FEAR
Guy de Maupassant once wrote: the horrible— that well-known word means much more than the terrible. In order that we should experience horror, something more is needed than the mere excitation of the soul, something more than the spectacle of the dreadful death; there must be a shuddering sense of mystery or a sensation of abnormal terror beyond the lines of nature.
Whether terror is supernatural, paranormal, or psychological, they have one thing in common… fear… and fear is a great tool. A fundamental emotion fused into the most basic creatures of the natural world, not just us humans. The difference—we humans understand it is a tool, and it can be used. Fear can be the deadliest of weapons or a source of great pleasure. Tap in, dig within yourself, understand what makes you scared, what really makes you scared… is it zombies, vampires, ghosts… werewolves… really, do they? Or are they simply entertaining stories enjoyed while reading a book, watching a movie, or sitting around the campfire?
BOO… come on, zombies, vampires… ghosts? I’m sure Twilight and Underworld killed the vamp and werewolf angle for a lot of us anyway, at least for a while. Not that I had a fang or wolf tale in mind, but I’m sure others had. If you are one, keep the faith… their immortal.
I challenge a question: how many different ways can/should “I Am Legend” be re-told? There is only one Richard Matheson… and George A. Romero (who probably was inspired by Matheson's vampires) holds, and killed, the zombie title… zombies are dead, sorry, but come on... enough already. Many of today's writers focus too much on the shock value of ultra-violence and gore. Personally, I would be more worried about whatever was hiding in the shadows behind me over the zombie standing in front of me.
It's the thought of what could happen that scares us, the waiting, the unknowing. Frightened people can be far more horrifying then any creature you or I could create. The tale should be more about how the people react to one another, not what is actually happening and trying to eat them.
Horror is fear, and fear is very real. That feeling of impending danger is overpowering… and it doesn’t matter whether the threat is real or imagined, being afraid is being afraid, and that makes it real. Don’t believe me, okay, try convincing some kid— who just seen and heard something in their closet—that nothing is there. That their terror is imaginary, the whole “you’re just seeing things” tact almost never works… better yet, try convening some adults.
Believes are strong, they give power to…wait— was that a noise you just heard downstairs… maybe you should check it out? Hold on, no really, what was that shadow that just moved across your wall, you saw it, didn't you reader? There, what was that sound, please tell me you’re not home alone? Fear not reader, I’m sure it was nothing, I mean— what are the odds that someone, or thing, is creeping up your stairs or crawling across the dark floor unseen. Never mind the extreme unlikelihood that some strung-out street kid is trying to find, and open, that one unlocked forgotten window downstairs.
On the other hand, maybe it was.
We all like the things that go bump in the night, those creatures prowling around the back shadows of our minds. The unknowns that mesmerize us. The suspense of what’s about to happen, that anticipation of what’s lurking behind our doors, or suspended from the shady rafters above. Haunting the corners darkness. When we start to believe we felt a breath, smelt an odor… or heard a noise. Sometimes it’s just a feeling, most times it’s just a feeling—right reader?
E. Henson
www.hensonfiction.com
Whether terror is supernatural, paranormal, or psychological, they have one thing in common… fear… and fear is a great tool. A fundamental emotion fused into the most basic creatures of the natural world, not just us humans. The difference—we humans understand it is a tool, and it can be used. Fear can be the deadliest of weapons or a source of great pleasure. Tap in, dig within yourself, understand what makes you scared, what really makes you scared… is it zombies, vampires, ghosts… werewolves… really, do they? Or are they simply entertaining stories enjoyed while reading a book, watching a movie, or sitting around the campfire?
BOO… come on, zombies, vampires… ghosts? I’m sure Twilight and Underworld killed the vamp and werewolf angle for a lot of us anyway, at least for a while. Not that I had a fang or wolf tale in mind, but I’m sure others had. If you are one, keep the faith… their immortal.
I challenge a question: how many different ways can/should “I Am Legend” be re-told? There is only one Richard Matheson… and George A. Romero (who probably was inspired by Matheson's vampires) holds, and killed, the zombie title… zombies are dead, sorry, but come on... enough already. Many of today's writers focus too much on the shock value of ultra-violence and gore. Personally, I would be more worried about whatever was hiding in the shadows behind me over the zombie standing in front of me.
It's the thought of what could happen that scares us, the waiting, the unknowing. Frightened people can be far more horrifying then any creature you or I could create. The tale should be more about how the people react to one another, not what is actually happening and trying to eat them.
Horror is fear, and fear is very real. That feeling of impending danger is overpowering… and it doesn’t matter whether the threat is real or imagined, being afraid is being afraid, and that makes it real. Don’t believe me, okay, try convincing some kid— who just seen and heard something in their closet—that nothing is there. That their terror is imaginary, the whole “you’re just seeing things” tact almost never works… better yet, try convening some adults.
Believes are strong, they give power to…wait— was that a noise you just heard downstairs… maybe you should check it out? Hold on, no really, what was that shadow that just moved across your wall, you saw it, didn't you reader? There, what was that sound, please tell me you’re not home alone? Fear not reader, I’m sure it was nothing, I mean— what are the odds that someone, or thing, is creeping up your stairs or crawling across the dark floor unseen. Never mind the extreme unlikelihood that some strung-out street kid is trying to find, and open, that one unlocked forgotten window downstairs.
On the other hand, maybe it was.
We all like the things that go bump in the night, those creatures prowling around the back shadows of our minds. The unknowns that mesmerize us. The suspense of what’s about to happen, that anticipation of what’s lurking behind our doors, or suspended from the shady rafters above. Haunting the corners darkness. When we start to believe we felt a breath, smelt an odor… or heard a noise. Sometimes it’s just a feeling, most times it’s just a feeling—right reader?
E. Henson
www.hensonfiction.com
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