What is it about horror-suspense that
people love? Is it the blood and guts? Is it that creeping feeling of dread you get when a killer stalks his hapless victim? Are you one of those freaks that like seeing
heads ripped off, bodies disemboweled, limbs ripped out of sockets, and blood
splattering everywhere. Are you a fan of horror fiction? Or maybe you’re
the type that likes to read frightening horror suspense novels late
at night,
when the rest of the world is sleeping? I used to read a
lot of Stephen King books when I was younger. I can’t even begin to count the
many sleepless nights I’ve had because of that man’s work. Some of my favorite horror-suspense movies were adaptations of King's books. The great thing about horror
fiction is that it is so broad. Most genres are very broad. However, no genre is as
broad as horror fiction is while still maintaining a very clear and defined goal: scare
the hell out of someone. But this website was created to focus on those movies that deftly combine true horror with spine-tingling suspense. And there are several horror trailers for past and future horror movies here also.
Horror-Suspense...So Good It's Scary!
Do you like the intense fear and
throbbing dread you get when you’re watching an evil monster like Freddy Kreuger or other demon horror movie villains?
In short, horror fiction is any fiction, whether on film or in literature, that is intended to frighten, unsettle, or terrify. The story can do this in several ways. The horror story can frighten by using horrible villains that commit evil, unspeakable acts. The story can unsettle through the use of spooky settings that create a creepy and nervous ambiance. And the story can terrify by utilizing extreme violence and gratuitous blood and gore.
The Shining Poster Buy at AllPosters.com | 
Shaun Of The Dead Poster Buy at AllPosters.com |
Horror Movies
Horror movies have always been popular on the big screen. Now it's even possible to watch online horror movies also. There are three types of
horror film: The horror-of-personality film, the horror-of-the-demonic film,
and the horror-of-Armageddon film.
- The horror-of-personality film focuses on the personality, or characteristic of the antagonist. Usually the antagonist is someone that appears normal, but is secretly and evil, or perhaps misunderstood, being. A perfect example of this sub-genre is Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Psycho, The Shining, and more recently, the movie Saw.
- The horror-of-the-demonic
film is the earliest of all the sub-genres. This type of film often
features an antagonist that is supernatural. The antagonist may be a
demon, or Jinn, or alien, or even an animal like a giant crocodile.
Whatever the creature, whether a vampire, or werewolf, or ghost, the
antagonist must be unnatural and un-human. Examples of these movies are
Nosferatu, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Excorcist.
- The horror-of-Armageddon film is relatively new. This type of film attempts to signify the end of the world, or at least the end of the world as we know it, because of some horrific event. The antagonist in these movies are not always just one individual. Very often the antagonist may be an event or a group of beings. Examples of these types of movies are Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, The Night of the Living Dead, and Resident Evil.
Horror in Literature
Book publishers have made a killing of of horror fiction - no pun intended. Horror has been in
literature for a long time. Many cultures used oral horror fiction to teach
lessons, explain the unknown, or simply to entertain. As the novel became a
popular form of entertainment, several horror fiction stories became famous
written stories. These novels became the basis for most horror fiction, in both
movies and books.Horror fiction, fantasy fiction, and science fiction make up the basics of speculative fiction. There are several pages on this site dedicated to all of these genres. If you want to read more speculative fiction books, I would suggest you read some of my top ten lists, or join a reading group like a horror club or science fiction book club.
The classic master of horror fiction literature is undeniably Edgar Allen Poe. He embraced and crafted the genre in ways no one before him was able to do. Poe was able to transmit his fear of death onto the page, and pass it along to all who read his work. Edgar Allen Poe wrote such frightening tales such as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cast of Amontillado, and The House of Usher. In addition to these great stories, he also wrote horror poetry like The Raven (my personal favorite) and The Conqueror Worm.
Besides the works of Poe, there are two other novels that helped to shape and create the modern horror fiction genre. These are Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stroker’s Dracula. These novels typify two classic characters of horror fiction, the evil (or misunderstood) genius, and the debonair vampire. These two novels have spawned dozens of copycat movies and novels.
While I am a great fan of
horror fiction, I don’t write that genre exclusively. I would probably classify my novel as a mystery or maybe a science fiction book. However, I do include
several horror themes in several of my stories. For example, the antagonist, an
evil Jinn or demon, wants possesses people and makes them do horrible things.
There is also a wannabe vampire character, and a few scenes of intense dread. I hope it attracts the eye of book publishers when it's ready.
Besides The Jinn, I have also written a short story about werewolves and another one about a real vampire. The thing that I love about writing horror, is that I usually frighten myself as well with what I write. Some of the stuff I’ve written has made me wonder about the depths of my own madness.
