MONTE ©

The Four The Five

Most Scariest
Disturbing Films of
Films of All Time p. 25 All Time
p.4

Entertainer of the Month:

Béla Lugosi p. 31
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 Founder
The Rise of Paranormal Activity
Are incidents of paranormal activity on the
increase, or are we simply more aware of them
and open to them than in the past? A case
could be made for either answer, and I believe
the correct answer is "yes." Yes, paranormal
activity is on the increase and yes, we're more
alert to noticing, accepting and discussing
them than ever before. We are, after all, only
human, merely mortal. However, that is not to
say our understanding cannot be more
complete than it is now. When many minds
focus on one thing, things happen; change,
enlightenment and growth become more
possible and more probable. The more mortal
minds bend toward pondering the immortal,
the more the immortal, nonmaterial side of
existence is able to manifest itself in the
material world. The more we believe, the more
we see.
Editor
October is finally here! With it brings my
favorite time of year: fall! Halloween!
Horror and gory movies! Oh yeah, and
my birthday!!!
This month I wanted to add a little
something to this month’s issue that I am
very interested in, zombies! I really enjoy
zombie movies and books and this time
of year is perfect for that genre!
We have worked very hard on bringing
this issue, sorry for the delay, but of
course it just had to be perfect (or close
to it). So hopefully you will enjoy and
don’t forget to watch some scary movies
this month. Embrace the season!
I leave you with a zombie haiku (by Ryan
Mecum):
After I was bit
I knew I was in trouble
When I bit me, too
julia wieczorek
Editor-in-chief
 Table of Contents
Zombies p. 11

The Evolution of
Zombies in Films
p.12

Who Brought Us
Zombies p.13
The stars of Paranormal Activity: Katie
Featherstone, Micah Sloat; Director, Oren Peli

M
Movie Review: The Descent p.10

Ghost Ships p. 22 Created by

pictures

Paranormal Activity p. 28 On DVD p. 32

Monte Pictures was originally founded by Javier Serrano in San Diego, California on
February 4, 2007. Monte Pictures is the subject to the founder’s passion: to establish a film
company. At this time, Monte Pictures runs independently through monthly newsletters
composed by the founder Javier Serrano and his editor-in-chief Julia Wieczorek.

© 2009 Monte Pictures Newsletter. We acknowledge all photography, images, and icons are
subjected to their original owners. Monte Pictures was created to express, entertain and
educate members of Monte Pictures the variety of film selections available. We do not sell
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The Five Scariest
Films of All Time

By Javier Serrano
 5
We feel like we are witnessing terror in its most
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
brutal and incomprehensible form. It is just a movie
Dir. Tobe Hooper; 1974
but by the time the climax hits it really doesn't feel
Starring: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen
like one. This is an unknown cast. We have never
seen any of these people before in movies. We
Sally Hardesty (Burns) and her wheelchair-
don't know what any of them will do or what they
bound brother Franklin travel to their
are capable of. Those are the only advantages you
grandfather's grave in Texas. On the journey
get when you cast unknowns. If you get ones that
they are accompanied by three friends to share
can act then the result can be interesting. It feels
in the somber occasion with them. Along the
like a documentary but we have never seen one like
way curious things occur including a bizarre
this before. Horror fans will notice a lack of the kind
clash with a demented hitchhiker and the gas
of graphic violence dominant within the genre since
station they come to turns out not to have fuel.
this film’s successful theatrical run. They will also
They get to their old homestead but have run
note the relatively low body count. We see the
out of gas which leaves them stranded there. A
bones of corpses. The sound work has the purring of
spooky horoscope read by one of the girls
the chainsaw. The actors playing the sick family
raises the tension a little, then the hitchhiker
disturb us with what we see of them. This is not
who likes to show pictures of his handiwork at
about blood spatters or women shrieking or
a slaughterhouse sends chills. It is also a tad
dismemberments. It is about emotional chaos.
ironic considering we are watching a movie
Hooper (who directed and co-wrote) began filming
entitled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that we
with minimal financing with producers promising
should be at all grossed out when a guy shows
percentages of the gross in exchange for funds as he
pictures of slaughtered cows. If the movie is
went. The cast and crew worked for nothing
effective, and I think it is, audiences are
expecting payment after the film went into
perversely drawn-in and enthralled. American
distribution. He managed to finish the movie close
slasher films usually have teens or college kids
to the vision he had for it and changed the
from an urban area getting hacked up in a
American film industry forever. But, he and the cast
small town or isolated woods setting. You have
and crew ended up with very little of the profits. It
the crazy drunken old eccentric raving on about
took Hooper a few years before he was able to
what danger awaits beforehand. You have the
make another film. Like his cast, his reward was
surreal yet mysterious deformed monster that
almost solely the experience and an enhanced
is unresponsive and extremely strong.
reputation to trade on within the film industry.

The Silence of the Lambs
Dir. Jonathan Demme; 1991
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster
The Silence of the Lambs is the award-winning
1991 psychological thriller based on the book by
Thomas Harris, starring Jodie Foster and
Anthony Hopkins. It tells the story of Clarice
Starling (played by Jodie Foster), a young FBI
trainee, who is asked to seek advice from the
imprisoned serial killer Hannibal Lecter (played
by Anthony Hopkins) in the hope that he will
help them catch another serial killer named
Buffalo Bill. Lecter seems quite taken with
Clarice, although initially he is a little reluctant
to help her. He does tell her a riddle about a
former patient of his that leads to Clarice finding
a severed head of one of the victims of Buffalo
Bill. They then make a deal that if Lecter reads
the report on Buffalo Bill and helps the FBI catch
him, he will be transferred to a nicer prison.
However, Lecter seems more interested in
finding out more about Clarice. He offers to
provide more insights into Buffalo Bill in
exchange for stories about Clarice's troubled
childhood.
4
Clarice confronts Lecter with some false
information he has given, but once again
Lecter is more interested in learning about
her childhood. She ends up telling him about
her arrival at a relative's farm, and the
horror of discovering their lamb
slaughterhouse and her fruitless attempts at
rescuing the lambs. She admits that to this
day she sometimes can still hear those
lambs screaming. Lecter gives her back the
case file and Clarice is escorted out of the
building. Hours later, Lecter escapes from his
cell, attacking his two guards.
Even though this movie looks a little dated, it
is still one of my favorite thrillers of all time.
This movie tells a great story, and the entire
time it is both captivating and suspenseful. I
think this might possibly be one of Jodie
Foster's greatest roles ever.

3
Halloween
Dir. John Carpenter; 1978
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis
At the tender age of 6, Michael Myers calmly stabs
his sister to death. Institutionalized, he shows no
remorse. Fifteen years later, when he makes a
break for freedom, psychiatrist Sam Loomis is
deeply concerned, knowing that Michael will
return to his childhood home of Haddonfield and
will start to look for more victims. Michael does
exactly this, but although Loomis follows him to
Haddonfield, Michael still manages to keep himself
hidden. In the meantime, he starts to stalk three
teenage girls from the neighborhood. Can Loomis
convince the authorities to help him find Michael
before it is too late?
As so often happens with this genre, the acting is
not exactly top-notch. Sam Loomis is played by
Donald Pleasance, who probably gives the best
performance, although he doesn't feature in the
film all that often. His story is more of a sub-plot
than anything else - the main story features the
teenagers, with occasional flashes to Loomis to
remind us that Michael Myers is out there and
intent on murdering. Pleasance exudes creepiness
even though he is supposed to be on the side of
good here. This is perfect casting, because it just
adds to the general doom-laden atmosphere, and
it makes the viewer doubt whether he is good
enough to catch up with Myers.
This is Jamie Lee Curtis' first major film role. She
plays Laurie, an ordinary, hard-working girl from
an ordinary neighborhood, who plays the plain
Jane compared to her far more out-going and
sexually aware friends, Annie and Lynda. I can't
say she really blew me away in the role, but she
is good. There are some wooden lines, but, to
be honest, I think this has more to do with the
script than Jamie's abilities as an actress.
Certainly, towards the end when she doesn't
have all that much to say, but has to look
terrified, she does really well. Her hairstyle is
slightly off-putting - a seventies layered bob with
bits flying around everywhere - her shorter
eighties hair suits her much better, but that is a
sign of the times and she can't really be blamed
for it.
There has been a lot of criticism in feminist
literature about the way that the film portrays
the 'good girl', Laurie, as the heroine, whereas
there are hints that her more promiscuous
friends deserve to die. I can see why this could
be offensive to some. However, it does actually
seem to be Laurie that Myers is primarily
targeting, so I'm not sure how much this
argument stands up. And it is not just women
that are targeted. Obviously, if you think you are
going to be offended in any way, then don't
watch it - you certainly need to be able to watch
the film without being too deeply drawn into
semantics.
This film is now thirty years old. It has been
copied, it has even been re-made, yet I think it
still stands the test of time. It may be that I am a
child of the seventies and feel comfortable with
the era, but I still think it's worth watching. I
haven't yet seen the re-make, but the reviews
are not good, and I have to wonder why it was
re-made at all. Of course, the film has flaws. The
acting is often rubbish, the script feels forced
and, made on a budget, the film looks cheap.
However, it still manages to do the job and I love
it.
 2

the horrifying circumstances surrounding her

Psycho
visit. Hitchcock used his famous 'MacGuffin', a
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
device in which to fool or deceive the audience,
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh
by showing back story of Leigh's theft, keeping
the audience looking for that story to resurface.
In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock set the motion picture
All the while, Norman Bates was busy lurking
industry on its collective ear by releasing Psycho, a
ominously, awaiting his moment to strike while
chilling and macabre look at mental illness. Movies
Leigh was in the shower.
were made vastly different than they are in today's
Hollywood. The genre of horror film has also
Considered scary and violent, the shower scene
changed, from the early days of predictable
never really shows any violence, but the violins
monsters, to today's slasher, up the ante gore and
produced a haunting memory, and the stabbing
shock. Alfred Hitchcock threw caution to the wind in
sound effects were actually melons being
1960 with Psycho, a bone-chilling suspenseful
stabbed. The chocolate syrup for blood, since the
thriller that had audiences clinging to the edge of
movie was filmed in black and white, added a
their seats, as well as whoever was idling in the
scary element as well. Psycho is a masterpiece,
seats adjacent. Pure fear and an increase in
and can still conjure up terrifying images in the
adrenaline rushes were the norm at theaters
minds of all those that have seen the film,
throughout North America.
especially those that saw it back in 1960, when
these sorts of movies were simply not made. Film
Casting an everyday, normal looking Anthony
buffs and historians alike bask in the glory that
Perkins to play Norman Bates allowed Hitchcock to
Hitchcock created when Psycho stabbed its way
play on the fears of everyone; the person next door
into the hearts of audiences worldwide. It is
could be anybody. The real horror revolved around
certainly worth the price of watching, and it is a
Norman's fetish with his mother and her
movie that can be viewed over and over again
stranglehold around him. Janet Leigh offered the
due to its simplistic, yet complicated plot and
audience the nubile young seductress with an evil
character development.
past that comes full circle into the Bates Motel and
 1
and the psychiatrist on the staff of Saint Michaels,
By Javier Serrano Karras's faith is shaken when his mother dies while
in the custody of a sanitarium for the poor and
The Exorcist
impoverished the other half of this counterpoint is
Dir. William Friedkin
the story of Regan, daughter of movie-star Chris
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow
MacNeil, who is at Georgetown University filming a
student-rights movie. They rent a home on the
This is a film that goes way beyond the horror genre
campus, and while they live there, Regan begins to
for which it has been labeled with so many other
refer to an invisible friend who she calls "Captain
monster movie offerings. It is an exploration of
Howdy". As the story progresses, Regan’s
faith, a complex struggle of good versus evil that
disposition begins to change. She starts complaining
stems from the conflicts that are present in each of
of headaches, and has outbursts that are completely
our lives, combined with a theology lesson and the
uncharacteristic of her, and before long, all that see
belief in something greater than ourselves.
her begin to believe she is either medically insane,
Ultimately, it is an exploration of the worst kind of
or possessed. Chris MacNeil implores the help of
horror, the horror that exists in the belief that for
Father Karras to aid her in exorcising her daughter.
every good, there is an evil, and to that end, that
Uncertain what to do, Karras turns to the head of
even the ultimate good has an ultimate darkness
his order and seeks the assistance of Merrin, who
lying in its shadow. This film, based on the novel by
has since returned from Iraq.
William Peter Blatty, and directed by William
The story works on a number of levels. The visual
Friedkin, is the story of two priests and a family
experience of the film is horrifying, as Regan is
living in Georgetown University, just outside
transformed from an innocent little girl into the
Washington D.C. Blatty, who wrote the novel and
demon that possesses her. The film is dark, graphic
screenplay, based the story of a child's possession
and often very disturbing in its imagery. But what
by the devil on actual events that he had read about
makes this film far more frightening than the visual
many years before writing The Exorcist.
images is the psychological effect it has on its
viewer. This movie transcends the screen, and plays
The story begins with an elderly priest, Father
out like a literary work, giving incredible depth to
Merrin, who is working as a missionary in Iraq. A
each of its characters, making them very believable
former exorcist, Merrin is confronted by a vision of
and easy to relate to. By the end of the story, the
the demon and is given a premonition of events that
movie examines everything from the power of faith,
will unfold later. The story continues in
to the power of darkness, and leaves the viewer
counterpoint, introducing us to Father Damien
with an experience that will affect them to their
Karras, a young, Italian priest whose mother is dying
very soul.
of poverty. A student at Georgetown University
 The Descent

Dir. Neil Marshall; 2006

Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza

Neil Marshall's The Descent is so very electrifying. Here's a director who

understands why people go see horror movies in the first place. It's not just about
being scared, although this movie is very scary. It's about craft, being creative,
while staying true to the original concept since the film is remade from the
Japanese horror movie of the same name. The story is simple: six women descend
into an Appalachian cave for one of their annual extreme-sports vacations. One
woman, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald), is still recovering from the horrific death of
her husband and young daughter a year earlier. But her friends, including the
team's leader Juno (Natalie Mendoza), have convinced her to join them on their
latest expedition as part of the "healing process." But Juno isn't as kind-hearted as
she seems. For one thing, it's strongly hidden that she may have been closer with
Sarah's husband than her friend was aware. Secondly, she's decided for the group
that they'll be exploring a cave that's so far off path it's not even on a map. This
turns out to be a profoundly bad decision, not only because it understandably
angers the rest of her friends, but also because when a cave-in cuts off their route
back to the surface, they have absolutely no idea how they're going to get out.
Considering that the majority of the cave sequences were shot on a soundstage,
it's remarkable that Marshall was still able to bring such a sense of claustrophobia
to the proceedings. The cave-in itself is truly frightening and life-threatening
danger in the form of deep gaps and jagged rocks seems to lurk around every
corner.
ZOMBIES by julia wieczorek
***A guide to zombies that only the
movies can provide us!***
***Plus a look at some of the editor’s
favorite zombie picks!***
 The Evolution of Zombies in Film

What is a ZOMBIE? by julia wieczorek

Zombies are the dead, re-animated or brought back Although zombies are not generally pack creatures,
to life. They exist as undead, not truly dead but not once one zombie discovers a new feeding area or
truly alive either. There are numerous zombie meal they tend to attract other zombies with their
creation theories. Some believe in some mysterious hungry moans. A group of 50 or more zombies is
bacterium or virus that infects mankind, spreading referred to as a horde and these hordes are
like wildfire through our species to transform extremely dangerous to living human beings.
everyone into the walking dead. Some believe in a Although the latest zombies are fast-moving, the
mysterious supernatural force, a curse or spell that slow-moving kind still exist and can be even more
re-animates the flesh but does not bring back the creepy when moving in a shambling horde.
soul. Whatever the cause, once a zombie is created
it can be hard to destroy. One aspect of the zombie that has not changed
through zombie film history is the BITE. The bite of a
ZOMBIE UN-LIFE, an evolution process: zombie is even more feared than the being ripped
Zombies usually cannot speak; grunts and moans apart and eaten alive prospect of living with
are their main form of communication. Sometimes zombies. The bite, whether it be the virus of the
screams and yells are also utilized. Zombies were saliva/blood infecting or the curse being transferred,
once slow-moving, shambling, uncoordinated will turn the person being bitten into a zombie. The
humans with rotting flesh, usually seen around time period to transform can be anywhere from a
cemeteries. Zombies nowadays have evolved into few minutes to days. The bitten display a
faster-moving, to all out running subspecies. Many characteristic to hide their bites, if they are staying
not only have rotting flesh, but also gaping wounds with other humans, as to not alert their group and
that bleed or ooze. possibly be shunned out. It is important to check
The zombies of the olden times had an affinity to the bodies of anyone being allowed into a group of
human flesh, mainly brains. In fact, one of the few living human beings! The transformation process
words that they could indeed utter was the word: will change the living into an undead, without the
brains! The new zombie species does not care pesky dying first that a true zombie must endure.
whether it’s brains or skin or organs, they feast on Remember: if a zombie bites you, you WILL
any living or recently deceased human. Devouring become a zombie.
as fast as they can.
 Who Brought Us Zombies? by julia wieczorek

Michael Jackson in music video for “Thriller”

George A. Romero
In 1983, the most popular music video of all time
George Romero aka Grandfather King of the was released, and it was called “Thriller”. Michael
Zombie, is the director that introduced movie Jackson’s video and song introduced people to a
viewers to their first zombie. zombie that can sing and dance! The choreographed
In 1968 Night of the Living Dead was released, in dances include the zombie shuffle and signature
which he directed and co-wrote with John Russo, broken arm/hand movement (popularized by
became a cult-classic. Romero has since been best Romero’s zombies) and has stayed popular years
known for his horror films that center around the and years since.
zombie apocalypse.
In 1978 Dawn of the Dead was released and once
again viewers were enthralled.
In 1985 Day of the Dead was released, not doing as
well as the previous two, but since gaining more
popularity.
In 2005 Land of the Dead was released and once
again it did not have as big of a following but has
since gained some popularity.
Romero has worked on numerous other projects,
mainly in the horror genre, but his “Dead” series
about zombies and the political/social undertones
beneath each film have remained his most famous Resident Evil video games
and celebrated work.
The first “survival horror” game was Resident Evil,
Romero’s first film on zombies, Night of the living made for Playstation, which brought zombies to a
Dead, gave way to our typical slow-moving, quiet gaming front. Throughout the series of games,
moaning, brainless yet hungry for brains zombie. human zombies along with dog and plant zombies
These were the first zombies to walk the move are rampant and the main characters have to shoot
screens and have inspired decades of zombies since. and stab their way through the end. The zombies
tend to be slow moving, unless your back is turned,
and love to bite the flesh of the shooter. The games
inspired 3 Resident Evil movies.
 Night of the Living Dead

“They’re coming to get you Barbara!” -Johnny

1968 Director: George A. Romero

One of the best zombie films made, and a true classic in horror,
the defining moment in zombie history.
In what is one of the first zombie films that had a major impact
on popular culture, the dead have risen from their graves due to
an unknown reason. They descend upon unsuspecting victims.
One of the main characters, Barbara (Judith O’Dea), hides in
house that other people hole-up in. The zombies have found
them and it is up to Ben (Duane Jones) and the group to devise a
plan to escape. Their plans keep failing and slowly they keep
getting eaten by zombies or fighting with each other. There may
be no way out of this one… by julia wieczorek
 Dawn of the Dead

“They’re us, that’s all, when there’s no more room in Hell.” -Peter
1978. Director: George A. Romero

The popular follow-up to Night of the Living Dead, four survivors

of the continuing apocalypse take refuge in an abandoned mall.
The tensions rise as months go on and they are stuck with each
other. When a new group raids their mall and wants to loot it,
the plans are destroyed as zombies and chaos return and they
must devise a new way to survive. Soon it’s living human group
against living human group with zombies on the side. It looks
like the mall may not be the best place to hide from zombies
afterall.

by julia wieczorek
 The Evil Dead

“Soon all of you will be like me... And then who will lock you up in a cellar?” -Cheryl

1983. Director: Sam Raimi

What could go wrong with reading a book? Well you could

awaken a flesh-possessing demon that possess your friend and
turns them into a zombie out to eat everyone else! In this film,
that is exactly what happens, when 5 friends travel to a
mysterious cabin in the woods and decide to read The Book of
the Dead. This is when we start to see more gore in zombie
films.
The inhabitants of the cabin soon realize the only way to stop
their new zombie friends is by locking them in the cellar and
then dismemberment! Oh and don’t try running to the woods
for safety, the trees will get you too!
by julia wieczorek
 Dead Alive (aka Braindead)

“They’re not dead exactly, they’re just…sort of…rotting...” -Lionel

1992. Director: Peter Jackson

This film started a new trend in the zombie universe, a trend

towards comedy. While being a zombie comedy, it remains one
of the goriest movies and shows a lot of fake blood action.
The zombies in this film are created by the bite of the ugly rat-
monkey from Sumatra who has been brought to a zoo in New
Zealand, and the zombies soon spread throughout the city.
Lionel (Timothy Balme) must face is new, and still overbearing,
zombie mother and her zombie friends. He soon discovers trying
to keep the zombies in his home and a secret is more than he
can handle and an all out zombie flesh eating party ensues in
one epic blood bath ending.
by julia wieczorek
 28 Days Later

“With endless love, we left you sleeping. Now we’re sleeping with
you. Don’t wake up.” -Jim’s mother

2002. Director: Danny Boyle

In this film we see the first fast-moving zombies, these zombies

can run! After rage-infected apes bite some humans trying to
rescue them from research labs, the rage-zombie apocalypse
begins! When Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma, he
thinks the world has come to an end and he is all alone. When
he discovers people and learns of the new world full of zombies
he must run to survive. They soon find out why England is so
empty, they have been quarantined by the government and
what’s left of the military has gone crazy. Is there any help out
there?
by julia wieczorek
 Shaun of the Dead

“Don’t forget to kill Phillip!” -Ed

2004. Director: Edgar Wright

One of my favorites, it is comedic genius mixed with classic
zombie horror and gore with added references to Romero’s films
plus the added drama of a group of people just trying to survive
(whether it’s the zombie apocalypse or not). Shaun (Simon Pegg)
and his best friend Ed (Nick Frost) find their mundane lives
pretty boring but one day things change and they don’t realize it
till they find themselves coming up with a plan to save their
loved ones. No matter what, their trusted bar is a source of
refuge, at least for a little while, before things just get screwed
up again. These two can’t seem to do anything right!
by julia wieczorek
 Fido

“I knew you wouldn’t eat me, boy!” –Timmy

2006. Director: Andrew Currie

This film takes zombie comedy to an almost ridiculous yet still

cute level. In this film a man invents a collar that, when around a
zombie’s neck, allows them to be domesticated. All the rich
people have one, and they treat them like servants.
Timmy’s (K’Sun Ray) best friend is a zombie, whom he names
Fido. His mom (Carrie-Anne Moss) begins to fall in love with
Fido. One night, Fido’s collar comes off, and he eats one of the
neighbors. It is up to poor little Timmy to cover-up the mess.
This is one of those movies that will give you that morbid “awe”
moment. by julia wieczorek
 Zombieland

“Rule number one: cardio.” -Columbus

2009. Director: Ruben Fleischer

The latest zombie comedy to hit the screens, and a new favorite
to add to my zombie list! Once again, the world is being taken
over by zombies and everyone is out for themselves. When
Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) meets Tallahassee (Woody
Harrelson) they team up to travel the crumbling world in search
of different things. What they find, while teaming up with two
sisters on their way to a theme park, is that they are all orphans
looking for something in an undead world. They must discover
what they have, each other, oh yeah and survive!
by julia wieczorek
Ghost
Ships
By Javier Serrano
SS Andrea Doria
Sunk in 1956 in 11 hours
Reason: Collided with eastward-bound MS Stockholm
Survivors: 1,666 people
Died 46 people

RMS Titanic
Sunk in 1912 in 2 hours, 40 minutes
Reason: Hit an iceberg
Survivors: 705 people
Died: 1,523 people

RMS Lusitania
Sunk in 1915 in 18 minutes
Reason: a German submarine
Survivors: 761 people
Died: 1,198 people
USS Arizona (BB-39)
Sunk in 1941 in 9 minutes
Reason: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Died: 1,177 United States Servicemen

HMHS Britannic
Sunk in 1916 in 55 minutes
Reason: Hit a mine off the Greek island of Kea
Survivors: 1,036 people
Died: 30 people
The Four Most Disturbing
Films of All Time
 4 3
Hard Candy
Dir. David Slade; 2006
Starring: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson
Issues which regard the internet and sexual
predators are rarely addressed on film. They may
find it’s too much of a subject matter to even
dwell on. However that changed when audiences
were treated to a psychological thriller called
Hard Candy.
To say the most, I was very impressed with it, but
at the same time, the movie left a lot in the way
of being terrifying. Page plays Hayley Stark, a
young 14-year old girl who flirts with an older 32-
year old man named Jeff Kohlver (Wilson) on the
internet. They agree to take the time to meet
each other, and go back to his place. At first it was
a little disturbing to see that happen with the
actual meeting at the beginning of the film.
However, things take a drastic turn after Haley
drugs him, and straps him down to a chair. From
there she begins to pound Jeff for information
about being a suspected pedophile, and how he
is related to the disappearance of a missing girl.
Finally, as Haley finds evidence against Jeff, he
tries to come after her with a gun. Yet Haley
succeeds by nearly suffocating him with plastic
wrap. It is at this moment when Haley takes more
of the law into her own hands by tying Jeff to a
table, and threatening to castrate him.
I Spit on Your Grave
Dir. Meir Zarchi; 1978
Starring: Camille Keaton
I first have to say there isn’t anything positive
about this film, since the film’s subject is
extremely sensitive: gang rape. New York writer
Jennifer Hill (Camille Keaton), heads for the
countryside of Connecticut to work on her novel
in peace. She attracts the attention of four louts
-the mostly interchangeable Johnny (Eron
Tabor), Stanley (Anthony Nichols) and Andy
(Gunter Kleemann), and their retarded
acquaintance Matthew (Richard Pace).
Matthew is a virgin, and the other three men
decide to procure Jennifer for him. She is raped
three times (once with a beer bottle) and nearly
beaten to death; Matthew is entrusted with the
task of killing her, but can't bring himself to do
it. Jennifer survives, heals, and sets about her
revenge. Perhaps I Spit on Your Grave has
bothered people for 25 years now precisely
because there's so little art getting in the way of
the story: A woman is raped; she takes revenge.
By Javier Serrano
 2
Cannibal Holocaust
Dir. Ruggero Deodato; 1980
The plot centers on a group of journalists who
disappears into the wilds of the Amazon to film the
natives who are suspected of practicing
cannibalism. The group disappears and a New York
Anthropologist, Professor Monroe, goes into the
jungle to locate them. With the help of local guides
he finds the journalists’ remains near the
encampment of the feared cannibal tribe. At first
they react with distrust but eventually accept him
as a friend. They manage to recover the film and
bring it back to New York: the bulk of this movie is
this film, showing the film crew’s journey into the
jungle and their descent into depravity and
eventual torture and death at the hands of the
natives they sought to film. Monroe brings the film
back to New York where the local television station
wants to broadcast the footage. Though, Monroe
insists on watching the film first after hearing that
the film crew had a reputation of brutality toward
locals and also a reputation of setting up atrocities
so they could film it. After seeing the footage he
recommends it be burned. At this point we watch
along as he screens it for the execs and watch as
the brutality unfolds. Cannibal Holocaust would
inspire cult-films like 1998, The Last Broadcast;
1999, The Blair Witch Project; 2008, Cloverfield;
and 2009, Paranormal Activity.
1
August Underground Mordum
Dir. Jerami Cruise; 2003
I strongly suggest you wash your eyes after
watching this film. August Underground
shows you the harsh reality of violence and
the sickening turn of events that we hear all
the time from the local news and newspaper
articles. August was a film that showed you
that true and painful horror, with realistic
acting and visuals that make you question if
it's all just a gag or something real. I give tons
of credits to the actors and film makers for
pulling it off. Only with Mordum we are
introduced to more characters and even
more shocking and violently gruesome
deaths. The sequel to the cult classic August
Underground is a character study in the sick,
an amoral putrid masturbatory fantasy. The
found footage contained in August
Underground Mordum’s documents extreme
deviant sexuality, torture and murder, while
unfolding a classic tale of a man and woman
in love. However, the woman cannot give up
her other lover, who also happens to be her
younger brother. With the exploiting of the
trio of killers and their deviant ways with
issues such as child abuse, incest, rape and
their effects on the human mind. This film is
not recommended for those with a sensitive
outlook on the subject of brutality.
 Paranormal Activity
By Javier Serrano
I think we're developing a whole new genre of
"found footage" thrillers. The Blair Witch
Project and Cloverfield both effectively
capitalized on the ability of home video
cameras to create the illusion of naturalist
technique horror films. Paranormal Activity
reportedly shot for just $15,000 and tweaked
slightly for it’s mainstream theatrical release
after becoming a sensation at film festivals.
The whole movie takes place inside the house
shared by a young couple, Micah and Katie
(played by Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston).
Micah has just purchased a video camera,
hoping to find out what is responsible for the
weird goings-on that occur while the couple is
sleeping. He puts the camera on a tripod in the
bedroom, and then each morning peruses the
footage with Katie looking for clues. At first,
the images are little more than odd. For
example, the bedroom door opens and closes
a couple inches. Subsequent nights bring
bigger events: loud noises, lights flipping
themselves on and off, the sound of footsteps
coming up the stairs.
There is a compelling dynamic between Micah and
Katie. She has long been a believer in paranormal
activity, and therefore believes it when a psychic tells
her that some kind of otherworldly spirit may be
attempting to make contact with her. Micah, on the
other hand, views the strange events with a bit of
disbelief. Even when there's some pretty hardcore
evidence that something is in the house, he refuses to
accept that it could cross over and harm either of
them. Katie begs him to stop taunting the entity but
he can't help himself.
Director Oren Peli has masterfully staged Paranormal
Activity for utmost creepiness. When the couple goes
to bed at night, we always see the same static shot:
they lay in bed on the right side of the screen while
their open bedroom door is on the left. You never
know where to look. When Peli wants you to focus
somewhere in particular, he knows how to do it.
When you hear footsteps, you look toward the door.
When Katie begins moving strangely in bed, you look
toward her. About halfway through, I felt like I
couldn't take it anymore. Paranormal Activity
becomes more intense and frightening with each
passing night that Micah and Katie are in the house.
Few horror movies are ever as disturbing as this one
is at its halfway point.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
“I don’t want you to go, I’ll eat you up I love you so.” -KW
Where the Wild Things Are (Dir. Spike Jonze) is a
movie based on a classic children's (mainly picture)
book and set out with huge ambitions visually and
story-wise. The book (by Maurice Sendak) only has
about 300 words and most pages are simply pictures
which the author also did all the illustrations for, so
there was not much material with which to make a
script around and a lot of creative license.
The book has been around since the early 1960’s and
even I have read and loved this book as a child. It
came about from the author’s visions of monsters,
which were easier for him to draw than horses of
which he initially wanted to write a story about, and
one mischievous boy who would join them. In the
story, Max misbehaves and is sent to bed by his
mother without dinner. He wears his favorite wolf
costume/p.j.s and angrily lays in bed. He falls asleep
and wakes up in a mysterious land full of giant
monsters he calls wild things. They want to eat him
but he becomes their king and they run around the
jungle causing mayhem. After a long time there he
eventually becomes homesick and travels by sailboat
back to his real home where his mother has left him
hot soup by his door.
by julia wieczorek
In the movie version, Max (Max Records), wears his
signature wolf-suit and harasses his sister and her friends,
lets his imagination wander at school and later causes a
scene in front of his mother (Catherine Keener) and her
boyfriend leading to a huge fight where his mother
screams at him and he bites her shoulder. He runs away,
down the street to a forested area. He discovers a sailboat
and takes it out to sea, stumbling days later onto an island
inhabited by the wild things. They are disorganized and
their “family” group is falling apart, when they see Max
they want to eat him but he convinces them he is a king
from another land with special powers. They initiate him
as their king and he starts to make things better for them,
until things just get worse and he realizes he cannot fix
their problems and they realize he is not an all powerful
king. Max finally decides what their wild family needs is a
mother, and he wishes they had one, almost wishing for
his own. It is then that he leaves, and they watch him set
sail. Max returns home and reunites with his mom, who
feeds him hot soup and chocolate cake.
What is so amazing about this movie is the breathtaking
visuals and the unique story which delves into each
character of the wild things. The monsters are actual 9-ft
tall costumes with actors inside! It is definitely not light-
hearted and probably not for young children, but the story
really brings to life emotions kids feel. We can see
ourselves in each wild thing as Max sees himself in them.
TOP LEFT: Carol (voice: James Gandolfini)
Carol is the loud and hot tempered almost leader of
the wild things. In my opinion he is most like Max, he
has a carefree spirit but also is sensitive when his
family isn’t the way he wants them to be. He parallels
Max in that he is commonly referred to as “out of
control”. He only wants them all to be together and
happy.
TOP MIDDLE: Alexander (voice: Paul Dano)
Alexander the goat is the smallest of all the wild things
and is easily ignored. He tries to make himself heard
but no one really listens. Whenever he does have an
idea the others tell him he is just looking for attention
and blow him off. He often feels sad and lonely, the
way Max feels when his mother and sister ignore his
requests to play with him.
TOP RIGHT: Douglas (voice: Chirs Cooper)
Douglas is the voice of reason, especially for Carol
during one of his many outbursts, and is the first to
vocalize to the group that Max is just a “boy
pretending to be a wolf pretending to be a king”.
BOTTON LEFT: Ira and Judith (voices: Forest
Whitaker and Catherine O’Hara)
Ira is a big “teddy bear” with a fun-loving attitude
and his wife Judith is just the opposite, referred to
by the others as a “downer”, she is pessimistic and
rude. She is the first to suggest eating Max and
doesn’t trust him, Ira follows her but is always kind
to Max.
BOTTOM MIDDLE: KW (voice: Lauren Ambrose)
KW is the outcast, by choice, of the wild thing
family. She makes friends with two owls (Bob and
Terry) and leaves their home in the forest to spend
time with her new best friends. Max brings her
back, being playful with her but Carol’s moods only
cause more arguments. She resembles Max’s sister
in many ways.
BOTTOM RIGHT: the Bull (voice: Michael Berry Jr.)
The Bull is silent the whole movie, till the end when
he speaks only once to Max. He is the quiet and
almost sinister creature we hide in us all, but he is
simply a “thing” of few words.
by julia wieczorek
Entertainer of the Month
Béla Lugosi

Despite his critically acclaimed

performance on screen, Lugosi
was not the Universal Pictures
first choice for the role of
Dracula. However, the Hungarian
born actor Bela Lugosi was given
the role after the studio’s first
choice (Lon Chaney) died shortly
before production could begin.
Following the success of Dracula,
Lugosi would become a house-
hold name in Hollywood.
However, Lugosi would find
himself typecast as a horror
villain and it would end his career
before it could begin.
 On DVD By Javier Serrano

The Blair Witch Project

Dir. Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez; 1999
Starring: Heather Donohue

Surprisingly, The Blair Witch Project, was not only one of the best films of 1990s, but
one of the best overall films of 1999. “Blair Witch” will go down in history as one of
the most profitable films of all time with a budget of merely $25,000. The story is
simple: three student filmmakers go on a road trip in 1994 to film a documentary
about a legendary Blair Witch, who had been killing people, particularly children, in
the rural area of Maryland since the 1800s. The protagonist: Heather Donahue is quite
convincing as the leader of the film project, though, Donahue won the 2000, Worst
Actress of the Year, if you cared to know. However, honestly, her performance,
alongside her two male co-stars, is so good, it’s practically impossible to tell they
aren’t three student filmmakers who disappeared. Don't be under any
misunderstandings; this film is far more a drama about desperation than a scare fest.
In fact the film starts with about thirty minutes of great comedy, then forty minutes of
drama, then wraps up with about 20 minutes of horror. The shooting on video camera,
not to mention the sounds of the woods help create a great atmosphere to generate
the scares. So, what made The Blair Witch Project profitable and successful? Because
of the internet! Since the internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s was just booming
in the United States it helped to make The Blair Witch Project peak at the right time.
Thus, people have expressed their opinions that this is the worst film they’ve ever
seen, which I totally would understand. Though, the film is original in the sense of the
subject, however, the concept is not. Writers/directors/editors Daniel Myrick and
Eduardo Sanchez were inspired by the 1980, Cannibal Holocaust.
 By Javier Serrano

Hocus Pocus
Dir. Kenny Ortega; 1993
Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy

Nearly 20 years later, this cult-classic film is still sensational. Hocus Pocus isn’t all
that horrifying in the conventional sense, its tone is generally lighter and more
humorous. The film was released in 1993 and, as far as I can remember,
attracting little to no controversy, the film somehow sneaked through the system
without anyone paying much attention. Perhaps the type of parents who would
potentially complain about Hocus Pocus was instead paying more attention to
Bette Midler’s charisma. Bette Midler is terrific here in one of her most
entertaining roles, performing with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. The
Sanderson sisters – Winifred Sarah and Mary – witches in Salem, Massachusetts
in the year of 1693, which are hung by the towns’ people for killing dozens of
children from their community. Before they die, they vow to return to life one day
when a virgin lights the magical flame candle. Three hundred years later, 15-
year-old Max (Omri Katz) is still brooding over his family's recent move from Los
Angeles to New England, but has a crush on beautiful classmate Allison (Vinessa
Shaw) to temporarily take his mind off things. While escorting precocious 8-
year-old sister Dani (Thora Birch) around trick-or-treating, Max runs into Allison
by chance and the three of them decide to pay a festive visit to the old Sanderson
home. Upon Allison's telling of the black flame candle legend, Max makes the
unwise decision to light it. The next thing they know, they are snatching the
witches' spell book and going on the run as a newly revived Winnie, Sarah and
Mary set out after them, determined to cast a bit of sorcery before dawn that will
claim the children of Salem's lives in exchange for giving them immortality.