Why do I love horror? I just do. No real reason, just that I love it. Last night, my partner watched me get excited at the Magic Pumpkin commercial from Halloween III: Season of the Witch. He thought I was weird, but it didn’t matter. I was having a good time.
But back to the reason of this blog, which is my love for Horror. Since I was young, I was intrigued with the commercials for scary movies. The somber voices, the quick scenes of killers, monsters, and things, and the frightening movie titles begging you to watch.
I remember staying up late with my grandmama’s boyfriend, Mister Jesse, watching the late show on CBS. Usually, the flicks were scary and I would stay glued to the TV. Mister Jesse thought there was something wrong with me, but I was fine. I just liked scary movies. Then 80s rolled around with HBO and VHS. I saw more than I needed to when it came to Horror. However, it was the Horror novels that completely made me a fan.
After reading Ruby Jean Jensen or John Saul, I start seeing the depth of Horror. I felt the words and thrills behind them. Suddenly the movies were not so amazing anymore. I wanted to see more, so I starting writing short stories of my own. I even made them available to read in the eighth grade. People liked them and I kept on writing, but I think in high school lost the writing bug. But I got wiser about my choices in Horror.
The movies became silly and less creative, so I stuck to books and short stories. Later on the Horror movie genre picked up and got me back. It returns to exploring taboos and hidden fears we may not know exist within us. I’m always a fan of Horror that can push me and challenge my inhibitions. I should want to hide and yet, know more about the thing that shakes me to the core. It has to be scary but challenging, beyond the whoring teens, mindless killing machines, and screaming girls. It should trigger something within you, removing the feeling of security and in its place, fills you up in fear and paranoia… that’s my kind of Horror.
2 comments:
In Night Shift, King said something like people always ask him why he writes horror, and his reply: What makes you think I have a choice? He went on to say, why don't they ask Danielle Steel what makes her write that stuff?
What does it for us, turns us on, makes us crave more? No way of explaining it. Like King says, it's not about choice. I write horror because that's my voice...and I love it for many of the same reasons you do. And one of the saddest things in the world is all those people out there who equate horror with "Friday the 13th". Arrrggh!!!
Here's an author to look for if you haven't read him ... Michael McDowell. In the 80s he wrote a series of AMAZING and unique horror novels, the best of which, Blackwater, was release in six monthly volumes...I read them as they came out and I have to admit, I've never had a more pleasant reading experience. Mr. McDowell went on to write for television (Monsters) and movies (he wrote the first draft of the screenplay for Beetlejuice and he wrote Tales from the Darkside, the movie)but it's his novels that matter. Unfortunately, at the height of his career, he died of AIDS in 1999...but last year, Tabitha King finished a book he'd started before he died...so I've got one more visit in store.
Sorry this was so long...but you posted on a subject that's near and dear to my heart!
I do as well.
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