy, of the whole series I like all of them as it gives them something to laugh about and poke fun at.”
“Scary Movie” is a parody horror film following a group of high school kids who are terrorized by a masked killer after disposing of the body of a man they accidentally killed. While including references from other horror movies, there are many jokes, comedic elements, risqué innuendos, and satirical choices that make the movie enjoyable to watch.
