echo By: Tiffany Hoo
Be afraid, be very afraid.
It’s that time of the year again when the monsters are welcome and scares become an enjoyment. It’s Halloween time! Although considered a Western celebration, that doesn’t mean we in the East can get in on all the fun that comes with Halloween! So, to get into the spirit of things, here a few movies you could watch during the season of horrors and scare the wits out of yourself!
- Saw
The franchise (boasting of a total of 7 movies!) tells us the story of John Kramer, who is also known as the “Jigsaw Killer” or simply “Jigsaw”. Initially a caring young man who cared deeply for his loved ones, his life turn upside down when a series of unfortunate events occurred, tearing his family asunder. John was underwent a metamorphosis and was “reborn”. He believed that in order to salvage what little goodness there was in the world, he nurtured the thought that the only way for someone to change for the better is for them to change themselves. Therefore, instead of killing his victims (those he believes to have committed sins) outright, Jigsaw traps them in situations that he calls “tests” or “games” to test their will to live through physical or psychological torture.
He regarded them as a form of “instant rehabilitation” that would change the world, “one person at a time”. John was soon given the name “The Jigsaw Killer” (or “Jigsaw”), because he removed a puzzle-piece-shaped chunk of flesh from those who did not escape his traps, which represented the absence of their “survival instinct”. However, not all his victims meet their end though caught in gruesome traps. The story itself has an interesting background as it delves into the human psychology. However, if you were to see the traps for yourselves… be prepared for a few sleepless nights.
- Child’s Play
This is a well known movie franchise that has transcended the years and remains an iconic horror to both children and adults alike. The story revolves around Charles Lee Ray (Chucky), a serial killer obsessed with voodoo who is on the run from local police department. Charles takes refuge in a toy shop one day after being abandoned by his partner in crime when they were being chased by the police. During the scuffle, he is shot and left mortally wounded. He then transfers his soul into a Good Guy doll via a voodoo ritual to evade being captured. He then swears revenge on those who were determined to catch him and promises to do anything to achieve that.
In his quest for revenge, Chucky is willing to go to the extremes to get what he wants and never thinks of what his actions may cause others. Ironically, as the movie progresses, the initially adorable looking doll we first saw begins to warp as Chucky possesses the doll longer, indicating that his dark soul had contaminated an object which was once so innocent. Cunning and full of malice, once you see the doll in action in the movie, trust me when I say, you will never see dolls the same way again.
So embrace your sense of courage and challenge yourself to a marathon of skin crawling horror! Trust me, there will be joy in the horror!
