Classic Trash discussion

In the horror genre, what are some of your favorite settings for a scary story? Is there a setting where, if you see it in a book description, you just have to read that book?

For me, it would have to be a haunted house. It doesn't matter the house - English manor house or modern contemporary - just that it's haunted.

I am always drawn to isolated villages. There is a secret that everyone knows but the newcomer. Ex. The Fog, Harvest Home, Salem's Lot.

Kathy wrote: "I am always drawn to isolated villages. There is a secret that everyone knows but the newcomer. Ex. The Fog, Harvest Home, Salem's Lot."

Kathy,

That is a good spooky setting. And no one to turn to for help (shudder).

I've been thinking about this for days. I don't read a ton of horror novels, but I watch a crazy amount of horror movies. (A TON.) I think I am more interested in the story as a whole and give little thought to the setting. (Although a creepy hotel is always interesting to me.)

Adelade,

Can you recommend any horror movies that have a hotel as a setting? I really like The Shining, so I can see the appeal of a hotel setting.

My guilty pleasure is watching tv shows with a haunted house theme. Paranormal Witness on the SyFy channel and My Haunted House on A&E are my favorites. They say they are based on true events (yeah, right), but I see them more like mini horror movies.

Cheryl wrote: "Adelade,

Can you recommend any horror movies that have a hotel as a setting? I really like The Shining, so I can see the appeal of a hotel setting."

Here is a pretty complete list from my friend Hollie. I can recommend The Beyond. (As well as Psycho!)

The List!

http://letterboxd.com/holliehorror/li...

Adelaide wrote: "The List!

http://letterboxd.com/holliehorror/li..."

Thanks, Adelaide! I've only seen a few of these. Some look like they're campy fun. I'll have to look for them.

I like carnivals... so spooky.

Cheryl wrote: "Adelade,

Can you recommend any horror movies that have a hotel as a setting? I really like The Shining, so I can see the appeal of a hotel setting."

I think the new season of American Horror Story is taking place in a hotel. Season 4 was about a carnival/freak show. I absolutely love this series. Each season is about a different horror genre but most of the actors continue from season to season in different roles. Season 1 was the haunted house. Season 2 was the insane asylum. Season 3 was about a school for witches. I am only starting Season 4.

Sarah wrote: "I like carnivals... so spooky."

Sarah, that's a good setting, too. How do you feel about clowns - creepy or not?

Kathy,

I'll have to check out American Horror Story. I've never seen it.

Not so creepy, but fun to watch in horror movies.

I love the horror of HP Lovecraft. The isolated setting is the best. Many of the X-Files stories set in isolated situations (like the Pacific NW forest with the bugs or the Arctic with the worms) worked wonderfully.

Yeah, those are some of my favorite episodes.

I love HP Lovecraft, too. He reminds me a lot of Poe. The build up and suspense of his writing is scarier than the actual monsters.

Kirsten and Kathy,

Lovecraft is a favorite of mine, too. His slow build up and that feeling of dread really get to me.

Isolated settings are spooky, the more remote the better. I guess it's knowing there's no one nearby to help that makes it scary.

Rats in the Walls is soooo scarey. I read it while in an old decrepit hotel in Northern England at two or three in the morning (jet lag). It was soooooo scarey.

I remember Rats in The Wall! Ugh, but what a perfect place to read it. It has been years since I have thought of that story.

Yes! I agree about Rats in the Wall!

It from forever ago and still scary. Not as scary as the teachers' staff room on a Saturday morning.

Horror settings for me is a dark woods of course at night or driving through them alone especially when there's no cell service. Or a deserted graveyard. I have an anthology of vampire stories which is my favorite reading on a dark stormy night.

Quirkyreader wrote: "I love all types of horror, granted the last Bentley Little book I read turned my stomach a bit."

What was the book's title and what was stomach churning? You've made me curious now.

I read Meg at the beach this summer.

A couple of very specific favorites:

The Antarctic chill of "At the Mountains of Madness", and the old textile mill (and assorted basements) of King's short story "Graveyard Shift". That second one I really can't shake.

I just got this book out from my library: Flight or Fright edited by Stephen King and Bev Vincent

It's a collection of horror stories set on airplanes. That struck me as an interesting setting.

I too love the "strange small town" trope in horror. My favorite examples would be Cornwall Coombe in Harvest Home Sleepy Hollow in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Crybbe in Curfew and Gilead in The Ceremonies

The haunted house or building where bad things happen is another setting I love. My favorite examples of those would be Bly in The Turn of the Screw and the Bramford in Rosemary's Baby

I haven't found many cemetery themed horror books, but Darkness Demands was an excellent book with a strong theme of cosmic horror.

I'm getting so many reading recommendations from these posts. I love it!