Editorials
Loneliness and Isolation in ‘Silent Hill’
With communities still the grips of the global Coronavirus pandemic, along with the various quarantine measures, people are starting to feel something that seems downright alien to them. For many, it feels like something out of a movie or video game. For some gamers, the series that comes to mind is Silent Hill.
The Silent Hill series has explored a variety of themes, but the ones that stick out (given our current climate) are the themes of isolation and loneliness. To be fair, not all of the entries explore these themes to the same degree, but are still woven into the games. And rather than cover the entire series, many examples of these themes can be gleaned from the first four entries.
Longtime fans of the first game know of Silent Hill’s connections with Adrian Lyne’s 1990 psychological horror film, Jacob’s Ladder. The game contains several references to the film, right down to one of the game’s endings. One commonality is that like Jacob, Silent Hill protagonist Harry Mason loses his child (albeit in different circumstances) and is longing to be reunited with them. All the while, Harry is trapped in the town, with no connection to the outside world. And much like Maurice Jarre’s score for Jacob’s Ladder, Akira Yamaoka’s score for Silent Hill evokes ideas of loneliness. Indeed, the main theme, “Silent Hill”, contains the sound of someone weeping, as if they’re longing for something or someone.
Silent Hill 2, while linked to its predecessor in themes of loss and love, shifts more to a character study. But amongst the psychological themes, there is again at the game’s core, the issues of loneliness and isolation. From the beginning, James Sunderland is grief-stricken over losing Mary, his wife, and is unable to move on. We first find him in the dirty bathroom, staring into the mirror, contemplating while feeling lost. Later on, when he happens upon Mary’s doppelganger, Maria, we see her representing what James longs for in his dead wife (though in more ways than one).
In a poignant conversation (and brilliant symbolism), Maria is found by James in a jail cell. Now, if you’ve played the game, one would realize that Mary was “imprisoned” by her illness. However, when you watch the cutscene, you’ll see that Maria appears relaxed in a rather nice chair, while James appears distressed, and has to use a stool. Not only that, the distance between the two characters from the bars is also telling. Maria, at ease, appears more like she is “visiting” James in jail, whereas James appears more distraught and intense, as if looking for a way out of his “cell”. One could read further into this, as Maria being Mary is something that James could never have, which plays into the loneliness idea.
Moving on to Silent Hill 3, and we see the theme of loneliness expressed even more. Yamaoka’s soundtrack now brings in Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, who provides vocals to songs such as “I Want Love” and “You’re Not Here”, the latter being the game’s “anthem” for many fans. Listening to the lyrics, it’s obvious that the common theme is one of being alone and longing for someone and “save them”. For Heather Mason, the protagonist of Silent Hill 3, that someone is her father, Harry. Of course, if you’ve played the game, you would know that this is not possible.
However, in what can be seen as what happens in real life for many who miss loved ones that are no longer there, Heather eventually finds someone to replace that figurative hole in her life with Douglas Cartland. Granted, there is some “baggage” involved (Douglas is unwittingly part of the reason why Heather can no longer be with her father, after all), but like any good redemption story, the old wounds are healed, and Heather eventually sees Douglas as the father figure she longs for.
And if you’re going to talk of isolation, Silent Hill 4 is the perfect example. Fans of the series know that this game takes a marked departure from the previous games, but nevertheless retains threads of isolation and loneliness. The most overt example is the titular room.
Functionally speaking, Henry’s apartment contains almost everything that he needs: The game’s sole save point, a storage for excess inventory items, and a few chances to interact with other characters. It’s safe. However, it’s quickly apparent that Henry is literally a prisoner in his apartment. He can’t escape through the door, and no one can visit him. He is essentially in lockdown, much like we currently are. There’s even the ominous warning left by the previous occupant: Don’t go outside. Further driving the idea of isolation are the metaphorical and literal walls between characters. The other residents in Henry’s apartment complex can’t reach once another physically, leaving communication to phone messages and letters, much like our FaceTime or Zoom meetings.
Of course, whenever Henry does have interaction with other characters, it’s through drawing them into dreams. Even in the dreams, Henry still feels isolation from the people he meets (though that’s more owing to his own social issues), preventing him from connecting with any of those characters. This isolation in turn leaves him unable to rescue them from their eventual deaths. Again, it’s akin to reinforcing the public to practice social distancing, lest you end up hurting someone.
Then there’s the voyeurism aspect, where Henry is able to peer out his windows to watch his neighbors, look through the peephole in his door, or observe his neighbour Eileen through a hole in the wall between his apartment and hers. The game eventually forces you to use these viewports to not only advance the story, but also to find solutions to puzzles. Progress (and safety) through isolation.
Eventually, when the pandemic is over, we’ll return to our lives. But things will be different. The normality that we longed for – and the end of isolation and loneliness – won’t be the same as the normality we experience. It’ll still be filled with a lingering fear of other people, resulting in us still seeking to distance ourselves through the same isolation practices as before (albeit not to the same extent). Much like other media that deal with these topics and others like them, the Silent Hill series can be seen as a perverse reminder that as bad as it might seem now, nothing can be as nightmarish as the lonely world we imagine.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
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