Dylyn. S

What is your favourite genre of horror?
Gosh, I would have to say that body and stalker horror are tied for first place!

What movies would you recommend in that genre?
For body horror, I would recommend Martyrs (2008), Cabin Fever (2002), Crash (1996), and Tusk (2014). My mom loves Tusk so much that I have to recommend it on her behalf. But as far as stalker films go, before anything else, you must see Creep (2014) and Creep 2 (2017)! 

What are your favourite horror movies?
Some of my all-time favorite horror movies are May (2002), As Boas Maneiras (2017), the Creep films (especially the sequel), Somos lo que hay (2010), A Cure For Wellness (2016), Crimson Peak (2015), Scream (1996), and too many more to list!

What was the last horror movie that actually scared you?
I almost never get scared of horror movies, but Adrian Tofei’s Be My Cat: A Film for Anne (2015) sure did the trick. I saw it a month or so ago, and I was too terrified to sleep. It’s a beautiful feeling but rarely happens.

What is your favourite moment from a horror movie?
One of my favorite horror moments takes place in May. Before (spoiler alert!) things turn sour, May and her love-ish interest Adam share an eerily touching scene with a fake retractable knife, and I love it so, so much.

Why is horror special for you?
There are endless reasons why this genre calls to me, but one of the biggest ones is because it reminds me who I am when I feel I’ve lost myself. For so many years, I’ve loved horror films. They’ve always been with me and seem intrinsic now to my being. When my heart hurts, and it often really does, they feel safe in their permanence. Sometimes, they feel like the only permanent thing. 

What character in a horror do you relate to most and why?
When I read Jennifer Lynch’s The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer, it was jarring how much some of her internal dialogue paralleled my own. While her experiences are different from mine, the stark hopelessness she felt, her isolation, it broke my heart. To feel so alone is agony. And in many ways, it was one of the most painful, relatable, and crucial things I’ve ever read.  

How do your friends and family feel about your horror obsession?
For so long, before finding the horror community, I watched genre films either alone, with my mom, or with my dear friend Jessie. My mom introduced me to horror, so she gets it. But I hid my obsession for many years from most others, because when people found out I loved horror, they’d often act as if there was something wrong with me or that liking scary movies made me bad or unkind. Of course, there are others who’ve had similar experiences, which means destigmatizing this genre is absolutely imperative.

When did you fall head over heels in love with the horror genre?
I must have been about five when I fell in love with horror. My mom took no time introducing it to me, and I’ll always associate it with her. My memories of watching scary movies with her made me who I am today.

Do you have any Halloween traditions?
I just can’t express how much I live for that holiday. Every single year, I HAVE to get Reese’s Pumpkins (it’s mandatory), and I also try to visit at least one local pumpkin patch every year. I guess another tradition I have is beginning my celebration comically early by covering my house in pumpkins, but hey, serotonin is serotonin. 

If you could go back in time and experience the midnight premiere of any horror movie, what would you choose?
Oh my goodness. This question alone gave me wonderful chills! Right now, my heart is soaring when I envision myself at the Scream premiere, ESPECIALLY if I somehow got to meet Matthew Lillard. I think I would just simply die.

What's the spookiest place you've ever visited?
I am a haunt fanatic (is that a thing?), and I always look for creepy-cool places to drag my unfortunate loved ones to, but the creepiest one of all has gotta be the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. It was the inspiration for King’s Overlook Hotel in The Shining, and while I didn’t experience any activity myself while I was there, the nighttime ghost tour was incredibly surreal!