The horror genre is near impossible to define in a single sentence. Wikipedia, for instance, quotes J.A. Cuddon (author of Dictionary of Literary Terms) as defining a horror story as “a piece of fiction in prose of variable length… which shocks or even frightens the reader, or perhaps induces a feeling of repulsion or loathing.” Dictionary.com has three separate definitions to be attributed to horror:
- (noun) an overwhelming and painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting; a shuddering fear;
- (adj) inspiring or creating horror, loathing, aversion, etc.:
- centered upon or depicting terrifying or macabre events
3 of the 4 definition focus on the audience’s emotions rather than a set of defining plot elements. Even within these definitions, they struggle to come up with a unifying effect of horror.
There’s a general acceptance that horror is meant to scare you, but even that’s a broad definition that encompasses neither the variety of appropriate reactions to a horror movie nor the various plot elements that can push an audience’s buttons. What genre definition can include the supernatural, the extraterrestrial, the all-too-human, and the downright monstrous without focusing on the emotions of the audience?
What do we want out of horror? In talking with a wide variety of people, we all want different emotions out of the genre. Some like feeling frightened and even paranoid, some like the instantaneous funhouse shock of the moment, some want to feel dirty and grimy having seen a movie deal with the dregs of humanity. Others want a social commentary, as horror is a great way to make a metaphor out of larger societal issues.
Me, I used to love the gross out, the revulsion of a good death and the squick of graphic violence and plentiful bodily fluids. Then, I loved wallowing in the grime of people doing the worst possible decision at every possible moment. I love the surprise of a spontaneous out-of-left-field death scene. I enjoy laughing through the fear. I also like a complicated horror, one that has a bit more on its mind than just racking up the death count. Flipping that, I need a stronger roller coaster than most people. I need payoffs to be as big and bold as the tension. I don’t care how thoughtful the set pieces are, you just need to bring the noise.
But, what about you? What gets your black goat? What do you like about the genre and why do you like feeling that way?