Hot Topic: Top 5 Halloween Songs
An infographic showcases Viewpoints Staffer Antonio Starks’ picks for the top 5 Halloween songs. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” won the top spot. “Yes, it’s an oldie but it’s a classic. This pop-funk song is a Halloween staple, having been used in numerous households for the spookiest time of the year,” Starks said. “This song is the musical zeitgeist of All Hallow’s Eve.” Graphic by Antonio Starks
Head to Head: Should high schoolers trick-or-treat?
Viewpoints Staffer Mykolas Kumpis smashes a pumpkin while Journalism I student Peter Atchley examines one. While Kumpis thinks that trick-or-treating should be reserved for younger children, Atchley believes trick-or-treating is also a fun activity for high school students. “Some may say that Halloween is a kid’s holiday, but why put an age limit on fun?” Atchley wrote. Illustration by Antonio Starks
Journalism I student Peter Atchley and Viewpoints Staffer Mykolas Kumpis discuss the pros and cons of teenagers trick-or-treating.
Pro:
You look up at the scariest house on the street, shivering with fright. Ghosts and goblins seem to be hiding in every shadow and they stay frightened behind a tree, too scared to get the sweet treat ahead.
Suddenly, a cool high schooler tells them all about how the skeletons are only worth $29.99 and don’t want your soul. That kid has scored candy and even had fun with a cool teenager.
Halloween is a holiday where kids can trick-or-treat in hopes of getting a sweet treat and having a lot of fun. However, the fun doesn’t stop with kids. Teenagers have the right to have just as much fun.
Some may say that Halloween is a kid’s holiday, but why put an age limit on fun? The idea of Halloween is having kids come to your porch or doorstep dressed as Elsa or Anna, if they’re cool. However, if high schoolers were included, you would get to see more niche movie characters and ironic costumes from Party City such as a taco or Luigi.
Some may say that Halloween is a kid’s holiday, but why put an age limit on fun?
Even though costumes are a big deal on Halloween, the real prize is the candy. The night is about the sweets, whether you are handing it out or accepting it.
No matter the age, getting free candy is awesome. Though some might think teens will overdo it by overeating, they’d probably act more responsibly than a little kid.
If the streets are cleared of teenagers looking for some tricks and treats, doesn’t that stop older kids from accompanying their younger siblings? According to jcpatriot.com, most younger siblings feel safer with older siblings walking with them. A teenager can provide protection and guidance for younger kids.
If high schoolers trick-or-treated, problems like stealing candy would be fixed. We could live in a world where teenagers don’t need to take candy from their younger siblings because they would already have candy from trick-or-treating. Everyone would be better off if teens had the same opportunity for Halloween festivities as other kids.
Con:
It’s Halloween night. The air is crisp, leaves crowd the streets, and a teenager is walking up the front steps of a stranger’s house to yell “trick-or-treat!” before collecting his delicious prize.
Wait, what? A teenager? Some tall, dirt-mustache-wearing, pimple-faced high schooler?
Something’s extra-creepy on the 31st of October.
Halloween is and always will be a little kid’s’ holiday. When you can count your age on your fingers, life’s full of fun activities like trick-or-treating. Kids love dressing up, going out with their friends and families, and, most of all, getting candy.
Oh, the candy. What a motivator.
Wait, what? A teenager? Some tall, dirt-mustache wearing, pimple-faced high schooler? Something’s extra-creepy on the 31st of October.
There’s not many people who’d say no to candy, regardless of age. However, here’s a question: what’s a 13-18 year old going to do with a five pound bag of sugar, chocolate, corn syrup and artificial coloring? Is that candy going to be eaten, or just thrown out (or up) after a few days?
What if it just gets stolen by someone even older? According to wallethub.com, 86% of parents admit to stealing candy from their children. Is there even much of a point to getting candy then?
Maybe high schoolers should just leave it to elementary school kids. Every once in a while, folks must do what’s best for others and sacrifice a little bit of fun to let the youth of America get the classic trick-or-treat experience, without the undue stresses of brushing past people nearly ready to go to college.
It seems like the kids are handling things fine on their own.
Hot Topic: Top 5 Classic Disney Halloween Movies
An infographic shows several classic Disney Halloween movies. According to Visuals Staffer Temprince Battle, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” deserved a spot on the list. “‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is Tim Burton’s true masterpiece. The movie is a rollercoaster of emotion, with gorgeous animation, a beautiful soundtrack and more. This movie may be a lot of things, but anything short of perfect isn’t one of them.” Infographic by Temprince Battle, Maya Shrivastav, and Anna Shaikun
Graphic by Maya Shrivastav
Graphic by Temprince Battle
Review: “Hellraiser”
A poster for “Hellraiser”, which was released to Hulu on Oct. 7, features Pinhead, one of the main antagonists in the film. “Hellraiser” was first released in 1987 and while the recent remake was updated to reflect a modern lifestyle, it very much fits the stereotype of a classic horror film. “(The movie) focuses heavily on the gore and horror aspect, leaving little room for character development and details, which makes the plot appear shallow and slightly rushed, a characteristic of most films in the genre,” Digital Junior Copy Editor Riley Ramsey wrote. Image fair use of Hulu
The remake of the 1987 horror film “Hellraiser”, released to Hulu on Oct. 7, contains all the elements of a classic horror movie but has little else to offer.
Following its 1987 release, the horror film “Hellraiser”, written and directed by Clive Barker, became a classic film in the horror genre. Over three decades later, a remake of the movie, directed by David Bruckner, was released to Hulu on Oct. 7.
The plot of both movies is based on the 1986 novella “The Hellbound Heart”, also written by Clive Barker. Like the novella, the recent movie fits neatly into the horror genre.
The movie is centered around a mysterious puzzle box that leaves inexplicable disappearances in its wake. At the film’s beginning, the main protagonist, Riley McKendry (Odessa A’zion), is a recovering drug addict living with her brother Matt McKendry (Brandon Flynn).
Riley’s boyfriend Trevor (Drew Starkey) convinces Riley to break into an old shipping container in search of something valuable to sell, but instead they find the puzzle box which brings a chain of unfortunate events crashing down on Riley’s life.
A trailer for the movie “Hellraiser” is shown. “Hellraiser” relied more on gore than scares to frighten viewers, according to Digital Junior Copy Editor Riley Ramsey. “Viewers may find (‘Hellraiser’) more gory than scary and little room is left for character development and details,” Ramsey wrote. “The movie conforms to its R-rating, with an abundance of sexual content, language and unbridled gore present throughout the entire course of the film.” Video fair use of 20th Century Studios
As typical for a horror movie, unique camera angles, low lighting and dramatic music create an atmosphere of suspense that will bring viewers to the edge of their seats.
However, while the movie is presented as a horror film, viewers may find it more gory than scary and little room is left for character development and details. This makes the plot appear shallow and slightly rushed, a characteristic of most films in the genre.
While the movie is presented as a horror film, viewers may find it more gory than scary and little room is left for character development and details. This makes the plot appear shallow and slightly rushed.
The movie conforms to its R-rating, with an abundance of sexual content, language and unbridled gore present throughout the entire course of the film. Viewers who are sensitive to horrifying elements and graphic content should definitely avoid “Hellraiser” altogether.
Overall, “Hellraiser” is nothing more than what it appears to be: a modern horror film that would be perfect for viewers who prefer gore over fear when it comes to the horror genre.
Hot Topic: Cheugy Halloween Costumes
