  Horror/Scary
This week: No Need To Gross Me Out! Edited by: NaNoKit  
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Horror doesn't have to be graphic. After all, you're trying to scare them, not make them feel sick...
This week's Horror/Scary Newsletter is all about tying the readers' stomachs in knots out of fear, not the contents of their dinner plates.
Your guest-editor: kittiara |
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My love for horror began when I was about ten years old. Tired of novels for my age group, I explored the wonders of my mother's book case, and dug up one of Stephen King's works. I managed to sneak it into my room – I am certain that my mother would not have approved – and it was an eyeopener. I was hooked. When my parents found out, they could tell I hadn't incurred any mental scars, and my access to the bookcase was approved, with some sensible limits.
Along with the novels came the movies. My first one, again, was watched in secret, over at a friend's place. I still remember it. It was a Dutch movie called “De Lift”, about a lift that takes on a life of its own. Parents these days worry about their children having access to stuff they shouldn't, but we were just as inventive before we had access to the Internet. Kids seem to delight in the dark and morbid. Thing is, though, in the 80s, the majority of movies were not as graphic as they are now. A lot of the yucky stuff was hinted at, rather than shown. The rest was up to the viewer's imagination.
I'll hold up my hand and declare myself a wuss – I am not a fan of graphic movies. I don't need to see everything. Though my love affair with horror movies started at a young age, I turned away from them at a relatively young age as well. It's the latest craze to show all. It's not limited to the horror genre, either. Much as I would like to watch the Game of Thrones series, I had to switch it off after the first fifteen minutes of episode one. Spartacus is a no-no for me. Horror, however, tends to take it to another level.
What happened to the creaky cellar door, the tentative footsteps down the stairs (silly person, you know you shouldn't go in there!), a glimpse of a shadow, and a scream? It was clear enough that the person didn't meet a happy ending, so why do I need to watch how they meet their fate?
Yes, I know it's fake. That doesn't mean that I want those images in my mind. And the sad thing is that if one film studio pushes the boundaries, the next will want to push it further again, and before you know it, an entire movie genre is out of bounds for those of us who think, “no, thanks”.
At least in novels you can skip the icky bits. I guess you can in movies, but it's no fun covering your face most of the time and anyway, you can still hear it. Unfortunately, books, too, can be over-saturated with lengthy, detailed descriptions, which is tedious. I don't want to skip-read too many scenes and think, “Ah, yuck, yeah, an eyeball, they're not done yet!”
So, where does this trend originate from? Is horror no longer considered scary enough without the gore? The one horror movie that truly frightened me (I was about twelve when I watched it), was A Nightmare on Elm Street, and it was not the blood that got me, it was the idea behind the movie. The idea that you can't sleep, because if you do, you are lost. The notion that your dreams can be truly dangerous.
Fear comes from the safe, the familiar, the known, being twisted. The moving shadow, spotted from the corner of your eye, and when you look, there is nothing there. Your home no longer being the sanctuary that you thought it was. Footsteps behind you, speeding up. The darkness in your cat's eyes - a hint of another presence that doesn't mean you well.
Horror should raise the hairs on the back of your neck, and knot your stomach, but not because of the visual equivalent to a Saturday night out on town, when revelers splash their overindulgence all over the pavement.
Each to their own, I'm sure, but I cannot be the only one who feels that enough is enough. Let's get back to clever horror, the kind that causes you to peek under the bed, rather than gross you out.
kittiara
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Usually, I highlight the latest items in the genre. This time, I have chosen to go with some of the oldest. Hope you'll enjoy them  .
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A Poe style poem. (Edited!) The first poem I ever wrote.
#145254 by Wenston  |
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The Horror/Scary Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in!
As I am your guest editor for this week, I have no questions to answer, or feedback to respond to, but please feel free to let me know your thoughts. They will be read!
Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Horror/Scary Newsletter Team
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Horror/Scary: August 21, 2013 Issue [#5847]
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