I was watching a commercial for some horror movie and thinking about why they're so lousy. I know that there are a number of reasons, which have been previously discussed, but there was more to it. At that moment, the commercial flashed some monster coming out of the dark. That's when I realized the problem: horror does too much showing.
People think that fear is about scary things: actual monsters and gruesome violence. But that's not the case. Fear is psychological; it's about the unknown. When people go to the zoo, they can see killer predators and they do not run in fear. Seeing them isn't scary. However, walk into the woods at night with no light. It is pitch black and you can't even see your hand in front of your face. That is scary. It's scary specifically because you have no idea if a man-eating predator is right next to you.
A good horror story is one which presents alternate explanations to things we don't know. What's making that sound? Why do people have certain tics? It can also be about entire realms we are unaware of, like the person who can see ghosts or demons all around them and the havoc they cause.
Horror doesn't need special effects. It needs a degree in psychology.
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Agreed.
ReplyDeleteThe sixth sense is creepy.
F.E.A.R. is one fucking scary game, because you never know where this scary little ghost-girl will pop out. What's freaky is that, your HUD will flash from interference when she's around (but not always, there's places you can look and find her without knowing her presence).
The SAW movies are just hilarious pieces of crap.
"Hello, I'm a robot on a tricycle trying to be scary. Whoooo!"