What makes something scary?

[SilentMute]

I have two goals: One, I would like to write a really scary novel. Two, I would like to make a very scary video game once I learn my level editor.

I am a horror fan, I admit. I particularly love Japanese horrors. The Japanese are masters at psychological scares.

I have been interested in what generates a fear response. Now, fear is probably individualized to some degree. For instance, while the Saw movies were disturbing...I wasn't scared. As a general rule, serial killers don't scare me because they are human--and therefore, I feel like I can defend myself against them. I'm not afraid of things I feel I have a chance of overcoming.

While most ghost stories don't seem to be true, something like The Grudge does scare me. It scares me for two reasons. One, a person can walk into a place or situation and not realize they are in danger. But mainly, it is for reason two: if there is such a thing as supernatural vengeance, the playing field is definitely unfair. How can you fight a ghost? Of course, supposedly there are limitations and weapons you can use...but whether they are effective, who knows? I guess there is a third reason too--the fear that a normally moral person can suddenly do something so horrific and hurt those he loves.

I can list number of tricks in horror movies that can scare you. Lighting and timing seems to be important. Though I like all The Grudge movies, I have to admit that the later versions failed to produce the same reactions that the first movie is still capable of producing within me.

This has scared me three times, even though it is a fake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jkJmcgkDLI

[Wilde woman]

Funny that this should pop up now. I just had a similar discussion in my literary theory class. We were discussing Freud's "The Uncanny".

For me, what makes something eerie is a figure that combines the familiar with the strange. For example, dolls, mannequins, puppets, clowns, and zombies are somewhat frightening because they so closely resemble human beings, but there's something off about them. I believe there's a term for that same-but-different thing, which evokes fear in people, but I can't think of it off the top of my head.

I'm not at all a horror fan, but my boyfriend enjoys them. Whenever we go see horror movies, I spend most of the time with my face buried in his shoulder, trying not to look at the screen. One movie that really freaked me out was Dario Argento's short film, Jennifer. There are lots of obvious uncanny and sexual moments in there which I could not get out of my head afterwards, and gave me nightmares for a few weeks.

[soundofmusic]

I think playing on peoples basic fears: being trapped, being deserted, loss of sexual organs, an evil child, being attacked in a safe environment...

[SilentMute]

Good points!

I was surprised this post didn't get more responses. I wonder if people don't like to talk about it, or people just don't have anything to say.

@Wilde woman--going further with your comment...I think it is also that many of those things are considered harmless as well. It is more frightening when you hear that a priest or a police officer committed a crime than a slum kid. You expect a slum kid to do criminal things, but a priest and a police officer are supposed to be people you can trust. That is why I have always felt that people in positions of trust should get heavier sentences when they do something that violates that trust.

[Patrick_Bateman]

I think it has to evoke something personal and unique to each individual person's mind

I don't think any creation in film or literature has in itself been enough to frighten. I think what's scary is what is able to conjure up disturbing or uncomfortable thoughts, anxieties and images in your mind.

[Paulclem]

Creating fear is difficult in literature because so much of it has been done. You soon become immune - as I did after reading horror pulp for years as a teen. They quickly degenerate into gore/ revulsion - as they do in the SAW movies. I watched one last night IV, and it wasn't scary - it just evoked an -"I bet that smarts" - response.

I think one area that hasn't been explored as much is the monster within type idea. I'm thinking of Angel Heart with Mickey Rourke where he - the private detective - is hired by Lucifer, (as it turns out), and we, the viewer, discover that Angel is the perpetrator of the horrible crimes. I thought it was quite well done.

Yes Sounds - I watched the Wallachi Papers in my teens, and it did evoke a certain fear.