In his final semester at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, Osman Tahirbeyoglu recruited an entire crew of film students to help produce his final project, titled “Trip to Hell.”

Along with pumpkin carving and dorm decorating, the Halloween tradition of indulging in favored horror films is popular at SFUAD. However, Paranormal Activity and Insidious won’t be found among this student body of artists. The students interviewed at SFUAD revealed an appreciation for classic horror films, and many offered up their own reasons for finding value in movies such as Psycho, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Shining. “I’m not into the mainstream horror films because I just feel like everything is gimmicky,” says Graphic Design major Caleb Ortega. “I think those films serve mainly as an easy adrenaline rush and I’m just not interested in it. The Shining actually fits into a genre of horror that is really thoughtful, it’s really planned out. The horror aspect comes more from the eeriness of detail.” Ortega went on to discuss the visual aspects of the film. He finds its visual intricacy particularly enticing as a visual artist. “All the visuals in this film are done intentionally,” Ortega says. “I don’t think there is a lot in the film that is overlooked. Every detail is planned for the purpose of that shot and the purpose of that shot. As a graphic designer, I feel they were very successful in making the setting authentic but shifting enough elements to throw you off subconsciously.” Ortega’s Graphic Design peer Brandon Schmidt is also a horror fan who has specific tastes within the genre of horror. Schmidt enjoys watching horror films close to Halloween, but feels they will be horrible nine times out of ten. Nonetheless, Schmidt makes an effort to seek out the exception to the rule. He looks for movies that showcase good storytelling and genuine human emotion. This is why he gravitates toward Psycho as a reference point for good horror. “Psycho is special...

Initially I wanted to do a narrower list of movies, but I’m too much of a fan of horror to winnow the list down to specific decades. I chose the following horror movies based on absolutely no criteria other than personal taste. Some you may be familiar with, but I hope I have a few surprises. Here are five films for All Hallow’s Eve. In order by year of release: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010) This movie is the finest horror movie to come out in years. It’s a bit of a play on horror tropes through the eyes of what would traditionally be considered the “antagonist.” It opens in familiar slasher tradition: A group of college-aged friends get together for a trip to the lake. While the film continuously flirts with the idea of slasher tropes, it revels in the inherent humor and stupidity of the genre. It’s a smart film and, more surprisingly, you might find yourself laughing harder at Tucker & Dale than a dedicated comedy. Trick ‘r Treat (2008) One of my favorite styles of horror film is the horror anthology. Trick ‘r Treat is a series of short horror stories pieced together by a common town and mythos. It utilizes the familiar tropes found in coming-of-age stories to ease its way in and then loses the inhibitions. The stories are interesting, fresh and tightly-packed into its 82 minute runtime. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2007) This one is another slasher that shrugs off its genre. Told in a documentary style, it follows the footsteps of a pseudo Jason Voorhees and how much work really goes into hunting down oversexed teenagers. It educates the audience on the symbolism in horror films, while simultaneously celebrating and embracing...