Satanism
Satanism is a direction and a school of religious beliefs that comprise a number of related ideologies and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. They share the feature of symbolism, traditions, veneration or admiration of Satan or/and similar figures or personifications of powers or ideologies. Practitioners of Satanism are referred to as Satanists. Satanic rituals generally involve incantations and rituals that sometimes involve illegal processes, such as the sacrifice of a living being or animal. Many Satanic rituals also require the letting of blood to satisfy whichever demonic entity the practitioner is attempting to summon or curry favor with. A common symbol used amongst Satanic scholars is the sign of the inverted pentagram.
Satanic is also the title of a 2006 horror film by Dan Golden, but is actually a supernatural thriller and has little to do with Satanism itself.
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Scarecrow
A scarecrow is a life-sized effigy of a human being, but could in no way be confused for an actual living person. They are classically used by farmers and propped up inside of a corn field to "scare crows" (as well as other wildlife) from eating their crops. Traditionally, a scarecrow is put together using baggy clothes such as jeans, overalls and flannel and stuffed with straw. The head is usually a sack of some kind, also filled with straw and adorned with a large hat. In speculative fiction, there have been a number of living scarecrows.
(See Also: Scarecrow)
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Scientific experimentation
Scientists are always mucking about with things that will ultimately come back to bite them in the ass. The most celebrated offender of such irresponsible acts of science gone awry is without question Doctor Victor Frankenstein. Using various untried chemical and electrical processes, Victor Frankenstein created a new form of life by infusing an electric current into a body sewen together from parts culled from human cadavers. This reanimated being has since become known as the Frankenstein Monster. Hot on the heels of Victor's stellar work in "monster-making" is Doctor Herbert West - a brilliant and ambitious student of Miskatonic University who invented a serum called Re-Agent that (as its name suggests) reanimated the dead, releasing a plague of zombies upon the campus grounds. Phrases such as "It's alive!" tend to be famous last words amongst these types.
(See Also: Appearances of scientific experimentation)
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Scientist
A scientist is any person who engages in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge or an individual that engages in such practices and traditions that are linked to schools of thought or philosophy. Scientists may often become so obsessed with their work that it effects their judgment, forcing them to engage in actions that at the very least are dangerous and at worst, criminal. Such individuals are commonly referred to as "mad scientists". Examples of such men, both mad and sane, would be: Adam Royston, Doctor Durae, Frank Mannering and Henry Frankenstein.
(See Also: Mad Scientists)
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Scooby Gang
The Scooby Gang originally referred to the central characters from the Scooby Doo cartoon series. In later years, the term was applied to several characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Specifically, those who were friends with Buffy Summers. The characters have also been collectively referred to as the "Scoobies". The original scoobies consisted of Buffy, Xander Harris, Willow Rosenberg and Cordelia Chase. Later members include Daniel Osbourne, Faith Lehane, Anya Jenkins, Tara Maclay, Dawn Summers, Riley Finn and Andrew Wells. Allies of the Scoobies include Angel, Spike and Rupert Giles. The term was first coined by Xander Harris, but has since been used by others when describing the group.
(See Also: Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters)
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School principal
A school principal is the highest authority figure in a public or private school, answering directly to the county school board. Some boarding schools refer to the principal under the title Headmaster. Principals are almost universally reviled by the student body, whom they often regard as their social nemesis. In the Buffy the Vampire Slayer mythos, the principals of Sunnydale High School often meet untimely and grisly deaths. Principal Bob Flutie was attacked and killed by a gang of students turned into vampires. Principal R. Snyder was devoured by Mayor Richard Wilkins III who had transformed into a giant, demonic serpent. Principal Robin Wood was the only educator to break this harrowing tradition when the Sunnydale Hellmouth collapsed in 2003. Although the high school and in fact, the entire town of Sunnydale was destroyed, Principal Wood survived.
Another supernatural fantasy series that had a notable school principal was the MTV series Teen Wolf. In season two, the character of Gerard Argent was introduced, who was the patriarch of a family of werewolf hunters. Along with his daughter-in-law, Victoria Argent, he abducted and tortured the principal of Beacon Hills High School, forcing him to relinquish his position, allowing Gerard the opportunity to assume his role.
(See Also: Headmaster; Dean)
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Scream Queen
Scream Queen is a term that applies to actresses who are best known for playing the female leads in horror films, usually those involving slashers or psychopathic murderers. The term refers to the actresses' notability for screaming. Primarily a fan-derived phrase, the definition of a "scream queen" varies depending upon the source. Most horror historians attribute Fay Wray from the 1933 film King Kong as the genre's first "scream queen". Other "scream queens" of note include Evelyn Ankers, Barbara Steele, Dee Wallace, Janet Leigh as well as her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis.
(See Also: Category:Scream Queens)
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Séance
A séance is the process by which an assemblage of people attempt to communicate with a spiritual entity. A séance is typically presided over by a medium, who is usually gifted with some measure of spiritual affinity. The medium acts as both a conduit and an arbitrator, allowing discourse between the spiritual entities and individuals who wish to communicate with them. At one point, the practice was considered to be one of serious undertaking. Séances became quite popular amongst the upper-class in Victorian-era England. By modern standards, séances have come to be regarded as a form of entertainment. Most people who consider themselves rational thinkers are skeptical as to the legitimacy of such practices. Séances were a commonly used plot device on television programs such as the original Dark Shadows.
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Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world and on other planets. In most armies, the rank of sergeant corresponds to command of a squad. In Commonwealth armies it is a more senior rank, corresponding roughly to a platoon second-in-command. In the United States Army, sergeant is a more junior rank, corresponding to a five-man fireteam leader.
(See Also: Sergeant)
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Shape-shifter
A shape-shifter is an individual who, through conscious action, can dramatically alter their physical appearance and take on another form. In most cases, this involves transforming into a breed of animal, such as a wolf, a bat or a dog. The most popularly known breed of shape-shifters are werewolves; men and women who turn turn into a wolf or a wolf-like monster under specific conditions. Other types of shape-shifters exist as well such as cat people, bat people and even insect people. Shape-shifters in media grew in popularity in the 2000s, particularly with the Twilight Saga films and the HBO television series True Blood.
(See Also: Shape-shifters characters on Headhunter's Horror House Wiki)
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Sheriff
A sheriff is a duly elected political official responsible for maintaining order and enforcing the law within his selected county. In the United States, a sheriff is usually accompanied by a number of deputies. In smaller American towns, the Sheriff's Department is often the prominent law enforcement agency for the entire town without the benefit of a city police department.
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Shining
Shining is a term used to describe a form of telepathy. People who can "shine" are often privy to information that they would not otherwise have access to. These people can also perceive and communicate with others who possess the gift. One example of an individual with the ability to "shine" was young Danny Torrance. Unable to comprehend the true nature of his power, Danny projected his knowledge of exterior events through an imaginary persona which he named Tony. Danny's father, Jack Torrance, likewise had the ability to shine, but for him, it made him a magnet for the malevolent forces which dominated his place of employment, the Overlook Hotel. Another man who possessed the gift was the Overlook's head chef, Dick Hallorann. Dick and Danny were able to speak with one another without either one of them opening their mouths.
(See Also: The Shining)
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Sire
Sire is a term used in the Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing game. It refers to a vampire who has used his powers to create another vampire. The act of turning a human into a vampire is called the Embrace. The progeny of a sire is often referred to as a Childe. A special bond exists between sire and childe, one that is much stronger than that held between other vampires. A sire is responsible for training her progeny in the ways of the Kindred and preparing them for their new "life" as a vampire.
(See Also: Vampires)
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Skin mask
A skin mask is a mask made from the preserved flesh of an animal or, in most instances, another human being. Skin masks are usually made using sort of a curing process to prevent the removed skin from decaying. The fictional serial killer known as Leatherface is well-known for creating masks made from the skin of his victims. Other examples of skin masks can be found in A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Devil's Rejects. A woman named Molly created skin masks of her victims, which she would keep as trophies in her room as revealed in the "Only Skin Deep" episode of Tales from the Crypt.
(See Also: Mask; Skin mask)
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Slasher
Slasher is a term used to describe a serial murderer who kills his victims using some form of bladed instrument. The term is derived from the slashing motion one makes with a weapon such as a knife or axe. The phrase has also been used to describe films where slasher serial murderers are the primary antagonist. As a sub-genre, slasher films came into popularity in the American market in the late 1970s with John Carpenter's seminal work Halloween. It could be argued however, that earlier films such as Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre were the forerunners of the modern slasher.
(See Also: Slasher films)
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Slave
A slave is an individual who is considered the legal property of another person. In the United States, slavery was a common practice, particularly amongst Southern land owners up until the mid 19th century. Slave owners made slaves work on plantations, usually under harsh and violent conditions. All of the slaves in the United States at this time were of African descent, though most of them were actually born in the country. Slavery was abolished following the American Civil War. In horror, the character known as the Candyman was a former slave who had been killed. His spirit came back to mete out vengeance against those responsible for his demise. In the 2000 comedy Scary Movie, director Keenen Ivory Wayans also played a slave in the faux film trailer Amistad II. In vampire sub-culture, many vampires keep human revenents that they consider their slaves. Through the use of enhanced mental abilities, vampires can generally get their mortal followers to obey their every command. The most infamous example of a human enslaved to a vampire is the character of Renfield from the Dracula novel and film adaptations.
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Slayer
A Slayer is an individual who... well, slays things. Kills 'em. Dead. In fantasy settings one who slays plies their craft against a wide variety of critters such as dragons, giants, trolls, etc. They are usually knights or some other type of righteous and heroic archetype and the ability to slay an enemy earns them great reward or reknown amongst his or her people. The term Slayer has been most popualarly applied however to the WB Network/UPN television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired for seven seasons from 1997-2003. In the mythology of the series, the Slayer is a Chosen One and is always a female of teenage years. Slayers hone their skills under the tutelage of a mentor known as a Watcher and there is a Council of Watchers whose sole duty is to identify potential Slayers and prepare them to do battle against the forces of evil.
(See Also: Slayer)
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Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces. Soldiers are often called upon in circumstances involving zombie plague. Though extremely skilled in their profession, they are just as likely to fall victim to a zombie as they are to kill them.
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Soul migration
Soul migration is the ability of an individual to transfer their living spirit from their body into another living vessel. It differs from reincarnation in that the transferred soul is not reborn, but rather takes the place of an existing soul. It is similar in that regard to corporeal possession, but whereas possession is usually practiced by ghosts or demons, soul migration is performed by living human beings. The technique was once common with members of the extinct Chiapassi Native American tribe.
Spanish
Of, or relating to the culture of Spain and/or Latin America. It is also the official language of Spain and Latin America, also known as Español. In the film industry, it was a common practice during the early days of sound to re-shoot a foreign language version of American films. Such films were recast and reshot with cast members native to the culture in question, generally Spanish, French or German. One of the most famous examples of this in the horror genre was the 1931 Spanish version of Drácula, which was a remade version of Tod Browning's more popularly known Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. Drácula starred Carlos Villarías as Conde Drácula and co-starred Mexican actress Lupita Tovar. Most modern home video versions of popular films feature Spanish subtitles.
(See Also: Spain; Mexico)
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Spontaneous human combustion
Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC) is a name used to describe alleged cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition. While there have been about 200 cited cases worldwide over a period of around 300 years, most of the alleged cases are characterized by the lack of a thorough investigation, or rely heavily on hearsay and oral testimony. In many of the more recent cases, where photographic evidence is available, it is alleged that there was an external source of heat present, and nothing occurred "spontaneously."
(See Also: Media with examples of Spontaneous human combustion; Spontaneous Combustion (1990))
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Succubus
A succubus is a female demon that assumes human form and thrives by seducing male lovers and draining their life energy until they are dead. In many tales, a succubus accomplishes this by invading a person's dreams, though most cases demonstrate the transferal of life energy taking place during intercourse. The plural form for Succubus is succubi. The male equivalent to a succubus is called an Incubus.
(See Also: Incubus; Demons; Known succubi; Appearances by Succubi)
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Suicide
Suicide is the deliberate act of taking one's own life. The motives and methods behind committing suicide varies. It is largely considered an amoral and often criminal act and those who attempt it and fail may find themselves prosecuted for their actions.
(See Also: Media that contains examples of suicide)
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Surfer
A surfer is one who engages in the sport of surfing. This involves standing atop a surfboard and riding the crest of a wave from the ocean back towards the shore. Surfers are also known to be easy targets for any number of carnivorous undersea creatures such as killer sharks and mutant piranha.
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Surgeon
A surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage. Surgeons may be physicians, dentists, podiatrists or veterinarians.
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