Five socially-conscious horror films for Halloween and beyond By Chauncey K. Robinson

Five socially-conscious horror films for Halloween and beyond By Chauncey K. Robinson The Halloween season is reserved for relishing in the gothic and mysterious, with popular horror films competing to play on the fears of viewers in new and exciting ways. The best horror films go beyond the occasional jump scare and ghoulish creatures, though. Instead, they use bleak and fantastical scenarios to draw attention to real-world social issues. These movies intertwine the fright with intentional messaging, allowing viewers the chance to not only set their hearts racing but also set their minds thinking. Keeping with that spirit, here are five socially conscious horror films to see (or see again) this Halloween. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Don’t let the fact this film features a maniac killing people with a chainsaw and wearing their skin afterward fool you. This film, directed by Tobe Hooper, has themes baked into its simplistic plot that go deeper than a road trip gone wrong. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre follows a group of friends who fall victim to a family of cannibals while on their way to visit an old homestead. Originally marketed as being based on true events, the film works in subtle commentary on the era’s political climate. To understand what that means, one need only look at two major happenings of the era when the movie premiered: the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. Director Hooper, who co-wrote the film with Kim Henkel, noted in the official audio commentary decades later, “This film kind of came out of the Watergate times. It was kind of inspired by it, in a lot of ways.” The Watergate scandal changed the way many people looked at their political leaders, encouraging a more critical and scrutinizing perspective. It involved then-President Richard Nixon’s involvement in the cover-up of a robbery of the office of the Democratic National Committee during his re-election campaign. What followed was explosive and crucial journalism by reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who exposed Nixon’s direct involvement in the cover-up of the robbery, along with illegal wiretapping. This led to Nixon’s resignation on Aug. 9, 1974, heading off his impending impeachment by Congress.... READ MORE >> Connect with People's World Contact us 3339 S. Halsted Street | Chicago, Illinois 60608 773-446-9920 | contact@peoplesworld.org Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser Unsubscribe or Manage Your Preferences