On a Lighter Note
I saw "The Descent" last night, a horror flick about a group of women who go cave-exploring and run into some really, really creepy monsters who want to, well, eat them. (And I won't be giving away too much if I say they are not entirely unsuccessful.) Scared the daylights out of me. And as some of you know, I'm no stranger to this kind of film. (Saw 1, Saw 2, Hostel...not to mention all the "Alien" films, multiple times.)
But there is something about caves, about making your way through narrow tunnels hundreds of feet under the ground, that really unnerves. Perhaps the film's most upsetting scene has nothing to do with monsters; one woman simply gets stuck while crawling through a tiny space and starts to panic.
If you've ever had a panic attack, you'll note that her reaction is remarkably well-demonstrated. I have twice while diving—once on the very first dive I ever took, when I suddenly decided that I was sinking into a bottomless ocean and couldn't stop, and once when I donned a hood for the first time, felt incredibly claustrophobic, and realized that I couldn't take it off underwater without removing my mask and regulator. Your mind racing...your heart speeding up...the loss of reason...your lungs going in-out, in-out, so fast that you realize you're on the verge of hyperventilating....the urge to bolt, to get the hell out of there as fast as you can....
If you like a good scare, see The Descent. It's just terrific. And like all good horror movies, it succeeds at making you feel better about your own life: Whatever else may be happening, at least you are not stuck in a tiny tunnel a mile under ground, being assaulted by slimy albino creatures with mottled skin, blind eyes, and long, sharp teeth....
