Becoming Forever

When the movie “Scream 2” opened
many horror film fans got mad
that the writer and director
made Sidney a college student
rather than the high school student
she was when the series started.

Everybody likes high school girls—
so the consensus thinking goes—
but everyone knows college girls
are girls-gone-wild nobody likes.
“Halloween 2” picked up right where
the original film ended.

I think there’s philosophy here.
High school is law. College is choice.
High school is about becoming—
Children are becoming adults.
College is about partying
and angling for a better job.

When high school kids confront horror
it’s tragedy, it’s bloody life.
Horror to a college student
is a bummer career set-back.
When we watch, suspend disbelief,
we can feel the metaphysics.

“Halloween 2” picked up right where
the original film ended
and even though most horror fans
don’t feel the sequel was as good
as the original most fans
think Carpenter tried the right thing.

Rumors are Craven in “Scream 4”
will deal with Sid as an adult.
Craven missed Carpenter’s genius.
Art is not life. Art does not age.
Sidney Prescott is in high school,
fans too, becoming forever.

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