Halloween — Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You

Weekly Industry News Editor Gary Wolcott spent 32 years as a movie critic in newspaper and on radio and TV. He also grew up in the 1950s when horror movies weren’t all chop and slash, or recycled haunted house flicks, where one movie franchise looks very much like another.

He grew up loving a great horror movie. Some of his favorites include the original Night of the Living Dead, the first Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Rosemary’s Baby and dozens of others.

This movie review excerpt is from a newspaper column he published several years ago. It’s a review of one of his favorite recent horror movies, A Quiet Place.

I get a lot of complaints from friends about noisy movies. It is true that at times films are so loud it is uncomfortable. Some movies overdo sound to the point that the background music and sound effects drown out the dialogue.

Once in a while, someone does one that is quiet. Really quiet.

Or to be a bit more specific, the sound of the popcorn you’re chewing is louder than what’s happening on the screen. That style of film making leads to a different kind of discomfort. With that brief explanation we arrive at the silence of A Quiet Place.

That silence is the biggest reason why this movie is so terrifying.

Sound can kill you in the dystopian world of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt’s Lee and Evelyn. A bloody, horrific death is just a small sound away. Drop an object or step on a twig, and lightning fast monsters appear. The creatures can’t see but their sense of hearing rivals a dog’s sense of smell. It’s thousands of times better than ours.

That makes the life of Lee and Evelyn, and of their kids, one of total silence.

All conversation is done in whispers or sign language. Paths in and out of their safe-haven farm are lined with sand. Lee, Evelyn and their two children walk everywhere barefoot.

Even though it has an obvious solution, A Quiet Place has one of those great scripts that gives actors a chance to show off their non-verbal skills. There is very little dialogue, and what dialogue there is comes in whispers. While it sounds like a walk in the park, most actors struggle with a skill most of us assume is easy.

It is not, and Krasinski and Blunt — who are uncommonly good actors — pull it off.

Terror, anger, pain and all discussion is done with facial expression and the use of hands, arms and other forms of body language. Blunt is a Golden Globe winner for Gideon’s Daughter and nominee for The Girl on the Train and The Young Victoria, so we already know she can do drama. She’s on pitch here and her best scene is a terrifying few minutes in a bathtub.

It’s the most intense scene in a movie full of them.

Krasinski is best known for comedy, light dramatic parts and his role in TV’s, The Office. He’s also shined in the Prime Video TV series Jack Ryan. The guy has serious dramatic acting chops and A Quiet Place shows them off perfectly.

Acting is always important to any movie but the real star of this movie is Krasinski the writer and director. A Quiet Place is hold-your-breath intense. Krasinski and co-writers Bryan Woods and Scott Beck put together a movie that rivals Ridley Scott’s original Alien for pure, unadulterated terror.

How good is Krasinski?

You’ll find yourself holding your breath and gripping the arm rest of the chair you’re sitting in so hard your hands hurt. Nail-biting will follow and as the credits roll at the end of A Quiet Place, you’re drained, done in, and in desperate need of your own quiet place.

Horror doesn’t get any better.

Here are some other horror treats you might want to check out this Halloween. Though many of you hate reading a movie, when it comes to original, Pan’s Labyrinth is as original as they come. Nor can you beat Scott’s Alien or flicks like the terrifying, The Silence of the Lambs,

Then there’s the always riveting The Shining.

Now, let the fun begin. Well, maybe. Agents, insurers and others have been warning people for years about liability for office and home parties like those we see on Halloween. This year it’s on a Saturday so most of us don’t have to get up the next day and go to work.

Don’t let your party participants drink — or if they do Halloweed — smoke too much. Method 1 did a study of 1,200 consumers and found 45% are a little looser, and more permissive, about indulgingU than a year ago.

So be careful and protect yourselves.

The marketing organization, Retail Brew says worldwide we are going to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween. That tops 2025’s record of $13.1 billion. And many of us started our Halloween planning months ahead of time.

Allison Zeller of the National Retail Federation (NRF) said spending will average out to $115.14 per person. That compares to 2025’s figure of $114.45.

“This year’s results show that shoppers are being thoughtful and strategic, looking for ways to maximize value throughout the season,” Zeller said. “Retailers understand these priorities and are offering a wide range of products across price points, making it easier for consumers to celebrate in ways that fit their budgets.”

Source link: Retail Brew — https://bit.ly/4sMhvWN