OKAY! WHAT IS HORROR?!

I think it's time for a refresher course on what horror is. This is not for reasoning horror fans, readers and film fans (and both). This is for those persons that I think are clueless. 

Okay, class! Dictionary definition of 'Horror:'


"an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear: to shrink back from a mutilated corpse in horror..."

Horror makes us uncomfortable. That's what it does. It may do it in a variety of ways. Its power is immense. It can be psychological and affect one's thinking. It may make us check the doors at night to see if they are locked (when we know they are)!

It unsettles us. 

Horror is supposed to scare us, it may repulse us. If we don't wish these things to happen then we are not horror fans. If we don't like horror, we should stay the hell away from it. 

That is so easy to understand a gnat would get it. Sadly, many people don't. Gnats sometimes rule, though. 

Basically, monsters make up the stuff that is horror. Zombies, evil clowns, creepy dolls, vampires, ghouls, werewolves...even serial killers. 

Remember Freddy Krueger?

Horror puts us in situations that may very well give us nightmares. But it is our choice. If we know we might get scared and 'grossed out' , it is up to us to read a book or see a film or not to! No one is holding a gun to our head. On second thought, maybe that is good. Maybe that would be a good horror story!

Seriously, you and I both know exactly what horror is. I know you know. I particularly know the readers of this blog know. You're not stupid. 

What about the others? Those folks that might slow down at car accidents and never miss the news, never turning the channel, no matter what is being shown--how about them? I think a great many of them might think they don't like horror, when I think they might be a little morbid.

Horror has horror in it, OR IT WOULD NOT BE CALLED HORROR. I really don't think that's a mind bender nor do I think a person has to be a rocket scientist to understand the premise. 

I happen to love horror, I write and read it and watch it in film. I do not slow down at car accidents, I do not like to watch the horror on the news that I find is too real, and having said that, I don't phone the news channels up and complain. I can change the channel.

Okay, so why am I having a bit of rant? I'm having it because every now and then people piss me off, those that I think can't find their way out of a room. If you don't like horror, stay away from it. If you do like it, enjoy getting scared!

I FIND IT TO BE A GREAT DIVERSION FROM THE REAL HORROR THAT IS ALL AROUND US. THE DROWNED CHILD WASHED UP ON A TURKISH BEACH. JESUS CHRIST, THAT GOT ME! 

I think I'll escape later and watch Misery. That's one of my fave films. I like to watch the insanity of the character, Annie Wilkes, she looks to me like someone who would think something was too violent, too horrible, this, while she keeps brutalizing a hostage in her house. Yes, murderous, insane Annie Wilkes, I think she's the poster girl for a great deal of issues. She doesn't like cursing. Remember, poop! She's quite capable of breaking bones and amputating feet however!