A Horrific Discussion... (Smart people needed!)

[nellus ecilam]

If you know anything about me then you would know that one of my deep seated obsessions is with the genre of horror..
Games, movies, books, everything horror I will at least take a look at it! Horror to me is fascinating! Particularly psychological horror, which I will hunt down every trace of till the end of my days!

So my question is, what is your guys general opinion on horror? And a more interesting topic I want to discuss is what constitutes good horror? And what makes bad horror?

[Naroni]

I feel horror movies are only good during the Halloween times.
And A good horror movie is one that is not predictable, and has a well planned plot line.

[nellus ecilam]

Naroni

I feel horror movies are only good during the Halloween times.
And A good horror movie is one that is not predictable, and has a well planned plot line.

True...
Oddly enough I never watched late night horror movies on Halloween... Ever.. I probably should..

[Naroni]

nellus ecilam

Naroni

I feel horror movies are only good during the Halloween times.
And A good horror movie is one that is not predictable, and has a well planned plot line.

True...
Oddly enough I never watched late night horror movies on Halloween... Ever.. I probably should..

You should, it raises your appreciation wayyy up!

[nellus ecilam]

Naroni

nellus ecilam

Naroni

I feel horror movies are only good during the Halloween times.
And A good horror movie is one that is not predictable, and has a well planned plot line.

True...
Oddly enough I never watched late night horror movies on Halloween... Ever.. I probably should..

You should, it raises your appreciation wayyy up!

I guess I will!
Any recommendation? (Other then Trick R Treat.)

[Naroni]

nellus ecilam

Naroni

nellus ecilam

Naroni

I feel horror movies are only good during the Halloween times.
And A good horror movie is one that is not predictable, and has a well planned plot line.

True...
Oddly enough I never watched late night horror movies on Halloween... Ever.. I probably should..

You should, it raises your appreciation wayyy up!

I guess I will!
Any recommendation? (Other then Trick R Treat.)

Cabin in the Woods
Jeepers Creepers
Man it's been a while, I'm not sure what else. Both those are two that have given me the creeps, ugh just thinking about em, it gets me

[Professor Giggles]

I like horror movies too.

Although I can't think of a time where a horror film has actually made me scared in the traditional sense, a few of them have come close to doing so. Those are my favorites. I get more of a uncomfortable or unnerving feeling from them. Like you, I mainly find them really interesting.

I think the most interesting are the ones that have the least explanation (Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Strangers). If you haven't seen either of those, I strongly suggest it. They don't tell you to think or be interested in any one particular scene, piece of dialog or action. They're put together in such a way that effects you enough to want to look further into certain psychological aspects. They’re a lot more subtle.

A lot of horror films today are too obvious. They use jump scares and too many typical “movie based” techniques (excessive amounts of blood, gore and things like that) to scare the audience. I always use the first Resident Evil as an example, because I think it’s a great simulation of really being scared. They used the core gameplay to scare you. You know, you’re playing as a character where it’s very uncomfortable to move. Then you get a little adjusted to your surroundings, but when a zombie pops out you’d panic, which is of course a very human reaction. The game wasn’t telling you to panic; you did it on your own. The fear comes more from you and the situation you’re in, not scary visuals on the screen.

So while Resident Evil and the films I mentioned don’t use the same techniques to get a reaction out of you, they have a similar personal psychological element and give you the same feelings. Feelings more that just being spooked for a minute.

... Hope that made sense. sweatdrop

[nellus ecilam]

Naroni

nellus ecilam

Naroni

nellus ecilam

Naroni

I feel horror movies are only good during the Halloween times.
And A good horror movie is one that is not predictable, and has a well planned plot line.

True...
Oddly enough I never watched late night horror movies on Halloween... Ever.. I probably should..

You should, it raises your appreciation wayyy up!

I guess I will!
Any recommendation? (Other then Trick R Treat.)

Cabin in the Woods
Jeepers Creepers
Man it's been a while, I'm not sure what else. Both those are two that have given me the creeps, ugh just thinking about em, it gets me

I actually love both of those movies!
(Jeepers Creepers... Less so But still)
Imma make sure to watch em both next halloween!

[nellus ecilam]

Professor Giggles

I like horror movies too.

Although I can't think of a time where a horror film has actually made me scared in the traditional sense, a few of them have come close to doing so. Those are my favorites. I get more of a uncomfortable or unnerving feeling from them. Like you, I mainly find them really interesting.

I think the most interesting are the ones that have the least explanation (Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Strangers). If you haven't seen either of those, I strongly suggest it. They don't tell you to think or be interested in any one particular scene, piece of dialog or action. They're put together in such a way that effects you enough to want to look further into certain psychological aspects. They’re a lot more subtle.

A lot of horror films today are too obvious. They use jump scares and too many typical “movie based” techniques (excessive amounts of blood, gore and things like that) to scare the audience. I always use the first Resident Evil as an example, because I think it’s a great simulation of really being scared. They used the core gameplay to scare you. You know, you’re playing as a character where it’s very uncomfortable to move. Then you get a little adjusted to your surroundings, but when a zombie pops out you’d panic, which is of course a very human reaction. The game wasn’t telling you to panic; you did it on your own. The fear comes more from you and the situation you’re in, not scary visuals on the screen.

So while Resident Evil and the films I mentioned don’t use the same techniques to get a reaction out of you, they have a similar personal psychological element and give you the same feelings. Feelings more that just being spooked for a minute.

... Hope that made sense. sweatdrop

I understand almost perfectly!
To the point where I literally went on for a half an hour talking about why tank controls in survival horror is one of the only example's of making you feel what your character feels in game.

Because if you limit the amount of solutions you have to a problem, then you panic when that problem arises and fear the time when a new more difficult problem arises almost to the point of becoming pale.

So how much survival horror have you played?

[Kerubiel]

In my opinion, the best kind of horror isn't that which frightens you, but the psychological kind that makes the viewer or the player feel very unsettled and uncomfortable. Feeling constantly uneasy is a lot scarier than being suddenly frightened by a jump scare or something. The most important element of horror is the atmosphere.

You have the obvious things that fall into this category, like the Alien movies, the F.E.A.R. series, Amnesia, Silent Hill, etc. But I think a few movies and games accidentally become psychological horror because of how creepy they are. My favorite examples include the 2004 movie "Stay," LSD Dream Emulator, and Memory of a Broken Dimension, to name a few.

I might edit this post with more if I can remember anything interesting.

[NataliePatalie]

Kerubiel

In my opinion, the best kind of horror isn't that which frightens you, but the psychological kind that makes the viewer or the player feel very unsettled and uncomfortable. Feeling constantly uneasy is a lot scarier than being suddenly frightened by a jump scare or something. The most important element of horror is the atmosphere.

This is basically how I feel but worded much nicer :3

Jump scares and things like that can be kind of scary...during the second they're happening. The really scary things are the ones that stick with you (which to me are things that give me the unsettled feeling).

I was mentioning this is another thread a few minutes ago but I think it's more fitting here. A long time ago I watched The Poughkeepsie Tapes and to this day it is the scariest thing I've ever seen. I was freaked out during the whole thing and parts of it STILL bother me if I take long enough to think about it! Sometimes when I'm alone at night I'll look at my closet, in fear a man in a Venetian mask will come crawling out LOL.

So yeah. I think that feeling is how you know you watched a good horror movie.

[Doghouse Reilly]

I think good horror is the sort of thing that truly gets under your skin. It's something that frightens you on an immediate, visceral level, but also touches upon some broader human fear.

[Professor Giggles]

nellus ecilam

Professor Giggles

I like horror movies too.

Although I can't think of a time where a horror film has actually made me scared in the traditional sense, a few of them have come close to doing so. Those are my favorites. I get more of a uncomfortable or unnerving feeling from them. Like you, I mainly find them really interesting.

I think the most interesting are the ones that have the least explanation (Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Strangers). If you haven't seen either of those, I strongly suggest it. They don't tell you to think or be interested in any one particular scene, piece of dialog or action. They're put together in such a way that effects you enough to want to look further into certain psychological aspects. They’re a lot more subtle.

A lot of horror films today are too obvious. They use jump scares and too many typical “movie based” techniques (excessive amounts of blood, gore and things like that) to scare the audience. I always use the first Resident Evil as an example, because I think it’s a great simulation of really being scared. They used the core gameplay to scare you. You know, you’re playing as a character where it’s very uncomfortable to move. Then you get a little adjusted to your surroundings, but when a zombie pops out you’d panic, which is of course a very human reaction. The game wasn’t telling you to panic; you did it on your own. The fear comes more from you and the situation you’re in, not scary visuals on the screen.

So while Resident Evil and the films I mentioned don’t use the same techniques to get a reaction out of you, they have a similar personal psychological element and give you the same feelings. Feelings more that just being spooked for a minute.

... Hope that made sense. sweatdrop

I understand almost perfectly!
To the point where I literally went on for a half an hour talking about why tank controls in survival horror is one of the only example's of making you feel what your character feels in game.

Because if you limit the amount of solutions you have to a problem, then you panic when that problem arises and fear the time when a new more difficult problem arises almost to the point of becoming pale.

So how much survival horror have you played?

I think the only ones I've played are most of the Resident Evil series, Silent Hill, Dead Space, and F.E.A.R. As I've hinted to before, I thought Resident Evil was fantastic. It did what it was supposed to really well and very simply. Silent Hill being an extremely atmospheric game was without a doubt it's strength, because, as most would agree, atmosphere or the over all tone of something plays a big part in whether it's scary or not. The other two, however, fell a little flat for me. I just didn't think they used any one technique as well as RE and SH. Admittedly, I don't remember F.E.A.R. that well, so I could be wrong about that. I just remember it not resonating that well with me.

[[NPC] VP Diedrich]

Professor Giggles

nellus ecilam

Professor Giggles

I like horror movies too.

Although I can't think of a time where a horror film has actually made me scared in the traditional sense, a few of them have come close to doing so. Those are my favorites. I get more of a uncomfortable or unnerving feeling from them. Like you, I mainly find them really interesting.

I think the most interesting are the ones that have the least explanation (Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Strangers). If you haven't seen either of those, I strongly suggest it. They don't tell you to think or be interested in any one particular scene, piece of dialog or action. They're put together in such a way that effects you enough to want to look further into certain psychological aspects. They’re a lot more subtle.

A lot of horror films today are too obvious. They use jump scares and too many typical “movie based” techniques (excessive amounts of blood, gore and things like that) to scare the audience. I always use the first Resident Evil as an example, because I think it’s a great simulation of really being scared. They used the core gameplay to scare you. You know, you’re playing as a character where it’s very uncomfortable to move. Then you get a little adjusted to your surroundings, but when a zombie pops out you’d panic, which is of course a very human reaction. The game wasn’t telling you to panic; you did it on your own. The fear comes more from you and the situation you’re in, not scary visuals on the screen.

So while Resident Evil and the films I mentioned don’t use the same techniques to get a reaction out of you, they have a similar personal psychological element and give you the same feelings. Feelings more that just being spooked for a minute.

... Hope that made sense. sweatdrop

I understand almost perfectly!
To the point where I literally went on for a half an hour talking about why tank controls in survival horror is one of the only example's of making you feel what your character feels in game.

Because if you limit the amount of solutions you have to a problem, then you panic when that problem arises and fear the time when a new more difficult problem arises almost to the point of becoming pale.

So how much survival horror have you played?

I think the only ones I've played are most of the Resident Evil series, Silent Hill, Dead Space, and F.E.A.R. As I've hinted to before, I thought Resident Evil was fantastic. It did what it was supposed to really well and very simply. Silent Hill being an extremely atmospheric game was without a doubt it's strength, because, as most would agree, atmosphere or the over all tone of something plays a big part in whether it's scary or not. The other two, however, fell a little flat for me. I just didn't think they used any one technique as well as RE and SH. Admittedly, I don't remember F.E.A.R. that well, so I could be wrong about that.

Did you know that if you are a human that you are about to be taken over by animals on my birthday and we might boop you on the nose with a paper if you get out of control? Ok, have a gift and byebye!

[Tickyette]

For me, when it comes to horror I like a good pace and tension. The kind of tension that leads to something disturbing or unexpected and not to a jump scare or shock tactic. Too many movies use the paranormal jump scares or add as much nastiness and gore they can for shock value.

I like the kind of movies that leave you squirming in your seat a bit, but my favorites are the films that make you go, "Oh, that movie was okay" and then it creeps into your thoughts when you're trying to sleep. I like the heart-pumping, spine-tingling feeling you get after you watch a movie. To me that means it left an impact.

I also love but hate horror movies that are about parasites or people getting experimented on or pregnant women. (e.g. Alien, Bug, The Human Centipede, The Fly, Rosemary's Baby, Inside, etc.) There is just something terrifying about something being inside my body or a stranger using my body or violating it in a disturbing or perverted way or even the morphing of my body. (Not a movie, but I remember reading a graphic novel called Black Hole that was about an STD that caused deformities and that disturbed me for a long time.) Those kind of movies really get to me.