Not pertaining to games, movies, books, etc. specifically, but rather the genre as a whole. Discuss your thoughts on what makes horror horror, give a recommendation (or a friendly "stay away from that pile of steaming shit!"), explain why you enjoy (or don't) horror. Just do what you want, really.

I was a little sad when I searched and found that every horror thread made so far has either been purely recommendations or has been specific to a single medium, so I decided this may be a good idea.

Starting off, I'll post a bit of a rant that I threw at my friends the other day (which none of them cared about in the slightest).

I despise the fact that people assume horror MUST be scary. What about disturbance, dread, isolation, paranoia, viscerality, etc? There are so many kinds of horror, yet people tend to focus on the cheapest, most basic, and least cathartic type of all. I mean, I enjoy a good scare every once in a while, too, but there's only so much basic fear once can experience before it just doesn't work anymore.

That being said, here's Alone in the Dark 1-3 for giving the thread a look: J8Q66WYTNVCU7BZQ

I'm too tired to get into it now but horror really is my reason for being, be it films or books or games. To me a bad horror move is still a REALLY GOOD FUCKING MOVIE! :D

I like many types of horror movies and stories, but one thing I don't particularly care for are slasher flicks. I generally don't find any appeal to them at all.

That being said, way, way back in my university days my buddy and I used to rent stacks of VHS horror flicks (remember VHS?) and spend all day Saturday or Sunday watching them. Some were terrible, and others were hidden gems. Others were... well, we liked them, but I doubt many other people would (unless they're hardcore horror fans). Good times.

Nightrunner, thanks for that. That's the first giveaway I won.

I think what makes good horror is the slow build up of terror. It's best if you don't see the actual baddie, monster. Because one's imagination can be greater than anything seen on screen. An example of this is, I forget the name of the movie, it was about a driver who accidently pissed off a truck driver. The rest of the movie had the truck driver trying to kill him. It starred the actor who starred in the old tv series Mcloud.
Now, if they had shown the truck driver, it would've ruined the whole experience. I'm not saying that this movie is a great example of horror. But it is a good example of suspense build up and not showing the big baddie.

Duel, based on a short story by Richard Matheson.
It was that director's debut and his most famous work, unless you count Jaws, Close Encounters, Indiana Jones 1-3, Schindler's List, E.T. just to name a few. :D

That's right. I'm not surprised that someone knew the name, but I'm impressed that you know who wrote it off the top of your head.

That author wrote "I am Legend", "Hell House", and several of the most famous Twilight Zone episodes ever produced. That is how I knew it; I'm not smart I'm just a huge fan if that stuff.

That was Duel, starring Dennis Weaver. Interestingly, the film was directed by Stephen Spielberg.

*edit* Holy crap, I'm slowing down in my dotage...

Haha, i feel exactly the same way about slasher flicks, though I really enjoyed the Maniac remake with Elijah Wood. Imagine watching that kind of movie through something like the Oculus Rift. I have been on a movie binge as of late, though I unfortunately don't have anyone close who shares my love for the genre.

Also, I've been getting into Visual Novels lately, but I've been really disappointed so far that there aren't many "interactive fictions" in the horror genre aside from hentai/yandere games.

I am actually quite disappointed by what passes for "horror" these days in books. So far, the only authors I've found that really create a sense of dread are John Bellairs and Lovecraft. Maybe Poe, but it's been so long since I've read his stuff, and I have a suspicion that these days I'd find him to be a bit overly-dramatic.

I loved the movie "The Woman In Black." I hadn't realized it was a book first. I haven't read it yet, but I did read another one recently by the same author (Susan Hill) and it was dreadful. Things were left unresolved, and she seemed more in love with scene descriptions than anything else.

I belonged to the Dorchester horror book club for years and discovered some good books that way, but also a lot of duds, sometimes both from the same author (eg, Richard Laymon: "In The Dark" was great; "The Woods Are Dark" should never have seen print).

I enjoy slasher flicks now and then, but I tend to prefer movies that have a sense of mystery and atmosphere rather than blatant bloodshed.

I thought Brian Keene started off pretty well, but then to me his books just became cliches and started to suffer from the "no real ending" ailment (I'm looking at you, "Darkness on The Edge of Town").

I imagine the general public tends to not consider the Bizarro genre when thinking about horror, but some of those writers can put horror writers to shame when it comes to raw, visceral grotesqueness. Andersen Prunty's "Sociopaths in Love" is a good example, and underneath it is a social commentary not often present in mainstream fluff.

http://bizarrocentral.com/

The Haunted Vagina
Ass Goblins of Auschwitz

O.o You have piqued my curiosity, sir/ma'am.

Anyone want to not be so intellectual for a few minutes? :P For Christmas I picked up the 2 disc special edition of Cannibal Holocaust! :D Party!

The imagination can always conjure up something more terrifying than what's on screen, for sure! :D

Well admittiedly yeah.. after i saw the first one i kept looking over my shoulder late at nights when i heard noises....hahahhaha