When people find out I run a horror news/review website, it is inevitable that the first question will be “Have you seen any truly scary movies?”. While there is nothing wrong with the question in and of itself, it does point to a large misconception of the genre. The same misconception that I too once had; that is of course before I had a year’s worth of constant horror movie watching.
Horror cannot simply be defined as fear. It also represents shock and disgust. What qualifies for each varies widely from person to person. This is why horror has so many sub-genres. It’s also why everyone’s number one question doesn’t really have an answer. Of course I’ve seen some scary shit, I just don’t know if that it’s true for you.
When we started this website a year ago, we knew everyone had their own particular taste in what makes a good horror film. The idea was that readers would learn to identify our individual taste, and adapt our review to their own preferences. Telling people what they should be thinking was never an option. The internet is already filled with enough folks trying to convince you that they have a monopoly on being correct, and we didn’t see the need to add to it.
Everything started off perfectly, and then something curious happened. I started finding myself appreciating sub-genres that I had never enjoyed. Extremely gory films suddenly didn’t seem pointless. I still don’t like torture-porn, but now it makes sense. Just because it crosses too far over my line for horror doesn’t mean that it does so for everyone. Personally, I’ll never watch Headless again, but I can understand why some of you sickos love it!
So next time someone ask you what the scariest movie you’ve seen is, keep in mind that they most likely have a very particular style in mind. There is no right or wrong answer here. A year ago I would have told you the scariest movie involved something supernatural. Today I’d ask you what you like. I love this genre and it’s willingness to push our boundaries. I’ve had a change in perspective, and perhaps you will too.
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October 28, 2015
I read this a few days ago and for some reason I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I think one of the great things about horror is that there are so many different sub-genres that can speak to people in different ways. Growing up I LOVED slasher flicks. I still appreciate them and enjoy them now, but I don’t jump for joy whenever a new one comes out.
I was introducing a friend to some horror movies and he said he hated horror because they aren’t “scary”. I think it is a shame that people only lump horror into the emotion of fear. My favorite movies now aren’t ones that come out and scare you… they are the ones that leave it to your brain to create the feelings of dread and impending doom. My right leg is covered in an HP Lovecraft tattoo if that is an indication of the type of stories I like…
I think a big problem that the Horror genre has is that it gets stuck. When a movie comes out that breaks the mold and is successful in the main stream, the flood gates open and out pours loads of movies that may be good or bad, but they all stick to the new mold. And it could be YEARS before something new comes along. Luckily, Horror fans embrace the indie scene so we get plenty of fresh ideas, albeit with much lower budgets.
The last movie that really scared me was “The Ring”. Before you laugh, you have to imagine me in high school, every weekend going down to the crappy video rental and grabbing random horror movies for the “8 movies, 8 days, 8 dollars” deal. Some of these movies didn’t even have labels anymore. Cell phones weren’t all that big on the Eastern Shore of Maryland at that time either…so when we finished watching the movie…on VHS… and my dad sneakily dialed our home number during the closing credits…well… yea.
Not really sure what my point is…just that this post hit home for me. I think Horror has something to offer everyone and I really enjoy that you guys come at it from that perspective and not just your own. Keep up the great work!
October 28, 2015
Very well said, Joe. I think Jacob’s words ring true for a lot of us. I know my idea of why a horror movie even IS has shifted over the last year. This genre is incredible.
October 31, 2015
Thanks for sharing Joe! We aim to be a thoughtful website with all of these ideas in mind. You’re spot on with the problems Horror faces in the mainstream, but like you said, the fanbase knows that it is so much more.