Two weeks ago, Nathan Fisher wrote an article on the horror genre. While the piece was very interesting, I disagreed with a central aspect of it, defined in the title, that horror movies lack plot and that ultimately the story is sacrificed for cheap thrills. Horror does not necessitate a terrible story. Instead, horror movies thrive in the alternative they bring to the film industry.

Like other genres, many horror movies stem from novels. Stephen King has inspired “It,” “The Stand,” “Pet Sematary” and “The Shining.” These novels had to show promise; they had to show a good enough story to not only get published but also filmed.

As Nathan described in his article, horror movies focus chiefly on fear. This, however, does not mean story falls to the wayside. In fact, story remains a much larger focus in horror movies than other genres. The story is what makes the audience experience fear. A scary movie is not a haunted house; nothing happens at random. Suspension builds and events lead to an ultimate and often gruesome climax.

What scares an audience one time may not work in another film. Because of this, horror movies are constantly evolving. Different techniques emerge, like the use of handheld camera. The first handheld camera film to gain momentum was “The Blair Witch Project.” This led to found-footage films like “Paranormal Activity” and, in other genres, “Project X” and “End of Watch.”

While this seems to have nothing to do with plot, this technique actually advances the story. It adds an element of isolation and realism. Additionally, found-footage movies end with the dark realization that this movie was found, leaving unanswered questions about who actually found it. “Cloverfield” ends without a resolution. The bridge collapses on the two protagonists, and then it flashes back to a satellite falling from the sky. At the end of the credits, a transmission, when played backward, says, “It’s still alive.”

Furthermore, the horror genre consists of so many different sub-genres to align with the plethora of fears. There are movies with demons, ghosts, spiders, monsters and more. Others are psychological, some are centered around loss, and still others stem from books. Then another category popped up, which spoofs elements of horror while trying to remain in that same genre: “Scream” and “Cabin in the Woods.”

Most importantly, horror movies are messy, not just in blood and destruction but in the characters and in the endings. They end badly and they end in death. Other than those films made by Tarantino, Scorsese and a select few directors, most blockbuster hits stay clean, PG-13 and end in resolution.

Horror movies provide an alternative to these feel-good, everything-is-OK movies like Marvel superhero franchises, “Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” that only just encroach on the darkness of humankind. In contrast, horror movies delve deeply into the dark side of human life. They explore insanity, homicide, rape, torture, hatred, depravity, the demonic side of religion and the harsh unforgiving nature of the environment. These all lie outside of Hollywood’s typical repertoire.

So many horror classics offer darkness to accompany Hollywood’s lightness. And they do this in an exciting, novel and complicated way. Their stories mean much more than violence, guts and bloody murder, and they are not so easily dismissed as ludicrous. If viewed in a certain light, they cast a shadow darker and more pronounced than any other genre.

On Thursday, Nov. 13, Shawn Vestal will give a talk as part of Whitman’s Visiting Writers Reading Series. Vestal will talk about his writing which includes a collection of short stories named “Godforsaken Idaho” and his memoir “A.K.A. Charles Abbott.”

According to Vestal, his upbringing in the Mormon Church plays a crucial role in his writing.

“I’m from a small town in southern Idaho, Gooding … [and grew up] in a [Latter Day Saints] family. [These experiences] form the entire foundation of who I am. At the very least they’ve given me a tendency toward spare landscapes, places of isolation and situations in which religion and questions of faith are a central, prominent preoccupation,” said Vestal.

In “Godforsaken Idaho,” Vestal examines heaven and hell, the work of Mormon missionaries and the early days of Joseph Smith through several short stories. He paints a vivid picture of a dreadful, miserable heaven in “The First Several Hundred Years Following My Death.” In “Diviner,” Vestal portrays Joseph Smith in his younger days, before he established the Mormon religion, when he worked as a treasure hunter.

“A.K.A. Charles Abbott” is about Vestal’s experiences with his Mormon father and his criminal actions. Before going to prison for embezzlement, Vestal’s father went on the run, bringing Vestal and the rest of his family. “A.K.A Charles Abbot” serves as Vestal’s attempt to recount and reconcile his past with his father.

Both of these stories contain themes of religion and faith specifically tied to Mormonism as well as family. Early in his life, Vestal’s relationship with the Mormon Church became strained and he chose to be formally excommunicated from the Mormon Church in 2004. As an ex-Mormon Vestal’s stories often contain personal significance.

“I wind up dealing with certain subjects repeatedly — fathers and sons, faith and the lack of faith, moral transgression and rationalization. I always end up back in the core of me and my experiences — though I never set out to return there,” said Vestal.

Vestal attended the University of Idaho but dropped out and took a job at a local newspaper wanting to focus on writing fiction. He would later finish his education in 2008 at Eastern Washington University, earning an MFA in creative writing.

His first published short story, “As Fast As This Car Will Go,” appeared in the literary journal “McSweeney’s” in 2007. Others have appeared in prestigious journals as well, including “Tin House,” “Ecotone,” ”The Southern Review,” ”Cutbank,” ”Sou’wester” and ”Florida Review.” “Godforsaken Idaho” is his most recently published work, published by New Haven. It has just won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction. This award seeks to recognize new and up-and-coming talented writers.

“I was stunned and thrilled,” said Vestal. “There was a time when I thought that this book would not be published at all, let alone recognized in this way. So it was very gratifying.”

Currently, Vestal works for the newspaper The Spokesman-Review and writes three columns a week. He is also currently teaching as an adjunct professor in the MFA program, creative writing, at Eastern Washington University. Looking ahead, Vestal has vague plans for future projects.

“I am working on a novel that might almost be done, and another one that is just barely started. I’m also writing shorter things,” he said.

Vestal’s talk will start at 7:00 p.m. and will run until nine. It will take place in Olin Auditorium, Olin 130.

The week, The Pioneer explored the variety of venues outside of campus that provide entertainment in Walla Walla.

Gesa Powerhouse Theatre

Photo by Hayley Turner.

Enjoy plays, concerts and festivals in this performing arts venue. The theater was transformed in 2011 from a decommissioned utility station. Performances happen approximately once a week, and is also home to the Walla Walla Shakespeare company.
Where: 111 N. 6th Ave.
Next performance: “The Middle of Everywhere”, a mask theater production, on Nov. 8
For information: phtww.com

Middle of Nowhere Sessions

Hosted at Mace Mead Works, a honey wine distillery, Middle of Nowhere Sessions is part of the Experimental Fermentation Company. The Sessions brings a variety of live music to a unique venue in Eastern Wasington. Some concerts are recorded and sold online.
Where: 250 E Main St, Dayton
Next performance: Violent Psalms, Supercrow and Bart Budwig, on Nov. 8
For information: middleofnowheresessions.com

Sapolil Cellars

Sapolil Cellars is a winery with a downtown tasting room that provides many musical events. About every week there is a live performance featuring a different musician. They also put on “Walla Walla Jam!” in which they invite musicians to bring instruments and play with other musicians in a jam session. Other options include open mic, recording sessions and a program called “Out of Order.” The next featured live performance is Dedric Clark and the Social Animals.
Where: 15 E Main St
Next performance: Walla Walla Jam, Nov. 7th, 8 p.m.
For information: sapolilcellars.com

Marcy’s Bar and Lounge

Marcy’s is a bar and restaurant located right near campus. Every Monday night at 7 it hosts an open mic night. In the past it has had events to celebrate the holidays. They had Halloween, New Year’s Eve and Cinco de Mayo parties.
Where: 35 S Colville St
Next performance: Open Mic, Nov. 10, 7 p.m.
For information: marcysbarandlounge.com

Main Street Studios

Photo by Hayley Turner.

Started recently in 2013, Main Street Studios is located on the main floor of the Dacres Hotel. The group strives to support the arts in the community by providing equipment, space and support. They put on performances, concerts, recordings and stand-up comedy. There are plans to display multimedia exhibits. Additionally, the Studios use Cordiner Hall on campus to put on big-name lectures.
Where: 207 W Main St
Next performance: David Sedaris, Nov. 19th, Cordiner Hall, 7 p.m.
For information: mainstreetstudios.com

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla has been producing plays since 1944. They are putting on four shows in the current season, from November to May. The theater company has been running in various locations since 1944, and the company runs on community volunteer support.
Where: 1130 E Sumach St
Next performance: You Can’t Take It With You, starting November 7th
For information: ltww.org

On Oct. 17^th, a new exhibit opened at Sheehan Gallery and it runs through the Dec. 12^th. It features the artwork of two Japanese-American artists, Makoto Fujimura and Teresa Tamura. While Fujimura’s exhibit consists of paintings, Tamura’s consists of photographs.

Photo by Emily Volpert.

The photographs on display are published in a book titled Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp. She chose to take pictures of different people affected by this internment camp and Minidoka itself to convey the impact the place has had on the history of the United States. When former President Clinton designated the Minidoka as a national monument in 2001, Tamura lived only an hour away. Although she lived close she had never visited Minidoka. “I wanted to understand this part of our country’s history,” explains Tamura. Tamura has an emotional connection with her project because she is ethnically Japanese. Fortunately, her family was spared from the internment camp, since they lived outside the relocation zone. “[This] process was very psychological [for Tamura] … She recently relocated to Chicago where she is pursuing another advanced degree, in art therapy,” states Professor Forbes, director of Sheehan Gallery. Still, people are unaware of the impact of these internment camps on American lives. “Many people are not aware of this history and disregard of civil rights. Two-thirds of the 120,000 people forced to relocate were American citizens,” says Tamura Whitman College has even been affected by this relocation. “One of those citizens was a 1940 graduate from Whitman College, Robert Hosokawa,” adds Tamura. Fujimura’s art on display are process drawings. He creates process drawings by laying handmade Japanese paper on a painting that has not yet cured.

Photo by Emily Volpert.

“They’re kind of like hauntings from a more embodied painting,” explains Forbes. Born in the United States, Fujimura travelled to Japan and studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Here, he became the first non-Japanese citizen to be accepted into the Doctoral Level Program in Nihonga, Japanese painting. “[He] is known for the gestural quality of the marks he makes,” states Forbes. His artwork is often spiritual. It takes on metaphysical subjects linked with art and his reactions to events in his life. “[Fujimura is] more of an abstract expressionist painter … I talk about his artwork as being often ekphrastic, he is often reacting to music or poetry,” adds Forbes. 9/11 was very influential in his life and impacted a great deal of his artwork. Some of this is seen in Sheehan Gallery. “The black columns especially, made after 9/11, [were a] response to a devastating historical event,” says Forbes. In this way, the two exhibits contain a similarity. They both contain emotional responses to a devastating historical event. When Fujimura came to campus, he even remarked on the similarity between the two displays. “When Makoto Fujimura came to campus … he ended up being very pleased with the fact that these two shows were going on together and aligned a lot of his work with elements of Teresa’s photographs … he felt that there was some connection, sort of spiritually or in his own internal processes.” While Fujimura has already visited Whitman, Tamura will be visiting on Nov. 15^th. She will be offering a workshop to some community members and will be giving an artist talk at 3:30 in Olin, followed by a book signing in Sheehan Gallery.

On Oct. 15, Professor of Film and Media Studies Robert Sickels and junior Evan Martin showed their joint project, documentary “Seven Ways from Sunday,” to a packed Kimball Auditorium. The film, created this summer, is a collection of seven individuals’ experiences with ethnicity.

Sickels and Martin began work on the film in June of this year. They spent the summer shooting and editing footage. The pair would edit a scene immediately after shooting, combining the two processes into one time period.

The film was not always intended to be a documentary. Sickels and Martin originally planned to make a mockumentary featuring stuffed animal characters. However, after settling on the topic of appearance and race, the two decided that the subject matter was too serious for a comedic mockumentary. The gravity of the topic demanded a documentary.

“The real stories would lend it an authenticity that we couldn’t write … [It would be] very organic,” said Sickels.

The film is composed of seven short stories. Each story is told from the perspective of a different individual. The stories relate experiences involving appearance and race. One woman tells a story of being harassed and physically attacked on account of her ethnicity. Many individuals discuss how someone’s views on race makes them feel out of place or disconnected.

“[These are] smaller moments that take on great importance,” said Sickels.

The film itself focuses on small things within the shooting location. As each person relates his or her story, a stuffed animal, unique to each person, moves around in a small space, while the camera zooms and pans in a rapid sequence of close-up shots. Each shot seems to move rapidly, with the beat and rhythm of the music, creating a hectic, frantic feel. This style was intentional. Sickels intended this visual effect to mirror the experiences voiced in the documentary.

“One thing that people repeatedly say, in recalling these moments, is their feeling of losing their grip on the situation, that time speeds up and it just gets out in front of them,” said Sickels. “They know something that is not OK is happening but they can’t do anything … [We] wanted to convey that feeling of loss of control– of loss of self.”

When the story changes, the scene changes. Different locations and stuffed animals communicate to the audience that a new story is being told. The subjects of the film chose their own stuffed animal representations.

“We asked what their spirit animal was,” said Sickels.

Sickels and Martin chose to use stuffed animals instead of actual individuals as a ay of making the stories more easily accessible to viewers.

“[We wanted the] audience to recognize these moments, either as they happen going forward, or maybe as they happened … how they responded in these moments, and how they might respond going forward,” said Sickels.

The film screening last week left viewers in deep silence, even during the following question-and-answer session.

“People were so overwhelmed that they didn’t know what to ask at the time, and they probably had to go and think about it,” said Martin.

While diversity is the topic at the heart of the film, the project was conceived well before questions of economic diversity were raised on campus.

“[It was] not our intention to capture the mood of the college at the moment … but, in retrospect, it definitely did,” said Sickels.

Sickels and Martin are considering rescreening the film, in part due to the relevance to diversity issues on campus, and in part due to very little knowledge of the first screening.

A Whitman grant made the film possible. This grant, the Louis B. Perry Research Award, provides funding for faculty to conduct summer research with students. Sickels and Martin are grateful for the funding and opportunity to make this film.

(Part 2 of an ongoing series)

Four sculptures on campus are all fairly tall and hold interesting cultural history. For this week’s sculpture survey, we investigate the stories behind the towering works of Four Columns, The Benedict Totem, The Totem Pole and The Tiki.

These four sculptures bring different cultural influences to campus. The two totems come from Native American culture. The Tiki represents Hawaiian and Polynesian cultural practice, and Four Columns was inspired by Persian art. These sculptures also display a variety of sculpture materials from wood to metal.

Four Columns by artist Lee Kelly stands on the Reid Side Lawn. Photo by Rachael Barton.

Although Artist Lee Kelly conceptually based his sculpture on columns found in Ancient Persia, Four Columns ultimately looks nothing like its architectural inspiration. The columns of ancient Persia are fluted with square bases and some kind of adornment on top, often two bulls facing in opposite directions. Four Columns has no fluting and is instead topped with a geometric adornment: a triangle, two offset conjoined semicircles, half of a lightning bolt and a semicircle.

Kelly’s work represents an adaptation and modernization of the iconic Ancient Persian columns. In addition to the style, the material of the sculpture makes the piece an adaptation. Kelly made Four Columns from steel and enamel, gave it the color of rust and dotted it with colored spots. Kelly sculpted Four Columns in 1988 and Whitman purchased the piece in 2002 with money from the Garvin Family Art Fund. Located on the Reid Campus Center Side Lawn, this often-unseen work contains much history and thought.

Donated by Lloyd Benedict ’41, the Benedict Totem towers over the sidewalk behind Maxey Hall. Photo by Rachael Barton.

The Benedict Totem was donated by Lloyd Benedict, who is an alumnus of the class of 1941. This totem pole stands out for its striking colors and imagery. Much of the pole is painted white, creating the perfect background for the bird it features. The outstretched wings of the bird break the linear structure of the totem pole. The pole is located behind Maxey Hall, near Penrose House.

Located near Four Columns, Totem Pole brings a different perspective from the pair of other totem poles. James Praying Wolf Jewell carved this pole. He incorporated Coast Salish and Alaska Native styles in the creation of this pole. The piece is 24-feet tall, made of Western red cedar, and is dominated by red and black tones. Jewell is a member of the Lummi Nation, a Native Nation in the Pacific Northwest, and he weaves cultural elements into his pieces to provoke understanding and awareness. His poles are often called healing poles. One of his better-known works is Liberty and Freedom, a totem carved for the Pentagon after the 9/11 attacks. Former Whitman College President Tom Cronin commissioned Whitman’s totem pole in 2000.

The Tiki, created by James Paulik, sits on College Creek at the edge of campus, near “Narnia.” The sculpture was donated in 2000 by Baker Ferguson to celebrate Hawaiian and Polynesian students on campus. The piece is carved from wood, and the carved details call attention to the piece that otherwise blends in with its natural surroundings.

These four pieces often go unnoticed to people running to class, but their presence highlights the importance of art and culture on campus.

Photo by Rachael Barton.

(Part 1 of an ongoing series)

Whitman’s outdoor art makes campus sometimes feel like a sculpture garden. Many different sculptures embody a variety of subjects and histories. This article will be part of a recurring series that examines the sculptures on campus, exposing both the sculptures’ history and their impact on campus. We start with Styx and Three Stories (the fish sculpture next to Penrose Library), two iconic sculptures. Both sculptures have similar themes and history.

In 1997, Styx and Three Stories first arrived on campus as part of an exhibition at the Sheehan Gallery. The show, “Cast Contemporary Sculpture,” showcased work that artists cast in the Walla Walla Foundry. According to Sheehan Gallery Director Daniel Forbes, Mark Anderson ‘78 started the Walla Walla Foundry, which has cast several sculptures at Whitman, including the Carnival and Munn sculptures by Maxey.

While Three Stories remained on campus after the exhibition, it took another five years for Styx to arrive. Styx was purchased by Tom Cronin, Whitman’s last president, in 2002 and has been on campus ever since. Styx appears like a normal horse, but the driftwood appearance creates a skeletal image that affirms itself in the name. Separating the Underworld from Earth in Greek mythology, the River Styx exists between the living and the dead. This explains why Styx can seem like a living horse while maintaining an element of death.

Styx has since become the most notable sculpture on campus and in the community. This is partly because Deborah Butterfield, the sculptor, used driftwood from the Columbia and Snake rivers to build Styx. In this way its parts actually come from this community. Styx’s figure appears in admissions materials, Facebook pictures and even wine bottle labels. Styx has become an icon, almost a mascot, on campus.

“[When] I show my prospective students around campus, I ask them what Styx is made of. They’re usually surprised it’s made of metal [and not wood],” said sophomore Erica Rodriguez.

Despite its central location on campus, Three Stories does not share the same level of fame. This is possibly due to its lack of interactivity. The sculpture once had a platform that students could stand on and yell in its direction, receiving an echo, but that has been removed. Styx also maintains an element of familiarity that Three Stories struggles to replicate.

“[Styx] reminds me of my home and the countryside in Montana,” said sophomore Nuridia Nulliner.

Also from Montana, Butterfield has spent her life building horse sculptures out of many materials, typically from sticks and metal. Born on the day of the Kentucky Derby, Butterfield has spent her life surrounded by horses and eventually settled on this as the subject for her art. Instead of focusing only on living horses, she takes account of death and weaves this into her art. In Styx, she forms a balance.

Three Stories also highlights a theme of balance. The carp balances a lemon and a bowl on its mouth. Inspired by fish markets in Hong Kong, carp represent prosperity and wealth in China. Squire Broel, the sculptor, intentionally scars the carp to bring up the idea of a loss of values in search of wealth.

Broel’s art often focuses on issues that arise when humanity meets nature. Usually he points to the threat that a pursuit of wealth has on the natural world. This is seen in Three Stories with the scarring of the carp.

The two sculptures, both located outside the library, bring different themes, artistic styles and histories to campus. Contemplate balance and the community next time you scale Styx.

If you’re looking for something to do between your last class and an early dinner on Friday, start your weekend on a good note and go to Kimball Theatre. Fridays at Four provides a variety of free concerts for the campus and community.

The event happens every other week and showcases musicians from Whitman and the community, come of which come from as far away as Portland. The performers include guitarists, singers, dancers and violinists. The program is paid for with an established fund, and is managed by the Music Department.

According to Senior Lecturer of Music Jackie Wood, past president Thomas Cronin and his wife Tania Cronin instituted Fridays at Four at the turn of the century to provide entertaining concerts to student and the community.

“[They] wanted an informal series that people getting off work in the community and students getting ready for the weekend could come [to],” said Wood.

Wood has been running Fridays at Four for a few years. She recently began making changes to the concert program. Originally, more students participated and the concerts occurred about once a week.

Due to budget constraints and the desire for great quality performances, Wood changed the program to occur every other week. The reduction in performances allows the Music Department to bring highly talented musicians from a variety of locations.

“[The music department] wanted to control quality and to possibly build up a budget for bringing people in from … outside the area,” said Wood.

To continue the student performance aspect of Fridays at Four, the music department now offers the Workshop Recital Series. These recitals allow students to perform in a more relaxed environment. These workshops take place in between Friday at Four performances in Chism Recital Hall.

“[This] features students who are taking applied music … who aren’t necessarily music majors, [and] who don’t perform a lot. It’s like a less-exposed, tension-filled performance,” said Wood.

Fridays at Four provides a professional grade concert in an informal setting. Each concert is unique, varying in genre from classical to Broadway show tunes. They are all informal and surprisingly intimate. Some of this can be attributed to the setting: Kimball Auditorium maintains a proximity that neither Cordiner Hall nor Harper Joy Theatre can afford. The concerts are short — 45 to 50 minutes. When I went last Friday, I was surprised at the high quality of the performance.

The performance on Sept. 25 was a classic jazz performance, featuring speedy sax runs with growling and altissimo notes, exciting piano playing and, of course, a bass solo.

The band consisted of Music Assistant Gary Hemenway on piano, Music Assistant Clark Bondy on alto, soprano and tenor saxophone, Assistant Professor of Music Doug Scarborough on electric bass and Daniel Cox on drums. They played six songs in a range of tempos.

As Hemenway stated midway through their performance, the musicians were playing “in the moment.”

The performance was amazing. The musicians’ fluidity and ease filled the room. Their energy resonated throughout the hall. The band started with a fast tempo song, blowing me away with their technical skills. Although the second song was much softer and slower, it allowed for the musicians to showcase their talents individually. The variation highlighted the musicians’ wide skill sets.

By the end I definitely felt a need to attend another Friday at Four concert. The Music Department’s focus on bringing quality musicians is apparent; coming soon is a guitar quartet from Portland State University that previously toured Europe. With the bar set high, I can’t wait to see what exciting things the other players offer for their concerts. Past president Cronin and his wife had their priorities straight in offering this program to Whitman for years to come.