### "Corpse Bride"

“Corpse Bride,” directed by Tim Burton,
draws viewers into a haunting world where
love reaches beyond the grave. On the day
before his wedding, Victor, who is betrothed
to Victoria, runs away into a dark forest
to practice his vows. While practicing, he
places his ring on the root of a tree, only
for it to be revealed as the skeleton
hand of a dead woman named Emily.
By placing the ring on Emily’s finger,
Victor is officially married to this
“corpse bride,” and finds himself
taken away to the land of the dead
as her husband. From there, he
works to escape back to the land of
the living to reunite with Victoria.

While the stop-motion
animation and Burton’s gothic
style give the film a spooky look,
I would not really consider it as
an ideal Halloween movie; at first it seems
like a classic horror movie with villainous
characters and jumpscares, but it ends up
being very sweet and meaningful, pivoting
away from the usual outcome of most horror
tropes. The land of the dead is not dark and
cruel, and the land of the living is not lively
and enjoyable; rather, the stereotypes of
both have been switched. The dead are not
cruel and quiet, but the living are instead.
When the living and the dead meet, it is
not seen as a terrifying interaction, but a
sweet reunion. This refreshing take portrays
death not as something to be feared, but as
a peaceful transition.

I also loved the way the expected villain
was portrayed. While at first the audience
is meant to see the villain as cruel and
unfair, throughout the movie this
perspective shifts; the character turns
out to be incredibly sympathetic,
especially at the end when they
realize they are putting someone
else through the same hardships
they once faced. While the movie
doesn’t follow the trajectory of a classic
Halloween jumpscare film, it ultimately
delivers an unexpectedly engaging storyline
and provides depth to its characters
alongside its gothic charm.

### "Nightmare on Elm Street"

If you’re looking for a Halloween fright,
nothing beats “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
With spooky season just around the corner,
we all need some chilling movies to get us
into the Halloween spirit.

Directed by Wes Craven, this
1980s slasher film follows
teenager Nancy Thompson
and her friends in Spring
County, Ohio. One day,
the lives of these teens
are forever changed
when they become
targets of Freddy Krueger, a
burn victim and serial killer.
Though Nancy soon finds out
the reason for Freddy’s deadly
hauntings, she realizes it may
be too late to save herself and
her friends. The climax of the
movie was tense and grabbed
my full attention because the
main character was in a suspenseful
situation, leaving the watcher on the
edge of their seat.

At the beginning, I thought this was
another cheesy horror movie; however, the
notion of a friend group that sticks together
until the end really enhanced the pain and
fear that I felt for the characters, making me
feel as though I had experienced
that nightmare alongside them.
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
is one of those classic movies
that will for sure stay popular
for years to come. Although
some jumpscares were pretty
predictable, it added a certain
charm to the feel of the movie,
and hearing the iconic song,
“One, Two, Freddy’s Coming
For You” felt very nostalgic
as well.

 Instead of wasting
time searching for the
cinematographically “perfect”
Halloween movie, this
classic film makes for a great
combination of nostalgia and
thrill.

Screen or scream: two Halloween movies, reviewed

For this year’s musical, the PHS Spectacle Theater presented a rendition of “Beauty and the Beast,” in collaboration with PHS Orchestra to bring this tale to life. Audiences had the opportunity to experience this production in the auditorium from March 14  to 16. 
In preparation for the musical, the cast practiced singing, multiple choreographies, and acting, which proved to be challenging when combined. 
Alternating between two casts, the Red and Blue casts, each offered its own interpretation of the characters. For Samara Raju ’24, who portrayed Belle in the Red Cast, this marked her first time playing the lead role. 
“[Belle is] a confident woman who is well-read and purposeful, yet elegant,” said Raju. “Maintaining all these characteristics throughout the show [was] difficult ... It’s the ability to prepare for the show and having everything you need that will determine your success!” 
Similar to Raju, Enea Meloni ’24, who played  Gaston in the Red Cast, the arrogant hunter determined to marry Belle, faced his own share of challenges, namely, portraying Gaston’s misogynistic tendencies. 
“Gaston always carries himself in a certain way,” said Meloni. “You always have to pose as if anyone could take a photo of you at any time. You’re supposed to keep your chest really big, never [slouch], and speak with a low voice, which can be tough when singing.”
Other actors in the production were also confronted with difficulties regarding intertwining acting and singing together seamlessly. Edward Cao ’24, who played the Beast in the Red Cast, found modifying his voice to be a challenge, as he also had to convey his character’s growth throughout the musical to the audience. 
“In order to imitate the Beast’s tone, I [had] to completely change my speaking voice by adding grit, which [could] be hard on my voice sometimes,” said Cao. “On the outside, he’s an angry detested Beast, but it’s important for me to show his vulnerable side.”
Julianna Krawiecki, drama teacher at PHS, took on the responsibility of directing the show. 
“Along with getting the costumes and cast ready, the copyright paperwork can take months. Directing a production is a huge responsibility,” said Krawiecki. “The students experience[d] many opportunities to explore their talent and [were] excited to share their hard work.”
The production also featured music from the PHS Orchestra, who performed in the pit under the stage. Since the beginning of January, the orchestra rehearsed the orchestral score by Alan Menken in order to synchronize with the actors’ singing. 
“There [were] a lot of parts where the orchestra [wasn’t] able to just sight read the music on the spot. Those parts require[d] a lot of work, but [we got] through it slowly in class,” said Audrey Kang ’24, one of the principal violinists in PHS Orchestra.  
When it came to coordinating the music with the acting and the singing, the orchestra teacher and conductor, Robert Loughran, played a crucial role. 
“Following the course of action of the drama, I [had] certain cue lines that I refer[ed] to,” said Loughran. “As we [got] nearer to our entrance as an orchestra, my hand [went] up to tell the orchestra that it [was] time to come back into focus. I then [got] the tempo and cue[d] the orchestra. Between the script and the score, it [was] a balanced act.”
Ultimately, the cast was eager to show everyone all the long hours they dedicated, making the musical a memorable experience for everyone involved.    
“We [rehearsed] almost every day since mid-January, and I just [knew] it [was] going to be a really fun and energetic show,” said Meloni.


Layla Saint-Pierre's Work