All right, kids, it's that time of year. Bust out the pumpkin beers, slutty outfits and high−fructose corn syrup: it's Halloween.
Yes, candy corn may taste like earwax after the first handful, but that's beside the point. All Hallow's Eve means an absence of morals and family values, at least for a little bit.
The month of October also heralds a plethora of horror films. I don't enjoy the horror genre, but I will always make an exception in October. It's the one time of the year I want to be scared. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a couple of scary events: "Paranormal Activity 3" (2011) and a concert led by Tyler, the Creator.
To paraphrase "Scream" (1996), let's lay down a couple of ground rules: What makes a successful horror movie (or concert) so scary? "Horror" is not synonymous with "thriller," which in turn is not to be confused with zombie−themed Michael Jackson music video.
Quite simply, horror movies try to elicit a sense of horror (i.e. fear, disgust or shock), whereas thrillers contain plot−driven suspense. Much like squares and rectangles, a horror film can always be a thriller, but not necessarily the other way around. Think of "Black Swan" (2010) as a thrilling horror film. Unfortunately, the gory shock schlock "Saw" franchise has damaged the reputation of horror films, as the films' plots are seen as obstacles in the way of volcanic eruptions of bloody entrails.
But enough theory, let's get into "Paranormal Activity 3." This film, like its predecessors, incorporates a lot of cheap shocks — silence followed by sudden, loud noise. But for me, the scariest moments are the ones that come after leaving the theater.
I grew up in an old house that made a lot of noises. As a kid and teenager, I would often hear creaking sounds and think that someone — or something — was after me. It got to the point that I would put on the alarm system or barricade myself in the room. Given my age, we could write this paranoia off as a side effect of too much Mountain Dew. But that's exactly why the "Paranormal Activity" movies resonate with so many people. It's the idea that our home — our supposed haven — isn't actually safe.
That idea of not feeling safe perfectly describes the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) concert. For the uninitiated, this rap collective features raging lyrics that would make even a Juggalo blush. The concert at the Royale Theatre left me drenched in sweat and fear. The throbbing crowd was like a fluid mosaic model, but with vitriolic adolescents instead of lipid molecules. I made the mistake of not double−knotting my shoelaces before the show started, so when the crowd began to shove and sway, my Converse sneakers fell off. At one point, a rogue crowd surfer kicked me in the face. Before I knew it, I was on the floor getting stomped by kids spewing psychopathic lyrics. For a moment, I felt like Mufasa in his final moments under the herd of wildebeests.
Looking back on those frightening moments, I'm glad I went to the concert. Was I scared? Oh, heck yes! But that's the point: the perverse desire to feel disgusted and uncomfortable.
Seeing Tyler, the Creator, and his "gang of wolves" chant about "socking ... [ladies] in their mouth" is a bit like watching a ridiculous slasher movie from the '80s: it's all funny until someone actually takes the concept seriously.
After the movie and concert this weekend, I've had enough scares for this year. All I need now is a Twix candy bar and some sequins for my Liza Minnelli outfit.
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