Yes, horror is in its own way life-affirming, just as you say. It's also optimistic, if we exclude the apocalyptic horrors, in that it sometimes offers more hope than the real world. You can drive a stake through the heart of a vampire. But you can't give the same treatment to climate change or any other large-scale problem. No exorcist is going to be able to bring peace to the Middle East.
Yes. My favourite horrors are the ones where the ghost or demon or whatever is dealt with. I enjoyed the Conjuring films as Ed and Lorraine Warren made it all better. No matter how white knuckled and terrifying it got (conjuring 2 did actually cause someone to have a heart attack) there was a resolution.
Another scary one in the classic ghost story mould was 'The Others', which was suitably gothic. As an unreconstructed old-school goth I am obviously quite enamoured with that kind of classic. The movie itself 'Gothic' about Byron and Shelley et al telling each other ghost stories is another must-see.
It is the subtle, intelligent stuff that's always most appealing and affecting. Something that means something and makes you think. My preferences, anyhow.
I loved The Others. I remember switching it on expecting to see something else, maybe more obvious, terrifying horror? I enjoyed what it was and it stuck with me far more than any cheap jump scares would have.
A little shock is good for you, especially when growing up of course, because it helps children with the accuracy of their risk perception/analysis, and to understand how to deal with the world, with some of its natural dangers (and unnatural, both supernatural as well as monstrous people) and how to recognise them. This is also partly where the fairytale thing comes in - the original idea being a 'warning', which, in case of the horror story, is a kind of evolutionary branch of fairytale (in a similar way 'the one that got away' branches off into 'comedy').
The one that really gave me nightmares on the very night I watched it when I was, I think about nine or ten, was American Werewolf in London, which was showing at some camp I was at and was supposed to be safely tucked up in my tent (my fault for naughtiness). So I dreamed there was a werewolf outside the tent. Kind of like that bit in Blair Witch Project when she's in the tent and she knows the witch is outside, or thinks it is.
I also agree with you it helps to give people an understanding of the difference between good and evil. Apple-eating stuff, of course. Katrina's got some scary movies lined up, as it happens.
I think that cheapens it, the gore. If you see so much blood you become desensitised, I think. Psychological or supernatural horror or monsters though? Aaaargh! The supernatural ones get me the most because a lot of the time, it's not something the police can do anything about. They can catch a murderer but a ghost? No. You're in for it. I hate that about ghosts.
I haven't but I loved The Woman In Black so I'm going to add it to my list. I saw her book Dolly get loads of brilliant reviews too. Have you read that?
The Woman in Black - both book and film - are supremely underrated.
I don't think I'm an easy spooker, but the movie "The Changeling" got to me. Assuredly, a troubler-of-sleep. A haunted house ghost story too.
Yes, horror is in its own way life-affirming, just as you say. It's also optimistic, if we exclude the apocalyptic horrors, in that it sometimes offers more hope than the real world. You can drive a stake through the heart of a vampire. But you can't give the same treatment to climate change or any other large-scale problem. No exorcist is going to be able to bring peace to the Middle East.
Yes. My favourite horrors are the ones where the ghost or demon or whatever is dealt with. I enjoyed the Conjuring films as Ed and Lorraine Warren made it all better. No matter how white knuckled and terrifying it got (conjuring 2 did actually cause someone to have a heart attack) there was a resolution.
Another scary one in the classic ghost story mould was 'The Others', which was suitably gothic. As an unreconstructed old-school goth I am obviously quite enamoured with that kind of classic. The movie itself 'Gothic' about Byron and Shelley et al telling each other ghost stories is another must-see.
It is the subtle, intelligent stuff that's always most appealing and affecting. Something that means something and makes you think. My preferences, anyhow.
I loved The Others. I remember switching it on expecting to see something else, maybe more obvious, terrifying horror? I enjoyed what it was and it stuck with me far more than any cheap jump scares would have.
That's a nice little collection of thoughts.
A little shock is good for you, especially when growing up of course, because it helps children with the accuracy of their risk perception/analysis, and to understand how to deal with the world, with some of its natural dangers (and unnatural, both supernatural as well as monstrous people) and how to recognise them. This is also partly where the fairytale thing comes in - the original idea being a 'warning', which, in case of the horror story, is a kind of evolutionary branch of fairytale (in a similar way 'the one that got away' branches off into 'comedy').
The one that really gave me nightmares on the very night I watched it when I was, I think about nine or ten, was American Werewolf in London, which was showing at some camp I was at and was supposed to be safely tucked up in my tent (my fault for naughtiness). So I dreamed there was a werewolf outside the tent. Kind of like that bit in Blair Witch Project when she's in the tent and she knows the witch is outside, or thinks it is.
I also agree with you it helps to give people an understanding of the difference between good and evil. Apple-eating stuff, of course. Katrina's got some scary movies lined up, as it happens.
Good luck for this Weekend Hanna. hope you climb to the top of the leaderboard heading into the final challenge. can't wait to read what you wrote😀
Thank you so much. What I've written is... different, shall we say? 😂 I can't wait to show it to you.
My pleasure 😁
Different is good hey? especially in a comp like this. it might just get you to stand out from everyone else?
Fingers crossed!
Hammer house of horror film. Back in 1982ish. The Mummy's Hand. Terrified the life out of me. 😂
That is pretty terrifying, Sally. I'm not surprised! The makeup and costume was something else, wasn't it? They're classics for a reason!
Absolutely. You can't beat the classics for true horror, today's movies rely on gore to be horrific I think!
I think that cheapens it, the gore. If you see so much blood you become desensitised, I think. Psychological or supernatural horror or monsters though? Aaaargh! The supernatural ones get me the most because a lot of the time, it's not something the police can do anything about. They can catch a murderer but a ghost? No. You're in for it. I hate that about ghosts.
Totally agree. Have you read Susan Hill's the Small Hand. I found that really scary.
I haven't but I loved The Woman In Black so I'm going to add it to my list. I saw her book Dolly get loads of brilliant reviews too. Have you read that?
I haven't, will add it to my list.
I've never seen The Changeling. Is that the one with Angelina Jolie?