The Hills Are Alive With The Sound of Horror

Every ‘90s child remembers Ms. Frizzle as their favourite grade school teacher. True, she’s a cartoon character on the TV show Magic School Bus, but my original statement stands. Because of her, I know more about the human body, ecosystems, and outer space than I’d ever have thought possible. She even taught me all about music and sound in what is arguably the scariest episode of the series. Appropriately so. With the right combination of instruments, rhythm, and tempo, music can heighten horror beyond mere ghosts and goblins.  

But before we get into the meat and ectoplasm of the discussion, let’s try an experiment. You’ll need a Blu-ray player and a copy of Psycho. It’s available on Amazon Prime so you’ll save money on shipping. I’ll wait the two days…

Got it? Wonderful. Pop it into your Blu-ray player, put the TV on mute, and fast-forward to the infamous shower scene. Is that a yawn I see? I suppose you’ve noticed the lack of tension without the wree-wree-wree of out-of-tune strings. Now try the same experiment but with Jaws. Make sure the TV is still on mute. It’s like something out of a nature documentary, isn’t it?

Just as Carlos discovered the right sound to compliment Dorothy-Anne’s concerto in that haunted Magic School Bus episode, composers Bernard Herrmann and John Williams found the appropriate sounds to transform a shower stabbing and a shark attack into two of the most iconic horror film scores to date. Heck, I still get paranoid every time I take a shower!

And these are just two examples.

Courtesy of Compass International Pictures

My personal favourite is the chilling score from John Carpenter’s 1978 Halloween. Early in his career as a director and composer, Carpenter sought inspiration from Herrmann, who was a master at creating unease through simple sounds. This influence makes up the backbone of the main theme from Halloween. The twinkling piano and booming organ gives life to an unsettling melody that itches the back of the brain long after the music has stopped.

With an incredibly low budget, Carpenter’s plan was to save the movie through his music. We could argue whether the film stands on other merits until Michael Myers comes home to slaughter us, but in the interest of saving lives, I think it’s safe to argue that Carpenter’s composition fosters a much more sinister tone.

Its main theme reminds audiences immediately of Michael Myers. I could be in Loblaws browsing the produce on a sunny day in the middle of July and I’d still burrow under a pile of grapefruit if it blasted over the loudspeakers. When done right, a movie’s score becomes synonymous with the evil prowling in the shadows.

If Halloween is the master, than Insidious is the apprentice—and, in my opinion, the best contemporary example. Its musical score is a journey of jarring notes, constantly building tension, all leading to a bombastic climax of harsh noise that, in any other context, would inspire many speaker-related destructive tantrums. But in a film designed to be uncomfortable for the viewer, incessant buzzing is the perfect sound to play throughout.

Music has the ability to enhance any movie sequence. Whether it’s a flutter of flutes in a romance or a trill of trumpets in a fantasy epic, it is a powerful tool used by many filmmakers. Horror is no exception. There’s a reason Ms. Frizzle took her students to a haunted house to learn about sound. But if I may contradict her just this once, it is best not to take chances. When it comes to horror, there are no mistakes. If you hear the menacing wree-wree-wree of a plunging knife… run!

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Nathaniel Neil Whelan

Nathaniel has an M.A. from Carleton University and is currently enrolled in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. An up-and-coming author, he lives in Ottawa with his partner and pet cat Susie-Bear.

Techniques to Terrify

The challenge of writing horror has always been scaring the reader without it being too obvious. Authors like Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft have a tougher job than movie directors since they can’t rely on cheap jump scares and music.

R.L. Stine has frightened thousands of children with his Goosebumps series and no matter how ridiculous the monsters may seem, he’s found a way to instill fear in our minds. Traditionally, Stine uses a first-person narrator to give readers the impression that they’re in the story and that it is them being attacked by a horde of evil garden gnomes.

A similar but different approach is what some call “the every man”. This technique is frequently used by Stephen King, the world-renowned king of horror. This approach doesn’t use a first-person narrator, but instead, frames the story around an average Joe. This technique reminds readers that if this horror could happen to a simple guy, then it could also happen to them

“ It’s when the lights go out and you feel something behind you, you hear it, you feel its breath against your ear, but when you turn around, there’s nothing there...”

— Stephen King

The best stories in the genre never include blood and gore because it’s difficult to visualize and therefore, hard to be unnerved by. Masterful storytellers know that the best way into a reader’s head is to let the scares quietly creep in. Horror will often start with a slow beginning that only hints at something eerie. This way, when spooky things finally start to happen, readers are already invested in the story and characters.

Perhaps the most common tool utilized by horror storytellers is to write as if it were happening today. Reading such a tale further increases our connection to the story. The goal for most horror writers is to fully immerse the reader in the action and experiences of their stories and this is definitely, in my opinion, one of the best ways to do it.

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Nikki McKenzie is full of sarcasm and also positivity and the embodiment of when Jim from The Office looks into the camera.

The Boo Tube 👻

Imagine watching Paranormal Activity or Psycho repeatedly; eventually it stops being scary. This is where horror television writers work to ensure that each storyline produces cinema-worthy scares without overusing the same tropes.

The horror film genre is lucky. Usually capping out at less than two hours, movies don’t need to keep anyone’s attention past the climax. But what about the newer trend of horror television? One of the most challenging aspects of writing any scary story is making the dreadful feelings persist throughout the narrative and leave an imprint in the mind that stays with the audience long after viewing. Screenwriters fight to keep viewers coming back episode after episode without becoming repetitive.

Image courtesy of netflix

We can look back at shows like Twin Peaks and see the very beginnings of what would become the TV horror genre, but the real breakout for fanatics was American Horror Story. Creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk created a new type of show that was both creepy and endearing. The first season had many horror fans hooked with its mysterious ghost house, and they kept that same audience coming back through six seasons. What American Horror Story did brilliantly was remove a lot of classic tropes typical of the genre and replace them with more complex characters. Prior to the show’s creation, not many films could say that the audience was truly invested in which people lived or died. American Horror Story relies on the audience getting invested in the characters by not simply reducing them to jock, brain, slut, and stoner stereotypes.

Another breakout TV show was brought to us by Ross and Matt Duffer. Stranger Things takes a similar approach to American Horror Story and really focuses on the development of its characters. It perfectly casts lovable misfits that you can’t help but root for… and then throws them into a terrifying science-fiction world. Unlike other shows of its kind, Stranger Things feels more familiar, which makes every event that takes place twice as scary as it feels like it could happen to you!

An amazing example of a new horror series done right comes to us through Mike Flanagan’s Haunting of Hill House. The interwoven timelines take us through an eerie chain of events that has viewers on the edge of their seats. The show doesn’t rely on jump scares typical of modern horror films, but instead creeps us out with what we don’t get to see. The true horror of Hill House Is waiting for the monster and not quite knowing what we’re scared of. Throughout the series, they reveal more and more but only just enough to keep watching. This technique, coupled with the brilliant score composed by the Newton Brothers, proves that a new wave of horror is just beginning.

image courtesy of netflix

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Nikki McKenzie is full of sarcasm and also positivity and the embodiment of when Jim from The Office looks into the camera.

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The Heavy Weight Champions of Horror

What defines a horror icon? For me they need to be timeless, unique, and ultimately still be able to bring a chill to my spine. Very few monsters and murderers meet these standards but I’m here to tell you why these following five classic horror villains have become icons of the genre.

The first movie I think of when autumn rolls around is Halloween. No film really sets the mood for scary as well this one. The infamous Michael Myers made viewers shriek in 1978 and has continued to do so for years. There’s something so absolutely unnerving about the expressionless mask with black holes for eyes that has had us squirming in movie theaters for years and is still regarded as one the creepiest villains of all time.

image courtesy of warner brother entertainment

“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to a good scare. ”

— Halloween (1978)

Now, if Michael Myers gives you nightmares you may want to skip this next guy. Freddy Kreuger has terrified us over the years with his disfigured face and sharp razor hands. He comes at your most vulnerable and infects your mind with fear. The star of Nightmare on Elm Street has been keeping kids awake since 1984 with his bloodthirsty presence and makes no plans to sleep on a new generation of kids to scare. He’s the thing of nightmares, literally.

Arguably one of the most intimidating characters from the horror world is number three: Ghostface. This crazy killer first appeared in Scream back in 1996 and his quiet, stalking demeanor has continued its murder streak for over 22 years of film and television. Perhaps the most chilling attribute Ghostface has is anonymity. You might never know who’s behind the mask. Or who to trust.

Behind all the monsters, ghouls, and movie characters lies Leatherface, a serial killer from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre based on the real-life psychopath Ed Gein. Nothing can ever be as fear inducing as knowing that the events on screen are based on true events. There’s nothing manufactured horror can do to replicate the uneasiness of Leatherface, the skin wearing everyday man who could be right next door. The carnage his chainsaw creates still makes me jump whenever the neighbors are doing yard work.

Finally, we have the original monster, myth, and legend… Count Dracula himself. Created with inspiration from the notorious Vlad the Impaler, Bram Stoker’s work has spanned decades. The sinister vampire has appeared in film, television, and literature since 1897. He’s had people uneasy about the night for as long as we’ve been alive. This blood thirsty vamp is a timeless example of horror and how to instill fear for much longer than your typical jump scare. A classic staple for the genre, Dracula remains one of the most feared monsters in the world. With myths and legends surrounding his existence, it’s no wonder we keep getting more of his story.

image courtesy of compass international pictures

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Nikki McKenzie is full of sarcasm and also positivity and the embodiment of when Jim from The Office looks into the camera. She also likes to write.