An Eye for Arovision: 28 Days Later (2002), Scream (1996), The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Salient Mini Film Fest

An Eye for Arovision

What to watch on Welly’s local streaming service 

As we enter October and all the spookiness that comes with it, I figured I would use this—my last article in the last Salient—to remind you of some essential and influential horror classics you can find on Arovision. Horror is hot right now, and it feels fitting to peek back at some turn-of-the-century hits that revitalised the genre. I’m sure you’re at least familiar with these films, so let me focus less on plot and instead remind you of the little things that make them so good. 

Though this is the last you’ll hear from me, don’t let that stop you from browsing the catalogue at ondemand.arovideo.co.nz to find your flavour of undiscovered cinema. While this column has catered to the masses, there are some real unique films on there for any special interest you may harbour. Go forth, and continue backing the underdog! I’ll reiterate our mantra: everything on Aro is a feel-good-film, because nothing feels better than supporting a local business.

28 Days Later (2002) — $6

dir. Danny Boyle, UK

“The quintessential “it’s supposed to look like that” movie.” — JAragon23, Letterboxd

I didn’t get around to watching this for the longest time, wrongfully categorising it in my mind as a “zombie flick.” Boyle does so much more than that! As soon as I read the graffiti in that remarkable opening sequence—REPENT, THE END IS EXTREMELY FUCKING NIGH—I knew I’d been sleeping on a great. This movie is refreshing. The way it’s shot is just… insane. Like insanely low quality, but in a charming way? I know I love it, and it seems much of Letterboxd agrees. Cillian Murphy is young and incredible, with a half-shaved haircut that I wish had stuck around for the duration. The whole cast is endearing, which makes all the horror that much harder to sit through. The turn in the film’s latter half was really not what I expected, but it made its impact that much blunter. This is harrowing in a way the other two on this list aren’t, but it’s 100 percent worth the watch even if for the visual appeal alone. Though I haven’t made it through the sequels, my flatmates can vouch for them. 

Scream (1996) — $6

dir. Wes Craven

“getting killed because you’re not a crazy cinephile” — murielcampos, Letterboxd

I somehow lost sight of the sheer density of humour and meta textual referencing this film is packed full of. I have admittedly not watched any of the sequels, as I want this perfect thing to stay pure in my mind forever. A 90s slasher paying homage to all those genre-defining flicks that came before; it’s a delight to see how much fun Craven had with this film. You can really appreciate the intention that went into it. The quotable one-liners really batter you over the head, but you can’t help waiting for the next one to land. The image of Drew Barrymore’s blonde bob + wooly sweater combo will never leave the public consciousness, so much so that it featured in my dad’s lockdown-era 48hr film fest “horror homage.” This resulted in me standing in an inflatable child's paddling pool set on our kitchen floor, donned in a fluffy white jumper, while popcorn rattled in the microwave and tomato juice was repeatedly dumped over my head a la Carrie in Carrie (1976). Even years later, I can’t watch that first scene without recalling the unique sensation of pulling tomato pulp from my hair. The repeat appearance of Matthew Lillard’s tongue makes up for it.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) — $6

dir. Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick

“No cellphone in sight literally just film students vibing in the woods.” — Kun, Letterboxd

You already know. This movie is credited with helping pioneer the genre of found footage. Fans of films like Creep (2014) or the Paranormal Activity franchise (of which I am both) have Blair Witch to thank. I wish I could have experienced the marketing frenzy of this movie’s release first-hand. In the early-internet era, every rumour surrounding this film’s legitimacy sustained itself much longer than modern social media would allow. The key cast was kept away from the public eye to maintain the belief they were lost to the witch. We now know that this was just a well curated campaign, but this added lore does enhance the viewing experience (to me, at least). It’s an interesting look at how much fear can be generated without the visual presence of the scary entity itself. The human mind is its own worst enemy, or something like that. Blair Witch offers a little peek into the bleak reality of the human psyche. It will lowkey piss you off, but you’ve just gotta lock in. If anything, these character’s excruciating behaviour will make their terror a bit easier to watch. This is a fun one to watch in the company of others, 

The Salient Mini Film Fest

Oct 13 - 15 —- HMLT104 —- $5 per film —- Book via Humanitix

Scary movies are made much better in the company of others, so come catch any of these films along with six others in Salient’s Mini Film Fest next week! Take a break from the study slog and enjoy the pleasure of a movie watched in community. All proceeds will go towards supporting local physical media retailers. It’s a win-win; rally against the streamer oligarchs while enjoying some classic crowd-pleasers!

	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
10AM	The LEGO Batman Movie	Wayne's World	What We Do in the Shadows
1PM	Before Sunrise	Past Lives	Sorry, Baby
4PM	The Blair Witch Project	Scream	28 Days Later