A 'thumbs up' for old-school Halloween movies

NEWS RELEASE

PURDUE UNIVERSITY

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Filmgoers should expand their Halloween movie list to include the odd, quirky and classic original horror films, says a Purdue University film expert.

"The old back-and-white horror films are often neglected because they lack the gore most horror films are known for today," says Lance Duerfahrd, an assistant professor of English who teaches courses that explore film theory.

"These old classics inspire awe and are certainly ingenious," Duerfahrd said.

"It's amazing how the directors did so much with limited means and technology."

"Older films can require a little more patience, but watching them is about more than just being shocked."

Duerfahrd says the first films about Dracula, including F.W. Murnau's 1922 Nosferatu, are a must-see because so many of today's movies spoof the originals or are based on them.

"I like some of today's horror films, such as Halloween or The Grudge," Duerfahrd says.

"Watching these is like getting candy."

"But watching a classic like Nosferatu is like getting an apple, it's healthier and more nourishing for the filmgoer's soul."

Duerfahrd also recommends pop culture films, like as Jim Sharman's The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Ed Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space.

"What's really entertaining about these movies is some of the fans who are so passionate about them," he says.

"I think of Halloween as a celebration, and these movies celebrate more than fright, with their music and sometimes nonsensical characters and plots."

Duerfahrd is teaching an upper-level course on "bad films" this semester.

The class looks at the way films, regardless of their quality, worth or credibility, affect audiences and at times attract fanatic followings.

The Academy Award losing films studied in the seminar include the work of Ed Wood, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, driver's education movies, Reefer Madness and the classic How to Operate a Forklift Safely.

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