Film Head to Head: Halloween Edition Our writers pitch you their ultimate Halloween character
Wednesday Addams
The Pale Man
Hannibal Lecter
Dracula
Melissa Haggar
Alex Morrison
Gabriela Garcia-Huff
Charlotte Gaines
Black aesthetic? Check. Plaited pigtails? Check. Pale skin and a general disdain for anything normal? Double-check. A twist on the happy, sweet little girl that most parents dream of, Wednesday Addams loves the macabre, guillotines, chaos and of course, the Bermuda Triangle. She is creepy in every sense of the word, and Christina Ricci (who portrays her in the 1991 and 1993 films) nails her role as the character, delivering a morbid performance with deadpan wit and expert timing. Wednesday is of course aided by her gruesomely gothic family, and whilst she may only be one piece of the Addams Family, she is the character everyone can’t help but adore – even if she’s liable to hook you up to an electric chair.
Guillermo Del Toro has a knack for creating fearsome creatures, and this creature from his magnum opus Pan’s Labyrinth is a prime example of his morbid imagination. Looking like a mixture of Gill-Man from Creature of the Black Lagoon and an Eldritch Abomination from Lovecraftian lore, prolific creature suit actor Doug Jones creates an almost whimsical personality to this monster that eats people who attempt to steal from his feast. His most prominent features are his eyes on his hands, seen when Ofelia steals grapes from him and arouses him from his slumber. This is a disturbing creature that could only come from Del Toro’s mind.
The idea of cannibalism delves deep into the darkest parts of human taboos. Cannibalism in the horror film genre, when it is done well, will easily leave one tossing and turning through the night. Hannibal Lecter, referring specifically to Anthony Hopkin’s portrayal in Silence of the Lambs, accomplishes that and so much more in his mere 16 minutes of screen time. He is not just some brutish, slasher villain, hiding in alleys and killing in the dark of night; but rather, a cold, calculating and incredibly intelligent mastermind who understands human nature and the art of manipulation better than anyone.
Count Dracula is an icon of the silver screen, having been portrayed in over 270 films by some of the greatest actors ever, including Sir Christopher Lee and Gary Oldman. He is the seminal horror film villain, having terrified audiences since his first screen appearance in the controversial 1922 film Nosferatu. Stoker’s creation is the undisputed Godfather of all literary and cinematic vampires: an ancient blood-sucking being with shape-shifting abilities, incredible strength and hypnotic powers who, thankfully, doesn’t sparkle in the sunlight. Dracula is the greatest horror movie character of all time, with his Hollywood longevity and numerous incarnations establishing him as the archetypal cinematic Gothic villain: passionate, powerful and peculiar.
Illustrator, Lucinda Swain
Carrie
Jack Torrance
Freddy Krueger
Edward Scissor Hands
Joey Levenson
Benedetta Mancusi
Jay Slayton-Joslin
Amy Lee
When we first think of horror characters, Carrie is not who immediately comes to mind. But she embodies everything about the archetypal ‘horror’ character: an outsider, a being of the supernatural, a twisted mind, and one full of vengeance. We all have that iconic image of the prom queen draped in blood, etched in to our minds thanks to Brian De Palma’s film adaption of Stephen King’s original novel. Whilst many may look to the psychotic men of horror movies for typical Halloween-esque villains, it’s truly Carrie, someone who we can see ourselves in, one way or another, that remains the most frightening.
An axe, a bathroom door, a reference to a fairy-tale: Goosebumps. In that moment Jack Nicholson realised that his “here’s Johnny” face was going to be printed on several t-shirts. A face that is probably still appearing in Shelley Duvall’s dreams. I wouldn’t totally blame Jack though. I mean, she didn’t let him finish his sentence. At the very least, that’s rude. Yes, he treated her badly, but with a lovely smile and sweet nicknames. After all, all work and no play would be enough to drive anybody insane. Especially writers.
A glove with covered with knives that can only attack you in your dreams, perhaps isn’t the most terrifying thought. How about when it’s weilded by the spirirt of a vengeful killer? Maybe he can’t hurt you in our reality, but sleep is inevitable and then you’ll slip into his... By the time anyone believes you’re having much more than a nightmare, you can’t stay awake any longer. The son of 1,000 maniacs gets you.
With his pale face, hollow eyes, messy hair and scissors for hands, it seems unlikely that this naïve man-child could be the hero of a popular romantic fantasy film. With his gothic aesthetic, trust only Tim Burton to create a film with a Frankenstein-esque protagonist that is so visually creepy yet undeniable lovable, and whose ending is so utterly heartbreaking. Johnny Depp does an outstanding job to turn this “unfinished artificial man” into an iconic Halloween character. Underneath it all, Edward Scissorhands represents your everyday teen: an underdog who wants to get the girl and just wants to fit in.
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