As a fan of the horror genre, I don't need much of an excuse to indulge in all things scary on the big and small screen. October, which culminates with Halloween, gives me that excuse.
I love the chill creeping down my spine when the film music signals something horrific is about to happen, my heart pounding when the monstrous killer is finally revealed, and that I sometimes need to hide behind a pillow when the film or TV programme reaches the climatic moment. When it's finished, I love laughing at how stupid I was to be scared by something not real.
Given the popularity of all things horror, I know I'm not alone. But how often has something you've seen literally made you scream out loud? Not a curse or jump. I'm talking a scream that probably made someone else jump out of their chair.
For me, the answer is twice.
The first time was during the final climatic scene of Misery.
I was 18 years old at the time, and staying at a friend's house while her parents were away. My scream was enough to make my friend run from the room and the neighbours knock on the door to check we were okay. It gave us something to laugh about for a long time afterwards.
The second time was while watching The Twilight Zone's Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, based on a short story by I Am Legend author Richard Matheson.
The idea of a hideous unexplained creature running around on an areoplane's wing, which only William Shatner's character could see, was one of the scariest things I've ever watched. I'm not exactly sure why it scared me so much, though it might have something to do with my fear of flying. The second or third time he sees the creature, face squashed against the small window, resulted in a Jamie Lee Curtis worthy scream. Everyone else watching it laughed at me.
I often wonder what it is we like about being scared. Perhaps it's because we are reminded of our own mortality or that evil can and will be defeated, or maybe it's just because afterwards we laugh with relief.
Why do you think we like horror stories so much? What films or TV programmes have literally made you scream out loud?
I am not a shrieker. When I get frightened I do very quiet and very still. And, not at all sensibly, shut my eyes. The only consolation is that I suppose I wouldn't see whatever takes me out.
ReplyDeleteSee or hear if you stick your fingers in your ears. I've done that before!
DeleteMe too. So I wouldn't see OR hear whatever is coming to get me. Smart. Not.
DeleteI've often wondered why we like horror so much. Maybe it's to reaffirm that it couldn't really happen to us, only to someone else. We're glad at the end to find ourselves still safe and whole. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that's a huge part of it, River. It's the same with roller coasters. We like being right on the edge of the danger zone, without any danger.
DeleteI'm not a screamer, but I do like being scared. It gets the heart pumping, senses all hyper, you feel more alive. If that makes sense! I remember that Twilight Zone too. It was one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteWe do feel more alert and alive. It must have something to do with our primeval senses. I must hunt down that episode of The Twilight Zone and watch it again.
DeleteI'm a rather pathetic scaredy-cat. I'm the one who shouldn't watch horror films to begin with because I jump at every little thing. Then, if the film really scares me, like The Grudge, are the nightmares. For a short time after watching that movie, me and shadows didn't get along very well lol!
ReplyDeleteSo no trips to the late-night cinema screenings?
DeleteI don't think I've ever had nightmares, but I have been too scared to turn out the light.
I don't know that I've ever screamed watching a movie. The scariest thing I've ever watched was The Birds when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It still creeps me out! *shivers* I love Halloween, though, and the paranormal.
ReplyDeleteI watched The Elephant Man as a young child. I used to think I could hear him coming up the stairs, dragging his bad leg behind him. Like you, it still creeps me out!
DeleteNo matter how many times I watch it, I always scream at the end of Psycho when they turn Norman's mother around.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how we will still jump even when we know what's about to happen. I always jump in Aliens, when they find the face huggers in the lab and one is still alive.
DeleteI generally can't watch horror films because they stick in my head and haunt me later - Signs, probably not even considered horror by most people, scared me badly and made me jump several times in the theater and Misery made me jump several times, too. I'm a jumper, not a screamer. Even in The Deathly Hollows Harry Potter movie when the snake jumps out at Harry, I jumped (even though I had read the book and knew it was coming). And Pyscho is just plain freaky and scary - definitely jump worthy. Anyway, I have a beautiful long gravel driveway with trees and wild bushes on both sides where raccoons, cotton-tail rabbits, and deer like to hang out (as well as in our yard eating all of our plants), and at night sometimes in a particular shade of moonlight, I am seriously creeped out while driving down it - I once thought I saw a leg like one of the alien legs in Signs sticking out of one of the tree root areas and then I drove really fast down the driveway and ran into the house. It was either my active imagination or a deer. I've also startled deer and rabbits and ended up jumping and screaming while walking in my driveway - there's nothing like having a wild animal move in the bush to the left, screaming (only in live situations and not movies for me), and having both the animal and myself jump straight up and run off in opposite directions.
ReplyDeleteI didn't class Signs as horror until I saw it. I changed my mind. That bit where you catch a fleeting glimpse of the alien on the roof makes me jump every time!
DeleteI'm just picturing you and that animal, and trying not to laugh. I don't think I could watch or read horror if I lived where you do. My over-active imagination would make me see evil in every movement or shadow.
Oh, laugh away. :) The last time it happened, I was one foot away from a teen male deer (tiny nubs for antlers but bigger than a fawn), and he had been sleeping in the bushes across from our house. My hubs had parked the car on that side of the driveway so he could clean out our garage area, so when I went to the car . . . well, screaming, jumping, and running ensued.
DeleteOh I screamed at both those moments. The twilight Zone episode really freaked me out. When i went on a plane I was checking out the wings. I get easily scared and actually had nightmares even over Ultraman-sad but true. My hubby and I were watching something the other day and I screamed but I can't remember what it is. My hubby just looked at me and laughed and asked if that scared me and then called me a wuss. The Ring freaked me out when that kid climbed out of the TV. The Shining when those girls were there-screamed. The Exorcists when she climbed down the stairs in a freaky way...screamed...head 360...screamed. Jaws coming out of the water while the Sheriff was throwing bloody stuff in the water-screamed. I mean the list goes on and on:)
ReplyDeleteI'll have to write a horror story and put you in it. You deserve it after that list!
DeleteThe scariest films I ever saw were those that made me use my own imagination. I can imagine far worse than a film will show.
ReplyDeleteWhen the third Harry Potter movie came out, my brother said to his young son,"Don't know, I hear it's a bit scary..." And Max assured him,"Don't worry, Dad, I'll look after you." Which he did - he put his hand over his dad's eyes at the scary bit!
Aww. What a lovely thing to do, looking after his dad.
DeleteI do agree that the best horror stories are those leaving a lot to the imagination. I don't like films that feature gore for the sake of it, like The Wrong Turn or the Hotel films.
I love watching horror films and TV shows. I usually don't scream--I'm more of a gasper or jumper. Heh. The scariest movie to me is Signs. It makes way too much sense. I've been rather iffy about fog since I read Stephen King's The Mist. My mom does scream at horror movies and such, so my sister and I get great amusement from her reactions. The cats, on the other hand, hate it. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI bet the cats run and hide!
DeleteSigns was way too creepy. I don't think I could watch it again. I really enjoyed the Mist, even if I did hide behind a pillow a few times.
That is a genre that I don't watch or read much. As a rule, if I'm going to watch any kind of horror, it has to be from the 40's & 50's. Otherwise, I leave that kind of stuff to my family, who has watch almost every conceivable horror film, both uncut and cut (cable), that was made in the past 50 years.
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Thanks for dropping by, GB. Some of the earlier horror films are the best. They relied on the viewers imagination, rather than blood and guts!
DeleteI'm not big into gore, (at least not realistic gore) but I love a scary suspense story! The Others is a good one! And until Ellie, I loved Signs, just enough creepy aliens to give me goosebumps! I was also a big Buffy fan. There was gore there, but not like as real as in The Walking Dead!!!!
ReplyDeleteI was a huge Buffy fan. I think it was the element of humour, as well as the clever story lines. Also, it had Spike and Angel.
DeleteJust saw Crimson Peaks, and yes, the ghosts really WERE scary!
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