C Magazine Vol. 1 Edition 1

C The campanile’s magazine

CONTENTS EDITORS’ LETTER

STYLE

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RETRO REVOLUTION

6

RUNWAY TO HALLWAY

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DIY HAIR ACCESSORIES

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Paly students have been spotted sporting styles that were first popular decades ago; are these styles back?

While runway fashion may not be school attire for most, certain aspects can be easily incorporated into our everyday outfits.

Campanile’s Anna McGarrigle explains how to make an easy bow hair clip and a lace headband.

FOOD

CHANTAL GUILLON

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RESTAURANT REVIEWS

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Palo Alto’s new macaroon store is a hit. With classic and innovative flavors like salted caramel and passion fruit.

Sancho’s Taqueria and Gelato Classico are two local hole-in-the-wall restaurants, that are sure to spice up your life.

ON THE COVER

CATHY RONG PHOTOGRAPHY Paly junior Cathy Rong is an incredible portrait and concert photographer. Cover photo

by Caroline Martignetti.

CULTURE ALEX NEE

Paly graduate Alex Nee is starring in Broadway’s American Idiot The Musical. He talks about his experience in drama at Paly and on Broadway.

BEST OF THE BAY

The San Francisco Bay Area has produced some big names in the music industry. Here are some of the best local artists.

HALLOWEEN HORROR

There are tons of spooky Halloween movies out there, some scary and some cheesy and funny.

16 Paly grad Alex Nee stars in American Idiot

13 Photo by Turner Rouse, Jr.

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STAFF

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Perri Pond and Rachel Wilson CREATIVE DIRECTORS Caroline Martignetti and Rose Fitzgerald

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Nikki Freyermuth Bella Graves Sophia Moss

STAFF WRITERS Pauline Na Samantha Newell Nolan Perla-Ward

Julia Poppy Riya Varma Eric Wang

ADVISOR Esther Wojcicki

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EDITOR’S LETTER Dear Readers,

We would like to welcome you to the inaugural edition of C Magazine, The Campanile’s arts and entertainment magazine.

We are an insert in The Campanile and hope to appear in every edition.

Each edition will have a 3 sections: style, food and culture.

The style section will feature instructions for a do-it-yourself (DIY) project and other fashion-focused content. Our food section will include restaurant reviews, as well as an occasional seasonal recipe(s). The final section, culture, encompasses local music reviews and concerts. Furthermore, the culture section will include media-art reviews, and other entertainment topics.

Finally, in each edition we will have a cover story that will hopefully intellectually entertain our readers.

First of all, we like to give a big thank you to our advisor, Esther Wojcicki, who has supported us with midnight snacks and funny anecdotes. Wojcicki’s Campanile legacy has not only given us an amazing stepping stone but also great knowledge about the world of journalism.

Secondly, we would like to introduce and congratulate our staff on their first successful production of C Magazine. Though they are novices they have impressed us with their creativity and spunk. We look forward to working with them as they grow as

UPCOMING EVENTS Halloween Go out and celebrate in your costume, and eat candy!

Fall Play: The Crucible Enjoy Palo Alto High School’s fall play, The Crucible. It opens November 1st, at 7 p.m. in the Haymarket Theater The Lion King The Musical The Lion King opens on November 1st at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theater.

San Francisco Jazz Festival Enjoy world class Jazz from artists like Thelonious Monk, Dianne Reeves and Blind Boys of Alabama from October through December.

Palo Alto Art Center reopened: visit the “Community Creates” exhibit before April 2013

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journalists. We would especially like to thank our Creative Directors, Caroline Martignetti and Rose Fitzgerald for their diligent work and artistic assistance. Without them C Magazine would not have had the same aesthetic appeal.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Any input can only help us improve our writing and design. All comments can be sent to: cmtheeds@googlegroups.com.

Finally, thank you for reading our first edition and hopefully our editions in the future.

— Perri Pond and Rachel Wilson Editors-in-Chief

Anna McGarrigle/Campanile

STYLE Retro Revolution

By Sophia Moss

Photos by Julia Poppy and Sophia Moss unless credited

The ‘70s ‘80s and ‘90s are a combination of flashy colors and thrifty patterns, and these past trends are coming back into style. Retro has entered the 21st century. This retro style is a more laid back style, nothing super glammed up or fancy. Popular fashion statements included loose high-waisted jeans and tight jean leggings, big sweaters, neon colors, messy hair and ponytails The ‘70s style was mainly based off of the popular hippie look, including velvet shirts, high top converse and bell bottoms. On the other hand, ‘80s style was focused around the disco era. It included puffy skirts, leather and jean jackets, off the shoulder tops and big shoulder pads. ‘90s style was filled with grunge, from oversized sweaters to high waisted shorts and overalls, plaid flannels, and crop tops.

Anna McGarrigle/Campanile

Anna McGarrigle/Campanile

Anna McGarrigle/Campanile

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RUNWAY to HALLWAY A guide to effortless, elegant fall fashion.

Following the high waisted shorts and chiffon floral tops of the mild Palo Alto summer, this year’s fall fashion trends should make for a lovely transition into the colder months. But, do not put away your bright colors or statement collars just yet, because these two are holding center stage this fall.

KNIT- PICK

By Julia Poppy

Whether it is Paris, New York, or Palo Alto, it is important to remember that the one, timeless trend of fall is texture. It’s time to pull out the cozy knit sweaters and textured scarves from years past.

Pair thick accessories with beautiful patterned dresses and skirts.

PITTER PATTERN Take a page from the 1960s handbook of fashion and dress head-to-toe in a daring pattern. It’s guaranteed to turn heads.

Press Association

Color Craze Another classic is anything navy blue. Whether it is a pair midnight blue slacks, an indigo pea coat or cobalt ballet flats, one can never go wrong with navy blue. Another color will be joining the classic colors of fall this season: burgundy. A deep red color, made numerous appearances on the New York Fashion Week runways.

Press Association

Getty Images

STYLE

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DIY do it yourself

Hairbows

Text and photos by guest writer Anna McGarrigle

Pinch and Turn the bow over, and glue one end of small strip to the underside of the bow.

Cost:

$7 for all materials (enough to make five bows)

Time:

55 minutes minutes

Materials:

Fold the fabric horizontally with the plush sides on the inside. Give it a few seconds for the glue to dry, and open it up to check that it looks like the picture above.

• 6" by 3.5" piece of velvet • .75" by 2.5" piece of velvet • hair clip/pin • pen • hot glue gun

STEPS:

1

3

5 Place another drop of glue on the outside.

With a pen on the back side of the fabric, divide the bigger piece of velvet (which will become the bulk of the bow) into four quadrants.

2

Wrap it around and glue the other side down, covering the folds and potential glue drips.

Now to finish your hair bow, glue it to any type of hair clip.

Or instead of making a clip, you can glue or sew the bow onto a headband or ribbon. Also, if you choose to use a pin, this bow makes a great bow tie.

Just above the fold along the line, fold the edge back over on each side of the velvet. Flip the bow over and then it will look like so: Pinch the intersection with your fingers and pick up the velvet.

Put a drop of glue into the center (which you should be able to locate because of how you picked it up)

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STYLE

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The velvet bow DIY is a simple, easy and inexpensive creative project. These simple bows make wonderful gifts, accessories and ornaments that everyone will surely enjoy.

breadth of the elastic a few times to ensure that it’s secure. The lace tends to unravel easily at the ends, so stitch from the in the middle of the fold. Once you are done with this step your headband will look like the picture below:

Headbands Cost:

$4 for two headbands

Time: 10 minutes

Materials: • 18 inches of lace or ribbon (1 yard makes two headbands, sold at JoAnn’s) • 3.5 inches of braided elastic, ¾ inches wide (color doesn’t matter, it will be under your hair) a needle and thread

STEPS:

1

4 Now to finish the headband, wrap a piece of scrap fabric or ribbon around the seams, and either sew or hot glue it in place. This will cover the fraying ends of lace and hide the seams.

Lay the elastic over the lace so it overlaps about ½ an inch.

2 Fold the edges of the lace around the elastic if it’s wider.

3 Sew the lace and elastic ends together. You can hand sew or use a machine. Either way, sew across the

You can make these headbands with many variations. I like to add multiple strands of lace or ribbon, as well as flowers for decoration. These unique DIY headbands are great for birthday and holiday presents.

The cost is low for you, and friends always love a cute accessory!

STYLE

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FOOD

SANCHO’S TAQUERIA

Text and photos by Samantha Newell and Riya Varma

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estled in between two businesses on Lytton Avenue is Sancho’s Taqueria. It stands out from its neighbors with rich, tan walls and people crowded outside chowing down on their authentic Mexican dishes. The alluring scent of grilled meat and fresh tortilla chips beckons customers into the door of Sancho’s. Immediately, the smile of the cashier, the beautiful decorations sprawled across the yellow interior walls and the loud Spanish music playing produce a comforting ambience.

Sancho’s specializes in Baja style fish tacos, carnitas burritos, ensaladas, “a la carte” dishes, seafood and prawn plates. Accompanying the substantial normal menu is a children’s menu with kid-sized quesadillas, burritos and meat platters. The Super Burrito ($6.95) includes sour cream, guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, and your choice of meat. The grilled chicken was perfectly cooked and each condiment, like the guacamole and salsa, complimented the taste of the chicken, making the chicken the overall star of the burrito.

Another good option is the Chimichanga ($7.55), filled with your choice of meat, beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and salsa. A Chimichanga is a deep-fried burrito, meaning once it is bitten into, the cheese and chicken ooze into one’s mouth. Unfortunately, along with that cheese and chicken came lots of grease, which was not so tasty.

MacaroonMadness T

he perfect simplicity of the plain white tables and spacious ambiance immediately draws the eye to the delicately placed rainbow macaroons, placed in rows behind the glass counters. The new dessert cafe, Chantal Guillon Macaroons and Tea Cafe is located in downtown Palo Alto on University Avenue. This new cafe has only been open for several months, but owner Chantal Guillon has high expectations.

With fifteen different flavors that change seasonally, ranging from salted caramel to lavender poppy, there is a flavor of macaroon to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.

But if macaroons are not your thing, Chantal Guillon not only offers classic French tea fit for a king, but also miniature ice cream bars that are sure to make your taste buds scream for an encore.

Each macaroon is the product of all-natural local ingredients and hours of work, but the time consuming process of cooking macaroons is certainly worth it. The crunchy outside meringue, made with egg whites and sugar, gives the macaroon an extra kick, before you reach the sweeter, mouth-watering ganache center. The most popular flavors this season have been salted caramel and passion fruit.

The salted caramel macaroon is a sweet and salty party in your mouth, while passion fruit has an explosive flavor making it an incredibly unique macaroon and thus unable to compare to any other dessert. The macaroons are no wider than the length of a toothpick, but for $1.75 each, you are definitely getting your money’s worth.

Those searching for a cheap way to satisfy their cravings, a dozen macaroons will come to exactly twenty dollars. If you can’t stop and eat, everything sold

by Bella Graves

is served immediately, so you can enjoy your macaroons on the go.

However, Chantal Guillon offers plenty of tables and chairs inside for anyone to grab a seat and chow down on their delicious macaroons.

The laid back furnishings are perfect for enjoying the calm atmosphere inside the cafe with a couple of friends or that special someone. Chantal Guillon is going to be a new spot to go and enjoy a hot cup of Fr e n c h t e a and a macaroon.

FOOD

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COVER STORY

behindthelens:

cathy rong by pauline na and nikki freyermuth 13

S

tanding on a thin section of concrete separating screaming fans from the main stage, press pass dangling around her neck, Palo Alto High School junior Cathy Rong vigorously clicks away with her Nikon d5100 in hot pursuit of the perfect shot.

If you had asked Rong where she would be on September 7, 2012 a year ago, she would not have had the faintest idea. Taking photos in the media pit at a Linkin Park with Incubus concert would have been the farthest thing from her mind because at that time photography

body, [they] need to be aware of the light,” Rong said.

Rong’s favorite locations to shoot at are Gamble Gardens and the ball court at Rinconada Park. Rong also enjoys photographing places, things, lifestyle and fashion, as well as experimenting with old-fashioned film.

“I really like photographing portraiture and concerts because its action but it’s also capturing that one moment which is really defining,” Rong said.

Rong started a blog, entitled cathyrongphoto in 2011 as a way of displaying

“I decided to start a blog because my friends kept on asking to see my photos and I wanted a place to share my work.” was nothing more than a hobby to her.

Rong’s passion for photography was initially sparked when she received her first camera in middle school as a gift from her parents. She continued to dabble in photography throughout 7th and 8th grade, but it was not until she took her first photography class as a freshman at Paly that she realized her passion.

She has worked with Paly photography teacher Margo Wixom, to highlight her strengths and discover her preferred subjects to photograph.

Since then, Rong has continued to improve her skills through several photo shoots with hand-selected models, even branching out into shooting concerts by applying for press passes. With these press passes, Rong has had the opportunity to shoot at various concerts including the Vans Warped Tour and the Identity Festival.

Aside from concert photography, Rong’s other favorite type of shoot is portraiture. She has done several shoots with a variety of models thus far, including Paly juniors Vivian Laurence, Megan Rohrer, Omri Newman and senior Shina Kim-Avalos.

However, Rong is extremely meticulous in choosing her models. “[My models need] to have a unique look and kind of know how to work their

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COVER

her original photos and keeping them all in one place.

“I decided to start a blog because my friends kept on asking to see my photos and I wanted a place to share my work,” Rong said.

Aside from having her own personal blog, Rong also shares a collaborative blog with junior Vivian Laurence called CaVi, the first syllables of each of their names. “[The blog is] this idea that I found from another blog” Rong said.

“It [featured] o n e model a n d o n e photographer w o r king on themed photo shoots.”

Furthermore, Rong actively pur-

sues a future in photography, through her online internship with the Journalism Education Association (JEA).

“The JEA is basically a program that one of the leaders started to get teenagers involved with music and photojournalism at a young age,” Rong said.

Rong pulls ideas for shoots, techniques, lighting and color for her own photography from a variety of inspirational sources. Among her favorite photographers are Shannon Lee Miller, Mike Lerner and Ann He. Shannon Lee Miller built up her career as a professional photographer through breathtaking documentations of wedding ceremonies, and models ranging from ages 16-19 in countles different settings.

“Miller does all these really cool model editorial portraits like weddings,” Rong said.

Mike Lerner has only been recognized as a professional photographer for two years, but has worked his way up to become Justin Bieber’s current tour photographer. As Bieber’s photographer, Lerner has the opportunity to experience and capture firsthand Bieber’s tour life through his lens. Lerner’s concert photography skills have helped guide and inspire Rong.

Ann He is a 17 year old Houston-based photographer with an advanced skill set and wide breadth of recognition.

“She’s done a lot o f

Rong captures lead singer Brandon Boyde of Incubus, singing at a concert on September 7th, 2012 at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View.

her own high fashion editorial work,” Rong said. “She’s done stuff for America’s Next Top Model and Teen Vogue.”

Pulling specific ideas, techniques, and styles from Miller, Lerner and He, Rong has brainstormed numerous shoots which she wants to do sometime in the near future.

“I [want] to go to Foothill [Park], I like the whole concept of fall and the maxi dresses by the lake,” Rong said.

Other future shoots include going to

parking garages, pools and experimenting with more wedding photography.

Aside from photography, Rong is also passionate about journalism, as she is a writer for The Voice, Palo Alto High School’s online publication.

Juggling academics, photography, internships and a social life is a lot for Rong, but she handles it well.

Although Rong has only been taking photos for a short amount of time, photography is a huge part of her life and she

finds it important to learn different techniques to improve her own work.

Rong is always learning from her surroundings, and past experiences so that she can continue to grow as a photographer.

Rong’s passion for photography separates her from the rest of the crowd at Palo Alto High School.

All photos courtesy of Cathy Rong

“I really like photographing portraiture and concerts because its action but it’s also capturing that one moment which is really defining.”

COVER

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CULTURE

Text by Samantha Newell photo by Litwin

Paly Graduate is The American Idiot

Palo Alto High School graduate, Alex Nee, has entered into the world of Broadway, starring as Johnny in American Idiot The Musical. The show is selling out across the country and overseas in the United Kingdom.

SN (Samantha Newell): How did you become involved with Green Day’s American Idiot?

AN (Alex Nee): Last Fall, I played Roger in RENT at Northwestern University. The casting director for American Idiot was in Chicago casting Anything Goes, but happened to see RENT. He asked a few of us to come audition for him the next morning. When he saw me, he immediately wanted to bring me out to New York for callbacks.

I ended up doing 3 rounds of callbacks, culminating in a week long workshop of the show. After the workshop they finally decided to cast me.

SN: Who do you play in American Idiot and what do you enjoy most about playing this character?

AN: I play the lead, Johnny. It’s an extremely demanding role and I love the challenge. He goes on a huge emotional roller coaster during this show, searching after life’s highs, but eventually hitting rock bottom and having to drag himself out of that place. It’s fun finding those extremely dark places in myself.

SN: At what age did you become interested in theater?

AN: I’ve been a theatergoer as long as I can remember. I first actually appeared on stage as a mute, spear-carrying page in my 3rd grade play. I quickly caught the “bug” and the next year performed in both a touring children’s show with California Theatre Center and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You at Foothill College. I was really hooked.

SN: What do you enjoy most about theater?

AN: Theatre is so much about having a conversation with the audience. That is especially true in this play. I spend the whole show trying to connect with and change real people who are actually sitting in front of me. Every night is exciting and different and dangerous because there are 2,000 new pieces to the equation.

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SN: What was your most memorable moment in Paly theater?

AN: In the production of On the Razzle, I was playing Melchior—a clever, mischievous servant. One show, something happened with a set change that was happening behind the curtain and there was no way for the next scene to start. After about 10 seconds of dead stage time, I ran out in front of the curtain with my ukulele. I started talking to the audience, playing some songs, climbing over people’s seats to flirt with women in the middle of the audience, anything I could come up with to kill time. I ended up improvising for about 5 minutes until the set got fixed. It was thrilling. People were cracking up, because it was obviously so unscripted, live, and in the moment. That’s what theatre is all about to me.

SN: Did Paly theater influence your acting? In what ways?

AN: It gave me so many opportunities to be onstage, and challenged me by the range of material that we performed. I had to figure out how to play everything from Moliere and Shakespeare to classic musical theatre and Moises Kaufman documentary theatre.

I think it really made me comfortable on stage; I came out confident and excited about theatre, and my optimism helps me as an actor.

SN: Do you have any advice for students who are trying to “make it” on Broadway or in any other plays?

AN: Dream big and really focus on making those dreams come true. It takes a lot of work and perseverance, and you have to sometimes sacrifice other things to stay on that path; for example, even to just attend some. But do it because you love the work, not because you want to be famous. You can always find a way to practice, and this in itself should be fulfilling.

Bay

The Best of the

By Nolan Perla-Ward

The Bay Area has fostered a number of prominent names in a variety of genres. From electronic to punk, big cities like San Francisco and Oakland have produced some of the best names in music.

Blackbird Blackbird

Del the Funkee Homosapien

Coming out of San Francisco, Mikey Maramag produces ethereal electronic grooves that calm and relax the listener. His album Summer Heart features a plethora of songs that provide easy listening. Standout songs are “Pure” and “So Sorry Girl,” both featuring ghost-like vocals accompanied by a funky and uplifting beats.

While listeners looking for defined vocals may be disappointed, Blackbird Blackbird will satisfy the craving of those with an electronic taste.

Teren Delvon Jones has been rapping since the early ‘90s. Perhaps most famous for his album Deltron 3030, he is also featured in a number of other projects, including Souls of Mischief and Gorillaz.

Much of his music reminds the listener of tracks from the ‘90s, but his style can also broaden itself as far out as futuristic, as is the case with Deltron 3030. As a whole, his rapping is more laid back, with smooth, definitive lyrics and rhymes ranging from hilarious to just plain weird.

Mac Dre

Jefferson Airplane

Oakland has always had a stellar musicians. For example, Andre Hicks, better known as “Mac Dre” initiated the “hyphy” movement that took the bay by storm.

With a heavy emphasis on “thizz” he took gangster rap to a whole new level. Tracks such as “Feelin Myself,” “Thizzle Dance” and “Get Stupid” highlight his focus on partying and having fun. While Mac Dre himself is dead now, his legacy lives on. Bay Area artists like E-40 continue to pay homage to Hicks’s legacy.

The Grateful Dead

Pioneering the hippy movement of the ‘60s, the Grateful Dead are immortal among fans of classic rock.

Hailing from Palo Alto, they are synonymous with San Francisco, Haight-Ashbury and LSD. However, don’t let the idea of hippies jamming on guitars scare you though, their style is closer to bluegrass than rock. Their album, American Beauty is a great starting point, featuring three of their most famous songs, “Box of Rain,” “Friend of the Devil” and “Truckin.” Considering the fact that two of the bands members attended Palo Alto High School, you should check them out.

Another icon of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Jefferson Airplane was founded in San Francisco in the ‘60s and became an leader of the psychedelic rock movement. Lead singer Grace Slick’s vocals guide the listener on a journey through space and time. Songs like “White Rabbit” pay homage to the ‘60s San Francisco culture with references to Alice in Wonderland and magic mushrooms. Other songs offer more socially acceptable themes, though.

The Dead Kennedys

Punk-rock legends, the Dead Kennedy’s were the head of the San Francisco punk scene in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Their album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables includes many of the songs that made them such a prominent force in the punk movement. Their songs often mocked businessmen, politicians and suburbia. Many of their hits portray these themes or rebellion.

Moreover, they accompany controversial song titles with controversial lyrics, “Holiday in Cambodia” and “When ya gonna get drafted” are examples of their more provocative songs, criticizing the government for being too concerned with war and not in touch with people.

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Halloween Movies

By Eric Wang

It’s the middle of October, and you know what that means: Halloween is just around the corner. There are tons of films to choose from (there are 12 Friday the 13th’s after all), and obviously not all of them are scary or entertaining; however among these dreadful flicks are some great classics guaranteed to make you jump, or at least laugh at how clichéd they are.

The Thing (1982) rated R

Scream (1996) rated R

Ironically, Scream was meant to be a parody of the increasingly overdone slasher genre. However, director Wes Craven, most known for Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), inadvertently revitalized the ailing slasher genre with the epitome of a ‘90s high school horror movie. Focused on self-aware characters that are aware of real-world horror flicks like Halloween and Friday the 13th, Scream features all the clichés in a typical slasher movie: the virgin female protagonist, the jock boyfriend, the promiscuous cheerleader, the masked killer, the list goes on and on.

If you want to experience the ultimate combination of high school, ‘90s fashion and teenage slashers, Scream will definitely deliver.

Y N UN

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CULTURE

Based on both a short story and a 1950s sci-fi classic, John Carpenter’s The Thing is distinct in both its environment and its monster. Set in the frozen Antarctic wasteland, the movie centers on a small group of male scientists who uncover the titular Thing: a horrifying shape-shifting alien that gruesomely takes over other living creatures. As the Thing kills off the researchers one by one and imitates them, the remaining survivors struggle to determine who is still human. Suspenseful and devoid of silly plot devices (cheesy romances and random sex scenes), The Thing is a terrific thriller. Be warned though: the film features ‘80s special effects at their disgusting finest.

The Evil Dead (1981) rated NC-17

Director Sam Raimi is best known for two movie series: Spiderman and The Evil Dead. While the first is an upbeat coming of age superhero story, The Evil Dead features a group of college friends who, while camping in the middle of the woods, accidentally unleash ancient undead spirits in their log cabin. Notorious for its mixture of black humor and gory special effects, The Evil Dead is both entertaining and wicked scary. And if you’re still craving more shocking violence, be sure to check out its two sequels, The Evil Dead 2 (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992).

Carrie (1976) rated R

Normally, a story about a shy teenage girl who gains telekinetic powers would be shelved under “High school movie” or “Superhero flick.” However, Brian De Palma’s supernatural thriller juxtaposes violently grotesque sequences with awkward high school humor to deliver a truly terrifying experience. De Palma’s adaptation of the classic Stephen King novel, Carrie, focuses on young Carrie White, an awkward teenager who lives alone with her overbearingly zealous Christian mother.

As her experiences at school become increasingly humiliating, Carrie discovers that she has begun to develop telekinetic powers—just in time for her school’s senior prom. With its sly mixture of light humor and horrifying atmosphere, Carrie is guaranteed to catch its viewers off guard at every twist and turn.

Halloween (1978) rated R

You can thank director John Carpenter for popularizing the classic slasher movie with Halloween, a tense thriller complete with an unstoppable killing machine and horny intoxicated teenagers. Carpenter’s low-budget slasher introduced audiences to masked serial killers, gratuitous sex scenes, and scared teenagers being stupid. Though the kills aren’t that gruesome, Carpenter achieves a fantastic sense of dread and intensity through his use of camera work and creepy music. The movie introduced audiences to masked madman Michael Myers. The success of Halloween paved the way for countless remakes, including the Friday the 13th series and the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

Y R A SC Ringu (1998) rated R

The Shining (1980) rated R

Although it’s rather daunting with a runtime of two hours and twenty six minutes, The Shining is a completely immersive film that juxtaposes beautiful shots of nature with bone-chilling moments of suspense. The movie centers on the Torrance family, composed of author and recovering alcoholic Jack, homemaker Wendy and their young child Danny, who possesses an ability dubbed “the shining” — a power that allows those who have it to communicate with others through their minds. As the family spends their winter taking care of an empty hotel, Jack slowly loses his grip on reality and goes insane, putting his family’s well-being at risk. The combination of shocking moments plus a lingering atmosphere of dread make The Shining a fantastic horror movie.

Most of us have seen the 2002 Hollywood remake, The Ring, but the original Japanese version is streets ahead in terror.

The plot revolves around a cursed videotape that sentences all who watch it to die in seven days. When a young reporter investigating the latest victims accidentally watches the video, she attempts to discover the truth behind the tape in order to avoid her impending death. The movie’s low-budget camera work and homemade feel contribute heavily to the creepy atmosphere. This movie is seriously scary, so consider leaving the lights on when you are watching this movie. Also, try to get at least ten people to watch it with you.

CULTURE

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