How to Write Horror for Children

Today children are regularly "scared" by the most responsible parents and guardians in order to instil basic moral principles and ensure the survival of the species: it is wrong to steal, to lie, to talk to strangers, to disobey a parent's instructions. The whole purpose of horror fiction is to scare readers, but the thought that deliberately setting out to scare children is immoral and reprehensible is deeply ingrained in our society. It's probably as deep as the belief that children's literature should be useful and valuable, conveying good and sound ideals upon young and impressionable minds. The notion that children might actually enjoy being scared is an unpleasant one, because we are all aware that nobody reacts to fear in quite the same way as a child. Children suffer inexplicable and unreasonable phobias and nightmares. Children can become obsessed with a single glimpse of an image, which can cause terror for months. Yet this same little person will actively seek out a copy of Lee Striker's "Revenge of the Vampire Librarian". It doesn't make sense!
Or does it?
Horror is synonymous with "scaring", and not necessarily with an educational or moralistic purpose. One problem is the actual word Horror; it's often referred to dismissively and without positive comment. It seems difficult to say horror fiction can be a good thing and that it's acceptable, even advisable, for children to read this genre. These are points all the most successful writers in the children's horror genre acknowledge, and all approach the sensitive subject with consideration and respect. And when one considers the phenomenal growth of this genre it would seem these writers know what they're doing.
So, what happens in children's horror writing?
Most books in this genre share a similar structure or formula - a familiar situation becomes unfamiliar. Cliff-hangers are very effective, because they lead the reader along from chapter to chapter. Frequently the victim never quite escapes, and there's often a slight chill included in the ending. Here are a few points I've picked up during my research into this topic:
Know Your Audience.
Your target audience is generally aged between eight and 12 years, sometimes even 14 years. Both sexes are included, and it's worth noting this genre is encouraging boys who 'don't like reading' to change their negative attitudes towards books and reading. Noted children's horror writer Margaret Clark claims that while some of her younger readers might not understand every word in the book they are able to grasp the general storyline. She also feels reading this genre has become "cultish, so it's important to be seen reading one of these books."
Clark wrote a thesis on television and violence for her honours degree, and has an understanding of her target audience: "I watched kindergarten children playing with bits of bark trying to shoot each other, and I would say that you cannot have guns at kindergarten, and not allow violent games, but you're still going to get them jumping off the top of the climbing frame screaming 'Heroes of the Universe!' So, if you can't beat them you join them."
Empowerment is the Key.
Human beings love to be scared, and children are no exception. One of the most important points to remember when writing children's horror is to keep the victims in the story in charge of the situation. Make them take control of the story; Clark refers to this as "the safety net". So while they are frantically trying to escape from a wicked witch, dispatch a possessed toy or perhaps free a friend or family member from a nasty curse there is always hope, and always a solution. Granted, the solution may require a bit of effort and thought and application of knowledge learned, but there must always be a way to deal with a horrific situation.
Be Naughty.
It's natural for children to be naughty, so applying this aspect of childhood to this genre offers a very obvious appeal to young readers. Children love to push the boundaries, to test the limits and offer a bit of resistance to authority. In children's horror literature there's an excellent chance for a writer to allow young readers a degree of freedom to indulge their "naughtiness". For children part of the lure of reading a horror story is that some adults might not approve of the genre, but reading an exciting horror story is a pretty safe way to indulge in a bit of "naughtiness". Children's horror fiction is a way of coming to understand the ethical chaos that we all encounter in our lives, so it makes sense that a good horror story could become a benefit to many young readers.
Know the Limits.
Do not let detailed descriptions of monsters/witches/vampires and their dastardly deeds get in the way of the storyline. Do not focus on gore. Irresponsible writing can have a negative effective upon a young, growing mind. The last thing any children's horror writers wants is to be told his or her work has corrupted a young mind. Also remember that the mind and imagination of an eight year old is very different to that of a ten, 12 or even 14 year old.
Robert Hood of the "Creepers" team of writers has untaken many promotional book tours, and tells of meeting children who have read three of the books in the series in quick succession. When he asks them what their favourite bits are most of them enthused about the gory parts: "'Like where the guy pulls his face off and all the maggots fall out!' The adult were absolutely horrified, but the kids absolutely loved it." This kind of description is known as silly horror - because indeed it is silly, and in the hands of a skilled writer will not affect any impressionable mind.
Do not use horror simply for the sake of horror. Use your discretion to decide what will and will not enhance your tale. Some children's horror stories can develop from everyday fears, like relationships with siblings and loneliness. Slithering worms, oozing slime, pus and mucus are common features, but blood is used with caution. In "Revenge of the Vampire Librarian" a rust-coloured carpet stain is believed by the parents to be a water mark. According to author Margaret Clark: "Often the adults are idiots who can't see what's going on under their noses."
Do Not Go Too Far
It's not easy to justify murder and gore for children's writing. Do not turn parents or siblings into monsters, and do not inflict unnecessary and irreparable bodily damage on anybody close to the hero/s or heroine/s - including beloved pets. The villain or chief monster should symbolise a threat, but that threat should always be able to be defeated, overcome or temporarily halted. There should always be a solution. You can also emphasise good social qualities such as friendship, faith, loyalty, trust and responsibility in the story.
Control and Comedy
Writing children's horror gives you the opportunity to help your young readers realise that it's possible to confront the more scary things in life. Fear, bereavement, loss, the monster under the bed... your words can help them examine these issues, and gain some sense of power and control over them. Horror fiction offers a safe place to examine and perhaps take control over the scarier aspects of life. Horror fiction can proved a playground for children to safely explore everyday fears.
The more ghastly the horror story becomes, so the element of humour becomes an important consideration. A zombie chasing a person - adult or child - doesn't seem so malevolent if it starts decaying and losing body parts during the chase. Use humour as a buffer, counteracting any possible psychological trauma with literary fear.
Horror writers must not and cannot depict genuine horror so realistically that young and impressionable readers develop fears they take with them into everyday life. Neither must you mock your monsters so much they fail to evoke the appropriate terror. When they open your book you readers need to believe in the horror you create, or they gain no emotional pay-off. Horror writing for children is a difficult and delicate balancing act, and if you get it right your audience will love you for it!



The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for Writers. Her blog can be visited at: https://horrorandhexes.com

Horror Books - Get Frightened by Reading Them

Man has a desire to get frightened. This is evident from the ghost stories told and retold over centuries. This desire to get frightened had given birth to thousands of horror stories over ages. Almost all the languages around the globe have a particular section of literature called horror literature which has gained prominence in the past few decades. Most often, horror stories are called fiction as they carry imaginary stories revolving around supernatural powers, evil forces and black magic.

The fiction intended to scare, unsettle or horrify the audience gained popularity as literature since the 1960s. This type of fiction often overlaps science fiction or fantasy and is also called speculative or supernatural fiction. In most of the big cities there are horror book store that sell books based on horror fiction.

Even though not as a polished literary form, the horror stories prevailed years back as tales of demons and vampires in folklores. But as a literature it gained popularity in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe and Mary Shelly's Frankenstein were the famous horror fiction books of the nineteenth century. The first American horror novel was The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irvin. Edgar Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and M.R. James were some of the finest ghost stories writers of English language.

The contemporary horror books have moved way for extreme violence or shock to entertain the readers. The horror books by Ramsey Campbell and Thomas Ligotti have widely been accepted by the readers. The expansion of horror literature to a wider audience took place in the 1920's with the rise of the American pulp magazine. The book Weird Tales depicted many stories by Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, E. Hoffmann Price, Seabury Quinn, C.M. Eddy, Jr. and Robert Bloch, thereby making horror literature much popular.

Many critics consider "The Metamorphosis," "In the Penal Colony" by Franz Kafka and "A Rose for Emily," by William Faulkner as some of the best horror books in literature. Bram Stoker, Peter Straub, R.L. Stine and Ray Bradbury fall into the category of some of the finest horror writers of the English language.

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Why We Love Horror Movies

We enjoy seeing people run for their lives. Unfortunately some people have a real sick predilection to see blood, human blood and seemingly the more the better. As sick and twisted as it is this is one of the realities of our movie going experience. Others enjoy seeing people lose their heads, pun intended. As long as ours remain intact, all is well in the world.

The Bad Guys

Where would the horror movie genre be without one of the craziest guys to ever don a hockey mask such as Jason Voorhees or better still, if John Carpenter hadn't given birth to such a Jacko' (Sorry) I mean wacko like Michael Myers? Or even the masterfully written and intriguing Jig Saw in the Saw series who happens to be one of my favorite "boogie men". Or how about Jack Nicholson's horrifying performance in Steven Kings "The Shining". But if I had to throw a monster in that mix, and grant it this next selection is female, I would have to say that the "highly over protective" alien from the movie Aliens deserves to be in the conversation. The movie and its villainous Alien is certainly one of the chief reasons the movie remains a favorite of most lovers of the genre. It's certainly pretty high on my list.

But...

Wait don't go in the closet

Something that most moviegoers will never understand is why so many times the heroine in a horror movie whenever hearing some kind of strange noise coming from maybe her downstairs of her home or from her closet she always has to investigate. In real life, the average person wouldn't hesitate getting out the house if they thought there might be someone in their home. But truthfully, if it weren't for this obvious character flaw we the moviegoer wouldn't enjoy the same level of interaction with the movie's characters. And as long as the characters in the horror movies continue to do really stupid things we the moviegoer will continue to enjoy telling them about it.

So...

Would you like some cheese with that sir?

Filmmakers have collaborated for years in making some of the best horror movies you can think of, many of which if I mentioned you would have probably seen and undoubtedly enjoyed. But over the course of that same period many lousy or what some would like to term "cheesy" horror movie have also been made. Movies like Motel Hell, Hellraiser or The Exorcist Part 2 just to name a few. I'm sure if you were to name some of the cheesiest horror movies you've seen I wouldn't be too surprised at some of your selections either.

I personally love horror movies so much and have been watching them since I was a small child that I have more of a tolerance for a bad or "cheesy" horror movie then most. Movies like "The Trilogy of Terror", I think I was about twelve or thirteen when first seeing this "cheesy" movie but many years later it still resonates with me as one of the movies that I would enjoy seeing over and over again.

One of the reasons I think for this tolerance is because I understand that the "horror genre" unlike some others, lends itself more to real bad stories and even worse acting. If you were to take stock of many of the movies you've seen over the years and just briefly thought about what percentage of those movies were bad and of those how many were horror movies, I think you would prove my point perfectly.

I think as a lover of horror movies you understand that going in that there is a huge possibility that despite the movie's title and the appeal of its trailer that after the curtain opens a hour and half to two hours later you could leave out of the theater feeling not so good about how you just spent your time.

True lovers of the genre are just happy they had another chance to take part in the entire experience, such as it is.

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The History Of Horror Movies - Tribute to Horror in Cinemas

From time to time, we see so many horror movies come and go. Spooky, haunted houses, serial killers, slashers, maniacs, mentals, satanic and many others have been pictured in the movie. A lot of sub genres, a lot of remakes, a lot of variations, twist and all that can easily be found through the ages. Yeah, it's all true. But have we ever thought where it all came from?

Or how does the horror movies genre change from time to time?

For you who share the same passion about horror movies, and want to know the road that have been travelled by Horror movies, allow me to have the honor to be your guide. Buckle up, here we go.

Where It All Began

The year was 1922, place: German. I can say that it was the birth of horror movies. W Murnau started the terror and fear thru Nosferatu, nosferatuthe

story about bloodsucking vampire. It wasn't the first vampire movie, as in 1896 Georges Melies made Le Castle Du Diable, but Nosferatu was the first movie where we saw vampire destroyed by sunlight. This one boasted remarkable animalistic makeup that has not been replicated, even with modern

technology. Dozens of vampire movies followed after that. In 1931 Universal Studio launched 2 legendary horror movies, Dracula with Bela Lugosi and Frankenstein with Boris Karloff. Both of the movie became a classic and very successful. Boris Karloff even became a legendary name in horror movies history. The Mummy (1932) a silent picture with horror icon Boris Karloff in the title role, remains a classic, with unforgettable make-up and atmosphere. In 1935, the sequel of Frankenstein,

The Bride Of Frankenstein was made.This isn't silent anymore.

Psycho

During 40's the world's on war, and it has changed the genre. Horror was almost forgotten as patriotic movies and war has taken the place. It slowly raised again around 50's, where comedy and musical movies ruled. There were good ones took place at this time, House of Wax is one of the example. 1960 was the time for Hitchcock to make a memorable movie: Psycho. Too bad, this is the only horror movie by Hitchcock, cuz then he made lots of suspence thriller goodies like Rear Window, Vertigo,North by Northwest,Dial M For Murder that kinda changed the genre again. And remember, spaghetti western Movies in the late 60's also had its moment.

The 70's

This is the most creative year of Horror movies.Unlike before, horror movies got big exploration, where so many variation of story and evil came in. Note there were lots of controversy and protest happened here.The Exorcist (1973) for example showed disgusting scenes that never been imagined before, like the green puke to the face transformed to evil. This movie was controversial when Catholic Church protested that the demon cast-out in the movie was against the code of conduct. The shining, that based on Stephen King's novel was one of the best one during 70's. Later on from this decade to 80s and 90s, lots of movies was made based on his scary novel such as Carrie, Christine, Cujo, It, , Cat's Eye, Dream Catcher, are the example. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was a low budget movie that reached a great result. This one introduced "the slasher movie" to the world that later followed by Halloween (say hi to Michael Myers) , Friday the 13th, Scream in the 80's and 90's and so on. Omen is a bonechillin' movie that can still give

you nightmare even with today's technology of making movie.Simply unforgettable. Amityville Horror, based on the true story was the first movie that took place in the actual location. The report said a lot of bizzare and dreadful things were experienced by cast and crew in location.

The 80's

Freddie Kruger

This is the decade of madness. All gory stuff were shown sadistically for viewing. cutted off body parts were seen everywhere. Nightmare on Elm Street that launched Freddy Krueger to horror hall of fame, and Jason Voorheyes slashing games in Friday the 13th are one of the example. These two had some of their sequels during 80s, together with 3 of Halloweens. And remember how Italian horror movies that have a very sick super bloody vision? Count Romero and Argento for this category. This is also the era where horror expanded to tv.

The 90's

Funny thing happened in 90s. There's a tendency of self defense and self actualization by horror character on terror they have made to people. For example Ghost, Bram Stocker's Dracula that told the story about Count

Dracula's painful love to Mina, or Interview With Vampires that unlocked the mystery of vampire lives. Scream started a new genre, teen horror movies, slashing-serial-killer-who-did-it,which soon followed by I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, and some more. A note in 1999, an independent movie Blair Witch Project became a big phenomena,using a documentation technique to give us fear,tense and mental disturbance. This one inspired some other movies like St.Francisville Experiment, The Lamarie Project and

tv series Freaky Links.

2000's

Ringu

Still too early maybe to talk about horror movies in 2000s, but looks like Hollywood has running out of ideas. They are trying to widen up their view to see new ideas outside that can give new vision on the term of horror. The Ring, remake from Japanese movie was their first success. Followed by The eye, and some other remakes from Asian cinemas.

This decade seems being led by Japan and Korea, by making so many horror movies with lack of effects or gory blood but still successfully tortured our feeling. They don't go with the Hollywood pattern, they just dig everything else that hasn't been touched yet. Thailand is also emerging as a good horror maker. Indonesian movies too, with amusing number of horror movies every year. We also mark the decade 2000 for the decade of sequels and remakes too, such as Halloween H2O, Freddy vs Jason, modern version of Bram Stocker's Dracula, Dracula 2001,

Halloween Resurrection, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , House of The Dead, The Amityville Horror and so on.

While the effort to combine some genres and produce something new has still been going on. Saw for example, combine the psycho thriller ala Hitchkock with slasher, sadistic, bloody and graphic scenes.

My prediction? I think this decade will continue to do so. Hopefully in the next decade we will see some new approach, style and way to present horror movies. Let's wait and see where the horror movies continue their path.

By: Riandy Kurniawan
A Movie freak
Website: http://www.vrjunkyard.com

What Makes Horror Games So Scary?

When somebody thinks of horror, the first thing that will probably pop into their minds is a movie. Usually it's a movie involving masked men with knives or cruel mutant monsters slaughtering innocent victims left and right. And of course, it's either at night, in a dark place, at a deserted and/or isolated location away from any possible help.

With today's video game savy world, where the more and more people are playing games, there is a growing number of people out there who would include video games in the realm of horror. With classic horror games like 11tth Hour, Phantasmagoria, and Uninvited to more recent games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill and F.E.A.R., more and more people are getting into the horror video game genre.

Just as all forms of media, which includes television, video games and movies, it is a recent invention. As a species, we haven't evolved enough to be able to handle these types of images and video. The human race still isn't quite used to seeing them on the screen yet. One could ask, do games have the ability to better manipulate our minds then when compared to other forms of media?

Ever since my experiences with the Silent Hill series, I've felt that this is true. As I sit down to watch a good horror movie, I might get a little nervous or figity. And that's certainly something that's good. That's what a horror movie is supposed to do. But if I was to play a similar horror game, I could tell you right now that I would have a harder time handling myself. As I'm playing a Silent Hill game, and I'm roaming around a darkend building that's covered in grim, blood, and who in the hell knows what, I'm suddenly petrified when I hear a strange unearthly noise close by. I'm actually afraid to continue on into the next room to find out what's making that noise.

I think it's because I'm actually in control of the game and the character that makes it so much more frightening than if I'm just watching it as a third party. There's so much more interaction with that game versus just watching that movie or show.

The kind of creeping dread you feel in a good Lovecraft story is different than the startling scares and disturbing imagery of film horror like Psycho or Ringu, just as the more tense horror you experience playing Silent Hill or Dead Space is unique to games," says Richard Rouse III, the lead designer of The Suffering, which appeared on the Xbox.

"I think games have the definite advantage in terms of immersion and raw tension, because in a well done narrative game the player starts feeling like it's them in the world and starts feeling threatened themselves. Other mediums simply can't deliver that type of horror in the same way."

You could ask, why do we even have the survival horror genre at all? Why do we need to experience horror? It has been thought that all animals, which includes us humans as well, developed the sense of fear because it helped us survive in the wild. Although there are some irrational forms of fear, like when somebody is afraid of clowns and balloons, this sense of fear would certain help explain why humans would be afraid of heights and other dangerous situations, like being around spiders or snakes who could certainly be poisonous and in turn, do us great harm.

It would be obvious that as a stimuli, we would try staying away from things that would scare and terrify us. So why would we come back to it and experience it over and over again? I felt that it is that sense of thrill that you get when you face you fear. That's another point as well. Facing your fear. When you face your fear, it could be trying to gain a certain level of control over your fear, so that when real life beckons and you are faced with legitimate fear, you won't be so out of control of the situation.

No matter the reason, game developers will always try using that sense of psychology when they are creating a horror video game. By these good practices, it, in the end, makes for a great game. Giving the player that sense of danger and foreboding really adds to the thrill of the game.

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7 Things to Do at a Horror Convention

Every year there are dozens (if not more) horror conventions taking place around the country. There is the annual World Horror Convention, Horrorfind holds a couple each year, and several haunt and horror organizations hold regular conventions. So what can you do at a horror convention? Here are some ideas.

1. Learn new things.

Many conventions feature panel discussions, workshops, seminars and guest talks. Horror conventions are no different. You could learn about an upcoming film, the back story of your favorite director or even some special effects makeup techniques.

2. Take in an art show.

Do you enjoy dark art? Many horror conventions feature an art show with horror art on display. Some of the art is professionally done, some may be fan art. Either way it could be enjoyable see the "dark" side of art.

3. Add to your autograph collection.

Often times the guests of honor will have time set aside during the convention to sign autographs. Bring along your own image or buy one there... this is your opportunity to get up close and share your admiration for your favorite actor, author or other horror professional's work.

4. Buy cool stuff.

What convention would be without the Dealer's room? Here you'll find collectibles, costuming supplies and even irreverent T-shirts. If it has to do with horror and someone is willing to sell it, you'll be sure to find it in the Dealer's room.

5. Meet authors, actors and special effects artists.

Sometimes you'll find these people in the Dealer's room, sometimes there will be a room dedicated to these "workhorses" of the horror field. More often than not, you'll be able to strike up an interesting conversation with someone who either illustrated your favorite horror comic, did the make up in your favorite movie or even played one of the characters in that horror film that kept you up for several nights after seeing it.

6. Dance the night away.

If the convention lasts more than one day, there will often be a dance party planned for either Friday or Saturday night. Sometimes the party is come as you are, other times costumes are encouraged. Either way, you can dance the night away with like-minded horror fans.

7. Play dress up.

Although you are more than welcome to attend a horror convention in street clothes, you are also very welcome to pretend it's Halloween and arrive in costume. Obviously, since this is a horror convention, a scary costume will work much better than something less frightening.

Keep in mind that each convention will have its own flavor, so all the above activities may not be available at any given convention... then again, activities not mentioned above very well could be. If nothing else, check out what the convention has to offer and have a good time!

If you would like to read more about places to visit that have a horror, science fiction or fantasy twist, visit The Genre Traveler, the travel resource for SF/F/H enthusiasts. From science fiction museum exhibits to epic fantasy film locations to horror film fests, The Genre Traveler covers it all. Find more articles like this one at http://www.thegenretraveler.com.

Top 5 Horror Films

One of the greatest human escapes from reality is watching horror films. For some instances, we are horrified by what we see, but the storyline and the gore seems to keep us occupied for two hours without flashing back to our daily problems.

There are some horror flicks that are completely predictable and some are even unbearable to watch, but the more original films have a creative enough image - like the following five - that will forever be slated as being classics.

Friday the 13th

Anyone who has gone away to summer camp has to see Friday the 13th as this classic horror film originates during one fatal moment - a drowning at a summer camp. A group of teens decide to reopen an abandoned camp and, one by one, each becomes a victim of the main antagonist, Jason 'Hockey Masks Are The Next Big Thing' Vorhees. All of these events, including the drowning, occur on the superstitious day of Friday the 13th.

The surprise ending is one of the best donned by a horror film.

Halloween

October 31 will never be the same for anyone who watches this amazing slasher film, which opens with the 6 year old, Michael Myers, killing his sister and being sent off to a psychiatric hospital. A few years later, 'the shape' escapes and comes back to town to threaten and kill other teens, particularly Laurie Strode.

This is a great horror film because it is not just a horror film where people die but the antagonist character is much more complex, where viewers can actually identify with the little humanity that Michael has left.

Nightmare on Elm Street

This horror film will keep you up at night, guaranteed. The plot of this movie involves the antagonist being able to kill his victims in their sleep which ultimately leads them to their gory death in the real world. Freddie Krueger is the antagonist, burned alive by the main group of teenagers' parents. This horror film once again covers many different themes like revenge, justice and extreme creativity, blending what is real and what is thought to be fake together which makes it much more than just a garden-variety slasher flick.

Alien

Alien is a top horror flick because of its original idea to mesh horror with science fiction. The antagonist of this film vehemently stalks and kills members of a spaceship. This film does not rely heavily on special effects to make it a great film but it uses its characters and story to make everything in the film come alive. This film opened the doors to similar science fiction horror films like Xtro and Inseminoid.

The Exorcist

It is difficult to erase the scenes experienced in the Exorcist. This combination of terror and religion has grasped the horror film community by surprise which makes the Exorcist another top horror film of all time. This film was actually based off of a real exorcism which was led by two priests. This film capitalizes on the theme of a demonic child which opened the door to other great demonic child flicks like the Omen.

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Top Horror Movies

We watch movies in order to experience a roller-coaster ride of emotional responses. Horror movies aim to evoke fear, whose family of tertiary emotions consist of shock, alarm, mortification, panic, hysteria, horror, terror and fright. Whether or not a horror movie is good or bad is subjective. This short article explores those movies which are commonly regarded as the top horror movies; the movies that - for one reason or another - most potently engaged our fears.

Psycho (1960)

Originally a book by Robert Bloch, later adapted for the screen by Joseph Stefano, and famously directed by the late, great Alfred Hitchcock, this is the seminal slasher movie that shocked America and set the fear-formula for many future horror movies. We have a serial killer who dresses in drag to imitate his Mother; we have a beautiful heroine who, shockingly, dies a third of the way in; we see a bloody bathroom scene that was all the more jarring for earlier audiences, who were unused to seeing toilets on cinema screens. But none of this captures what really terrifies us about Psycho, for psycho is an exploration into madness, a place where - God forbid - anyone of us might one day journey.

Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

A group of people hold up in a farmhouse and must fight off the hungry advances of an approaching zombie army. Written by John A Russo and George A Romero, and directed by Romero in 1968, this is the original zombie flick that even today ranks as one of the top horror movies ever put on film. What makes it so scary? Honestly, I think it's the simplicity. We have a lonely farmhouse besieged by the undead and no explanation as to why the dead are rising, other than the haunting line "when there is no more room in hell, the dead shall walk the earth". We have zombies obsessed with one thing: eating the living; and the living obsessed with one goal: avoiding becoming a zombie-dinner! Even the film stock is simple: grainy black and white. At times, perhaps when the camera jolts and the sound crackles, as we watch brain dead zombies tear apart and chew on their freshly dead neighbors, we get the distinct impression of documentary filmmaking. Simplicity can be terrifying.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The movie that proves sequels can surpass their originals. Boris Karloff reprises the role that made him famous, that of The Monster and, likewise, James Whale returns to direct another sinister masterpiece. The primary theme in both Frankenstein movies is man should not play God because there will be horrible consequences; indeed, even The Monster is aware that his existence is an abomination. What makes Bride better than Frankenstein? I'd say both Whale and Karloff use their experience of the original to enhance their performances.

Halloween (1978)

In Halloween we see a deranged murderer escape a mental asylum and return to his home town where he slays the local teenagers. The movie opens with a scene from the point-of-view of Michael, a young boy who proceeds to massacre his sister with a kitchen knife. This sets a shocking and unpredictable tone for the rest of the movie. Yet again simplicity in horror proves to be the terrifying ingredient, easily making this one of the top horror movies ever made. Michael is a simple, yet efficient killing machine, much like the shark in Jaws. What we find so chilling about him is his God-like ability to remain alive, but - as they say - you cannot kill the bogeyman!

The Exorcist (1973)

The best word to describe The Exorcist? Shocking. A girl who becomes possessed by an evil entity and her mother enlists the help of two priests to save her. Watching this movie you get the distinct impression that what you see is real. Audiences are compelled to believe both the Devil and his demons exist. But what truly shocks are the taboos: a weak, alcoholic priest; intense use of blasphemy; a young girl who urinates, curses, blasphemes and implores a priest to sexually gratify her. The Exorcist leaves you with a persistent uneasy feeling, wherein you find yourself believing more so in the devil, a creature whose evil is definitely unquantifiable.

There are many more top horror movies but you'll find the five listed above to be those commonly regarded as the scariest.

If you want horror movie trailers, news and reviews of upcoming horror movies, visit Kristian's site: Upcoming Horror Movies.

So, You Think You Don't Like Horror?

Over the past few years I've had the opportunity to ask thousands of people this one question, "Do you like horror?" Not including my discussions at the World Horror Convention or Festival of Fear, more often than not I get variations on, "Oh, no. I don't like horror; its not my thing at all." Followed by something like, "Although, I really liked 28 Days Later." or "I did rent Saw's I & II and loved them!" And the topper, "No, but my favorite movie is Silence of the Lambs."

Okay, so, I hate to be the one to break it to all the mainstream, horror-not-for-me masses...if you liked any of those movies (especially great, gory Saw), you actually DO LIKE HORROR! You may even (gasp!) love horror. But don't panic. This doesn't necessarily mean you're a horror-fiend. Watching the occasional horror movie has not been definitively proven to be a gateway to horror addiction and a stack of well-worn Hellraiser DVDs stashed under the bed!

For those of you who are still not sure if you like horror here are a few great, easy-to-find movies to test out:

If you find it easier to giggle with your bucket of blood, try the classic Evil Dead (1983-1992) series by Sam Raimi, where a cabin is possessed by evil spirits and the hero wields a chainsaw prosthetic. Good times! And a bit more recently Shaun of the Dead (2004) the British romantic comedy with zombies. You know, a "zomedy".
If you experienced Saw and STILL need to see more screaming tortured captives to reeeaaallly make sure you're into horror, try American Psycho (2000) based on the Bret Easton Ellis Novel. The 80s excessiveness is taken to new heights by a type-A serial killer. And give the 70s classic, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, a go (another brilliant novel based flick).
Finally, for pure sadistic gore and graphic violence (seriously NOT for those of you who could barely handle Sleepy Hollow), I double-dog-dare you to try Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses (2003)!

Now, don't worry, they've taken horror out of the back room and put it in with the rest of the DVDs at the video stores. You can hold your head up high and walk out with your copy of Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan proudly displayed in your hot little hands!

Jill M Cooper, Founder and Publisher of Killer-works

Based in Toronto and Chicago, Jill and her team have been enticing perfectly normal people to the dark side for years with their unique insight into well crafted horror movies, books, events, and art.
To find more recommendations for your dark and disturbing horror habit (newly formed or firmly entrenched!) head on over to http://killer-works.com
We've been waiting for you...

How to Write a Horror Novel - Writing Horror

If you are wondering how to write a horror novel you have probably read a horror novel before and it appealed to you. Writing a horror novel can be very challenging. The essence of any horror novel is to create fear in the mind of the reader. The author must be able to use the tools of horror writing to tap into the fear at the back of the reader's mind. A good horror writer should be able to create suspense that will keep the reader at the edge of his or her seat. The reader's fear will be escalated with the inclusion of a few surprises.

If you have read a horror novel before, you probably know all this and your question now is how to write a horror novel. A good place to begin is by confronting your own fears. Write a horror that includes the things that scare you. Place yourself in the main character's place and have them react the same way you would react in a similar situation. Use the main character as a channel of your anxieties and fears.

Reading horror novels by other authors is a good way to learn how to write a horror novel. Studying the guidelines set by publishers is also a good way to know what publishers and horror readers are looking for in a horror novel. Using the publishers' guidelines will help you in deciding the theme and constructing your plot.

Decide on your main and supporting characters. Assign roles and traits to your characters remembering to make them as realistic as possible. Avoid making them too perfect or too evil. Remember that the readers will connect to your story as a result of the characters therein.

Choose an appropriate setting and carry out your research. You are now ready to write your horror novel.

For more information about writing a novel or to hire me as a freelance novelist, just click the link.

Weird Ideas in Horror

Horror movies are like kids in a way. Most are normal, but then there are a few that are just off the wall and insane. Er go, it's only natural that the genre would have a few wacky ideas here and there. So in this article, we will explore those insane, utterly hilarious, and downright head scratching genre films. Films born from the most unexpected and out of left field concepts imaginable. Where else could we start, but with the 1992 horror movie "Leprechaun". This isn't the first movie of it's kind, by that I mean little people running amok on the lives of innocent people. We've had "Troll", "Dolly Dearest", and the infamous "Childs Play".

However,"Leprechaun" was the first ever movie where a mythical creature which represents good luck, and through pop culture, is shown in a kind spirited light, has been turned into a bloodthirsty, maniacal on screen villain. Then theres the fact that it's a leprechaun. One of the wee irish people, who no one would suspect of possibly harming anyone on purpose. Another thing about the film which was the total opposite of the pop culture view of a leprechaun, was that this particular leprechaun had rotted teeth, and sharp claws. Not to mention that he was as greedy as can be. I think it's safe to say, had this leprechaun been in any Lucky Charms commercials, things might have turned out a bit differently for those pesky kids.

Warwick Davises spot in horror movie history is forever rooted based solely on this movie. "Leprechaun" is the figurehead for out of left field ideas, that made for quite an entertaining film, atleast IMO. The idea that a leprechaun would be the Freddy or Michael Myers type character in a horror movie never crossed anyones mind I'm sure in the early 70s or early 80s. It just goes to show how the genre has evolved. Amidst all of this though, is the downside. Which is that the first film spawned 5 sequels. Taking the character from the suburbs, to Vegas, to Space, and then to 'The Hood'...twice. While the first film showed a nice flash of creativity, this goes to show how an odd idea can be taken way too far. The series should've ended at 2, and a character like this should never be taken into space.

Warwick Davises character has now become the on screen/horror genre version of "Wheres Waldo?". Lets just hope they don't get any ideas of taking the leprechaun to Antartica of the Carribbean anytime soon. Another film from the files of the strange and odd was a DTV film called "Pinnocchios Revenge". With a title like this, one has to ask the question, revenge for what? The film itself played out in typical killer marrionette fashion, but did show some signs of creativity and intrigue by throwing the viewer for one hell of a loop at the end. Sadly though, this film still doesn't make the grade. Granted the idea was certainly weird, odd, and unique. But the film itself was lacking in many areas. Basically this film was doomed from the start. I'm sure they had ideas of taking it to theatres, but when a film about Pinnocchio slaughtering people gets made, how much red tape would possibly prevent it from ever hitting theaters? A whole damn lot most likely.

Another film along these lines, and that stole from "Leprechaun" a bit, was "Rumplestiltskin". This film involved an evil old troll like creature challenging a single mother for her child. Like "Pinnocchios Revenge", it barely saw the light of day, went DTV, and didn't make any noise at all. The fact that it wasn't scary also was a problem. A slew of other films have come out along the same lines, and seemingly trying to out do each other. We've had "Killer Tongue", about a woman whos tongue gets taken over by aliens, "Killer Condom" (don't ask), and "Killer Eye". And Just when you thought things couldn't get any more insane, a film in the mid 90s was released called "Jack Frost". The Jack Frost everyone sings about, has never been seen before, so the idea of making a Jack Frost horror movie was kind of puzzling. So they decided to do the only rational thing, turn Jack Frost, into a killer snowman! and Then to top it all off, have him say witty one liners which relate to the winter season whenever he kills someone, shoot ice cicles out of his hands, and be able to melt himself at will. The DTV film developed a tiny cult following surprisingly. People actually liked it despite it's cheesey, absurd, and totally unrealistic villain.

I even have to admit I found this movie entertaining. It had gruesome kills which are always a plus, and it also made horror movie history for having the first ever carrot-rape scene. The film was then followed up by a sequel, which you could tell even more than you could in part 1, that it was made on a shoestring budget. The sequel added more comedy, but took the word unrealistic to frightening new heights. People being stabbed with salad tongues, crushed by snow anvils, and eaten alive by killer baby snowballs are just a few of the outlandish killings the film included. and Of course to top their infamous carrot rape scene in part 1, our killer snowman friend actually sheds a frozen tear in one scene. With all of these left field horrors that have been released, the question remains, how much more crazy can filmmakers get? Well, on the way soon, theres a film entitled "Zombeak", about a chicken which gets posessed by satans essence, and goes on a killing spree. I think that should answer your question. Maybe they'll toss in a cheesy tagline like "Fowl Play is amidst" or "You've fried your last chicken", or "Bawk Bawk is the last thing you'll ever hear", or maybe even "Human...it's whats for dinner".

To answer the big money question, "How'd ideas like this make it so far"? To spawn sequels, or keep being produced? Well, I guess as long as theres an audience out there for the extremely weird, off the wall, odd, and more than usually abnormal horror movie, there'll always be people and filmmakers around to keep cranking them out.

Mr. HoRrOr Horror Movies&stuff.com http://www.hms.notlong.com

Lessons in Horror - Classic Elements the Horror Genre Needs to Remember

With countless slasher remakes and Japanese horror scene rip-offs filling our screens of late there has been a dearth of great horror on contemporary cinema screens. Perhaps if today's film-makers are to create truly great horror films again they need to look to the past for some lessons in creating suspense or sustaining mood. Let's take a look at some truly impressive elements of a few classic horror films that today's creators would do well to take note of.

Sound Design - The Haunting

In this classic 60s horror, nothing is actually seen of the malicious presence which torments the team of volunteers investigating the old house, but everything is heard of them. A cacophonous mix of banged doors, rattling windows, footsteps and whispered voices all contribute to the sense of menace which pervades every second of this movie. You can cover your eyes or cower behind the sofa, but you can't escape the horror.

Cinematography - Cat People

This low budget horror classic marked producer Val Lewton's first film as head of his own horror B-unit at RKO pictures, and it was an effective demonstration of his theory that things were scarier when left to the audience's imagination. The film's killer, a black panther, is only seen once in the film, and the danger is far more effectively conveyed through the flickering shadows and dark shapes that dance around the edge of the frame as the protagonists try to escape a terror they can barely see. Sound design also plays a significant part, and the film's strongest set-piece takes place in a swimming pool as a girl desperately treads water as the refracted light from the water gives glimpses of the silhouette whose growls echo around the pool.

Make-Up - Phantom of the Opera

In this CGI age horror effects are probably less scary than they have ever been, though even the copious amounts of blood and guts in the glorious gore-fests of the video nasty era were a little lacking in the quiet creepiness of earlier horror. Undisputed master of the modestly macabre is silent horror star Lon Chaney, who probably found his finest moment in an early adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera - the reveal of the Phantom's hideous features halfway through the film becoming one of the most iconic moments in horror history, an image burned on the retina of anyone who has ever seen it.

Showmanship - The Tingler

Horror movies are often most effective when they mess with our sense of reality - blurring the boundies between watching and participating in the film, albeit through campy or gimmicky methods. Master of the theatrical gimmick William Castle is perhaps most notorious for the release of this film about a creature which would tingle the bottom of a victim's spine until they died, their only escape being to scream. On the film's roadshow release, Castle would rig up selected chairs in the audience to tingle at the point in the film when the Tingler is set free in a cinema. It's arguable that Castle's techniques have their modern equivalent in the viral marketing of films such as The Blair Witch Project, but none of these provide such a memorable shared horror experience as Castle's screenings used to.

Ideas - The Undead

No one can claim that Roger Corman wasn't ambitious, and this film is perhaps one of his most surprisingly aspirational films. Intended to exploit the public's fascination with past lives in the late 50s, the film starts out as a conventional supernatural thriller with cardboard sets and unconvincing plasticine make-up, but is so earnest in its ideas that the audience is compelled to buy into what eventually ends up feeling like a powerful existential drama. The brutal intercutting between antagonists and protagonist as she realises the sacrifice she is being asked to make lingers in the mind longer than any musical stinger or gore-shot ever could.

You see, it isn't always what is shown onscreen that has the most power. With the right use of atmosphere, camera work, soundtrack, editing and lighting, it is possible to create chilling pieces of cinema without resorting to shallow CG fests. Much is made of onscreen torture and over the top gore these days, and some nods to a more calculated era of filmmaking would do the horror industry a great deal of good.

Hamish Spearson is an expert on classic cinema in many genres, and writes for the movie & pop culture memorabilia site Starstore.com as well as its many blogs. For the latest news on movies, collectibles, TV, comics and geek culture, visit =====> http://www.starstoreblog.com

American Remakes of Japanese Horror Movies

Since early 2000, American screenwriters and Film directors have captured Horror film fanatics world-wide with scintillating remakes of popular Japanese horror movies. From great cinematography, eerie sound effects that stick long after the film is over, to good choice of cast and well articulated story-lines that appeal to the American audience and beyond, the directors surely deliver master-pieces. With a completely different setting, a somewhat Americanized plot and script in a completely different language, the films still carry the same fascinating concepts and ideas; and it's these concepts and ideas that have geared these Japanese horror movies to top ranks, years after they're released. Nonetheless, the horror movies have attracted the attention of American Producers who not only have seen the success of the film, but also appreciate what propels these films to the heights they get to.

Any Horror film director would tell you that a great horror film is more than just awesome sound simulation and orchestration, and eye-candy visual effects, but a great film has got more to do with the story behind the suspense and eerie, cold atmosphere they create for the audience. Japanese screenwriters and directors stick to this fact and crazy-glue and it's no wonder why American directors remake Japanese films. In Japan, the horror films are more than just your average films; for them they are Japanese traditional stories captured and exposed in beautiful art of film. One such film is "Ringu" - adopted from a novel based on a Japanese ghost folktale and directed by Hideo Nakata - an outstanding Japanese director, and was the highest grossing film in Japan upon release in 1998, not for great cinematography, but the mythical story passed down from generations that fueled it.

American film director, Gore Verbinski just could not pass the opportunity for an American adaption of "Ringu" in 2002, titled "The Ring" and was a huge hit in The U.S, garnering a gross revenue of over 249 Million dollars. With such success of a remake, which film director wouldn't want such a chance? and true to that, Film and television screenwriter, Stephen Susco not only wrote the remake titled "The Grudge", but also incorporated Takashi Shimizu, the director of the original film titled "Ju-on", just one year after its release in 2003. "Ju-on" is themed by a Japanese folktale, "onryn" - a mythological spirit able to exist by its own life and returns to the world to seek vengeance and a tale passed down generations for centuries.

Don't be surprised if more and more screenwriters and directors join the game and re-produce Japanese horror movies in remarkable American cinematography, keeping the unforgettable stories alive for a wider audience and gathering a loyal fan-base. For these American remakes of Japanese horror movies, the life of the films is re-lived over and over and arguably in a way that captures many more audiences?maybe because of the fact that they are remade in English, or because of the fact that they are remade in the U.S?the capital of world cinema. Notwithstanding, Americans and horror fanatics globally get that dose of thrill they so long for and these remakes deliver it every time.

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Top 10 Horror Movies

A few months back I set a poll on one of my sites which asked horror fans to rate their top ten horror movies of all time. In this article I list the movies and explain what makes horror fans rate them so highly.

Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho terrifies audiences because it is an exploration of insanity which concludes that anyone, even the sane, can become insane and suffer terrible consequences.

Alien (1979)

The powerful theme in Alien is one of disease. The crew aboard a futuristic space vessel become infected by an alien species and hunted down in grisly fashion. Perhaps the most terrifying thing about Alien is the theme it shares with Psycho: Evil is inside of us and, thus, cannot be easily escaped.

The Shining (1980)

Almost every college campus bedroom has the poster of Jack Nicholson peering through a recently-axed bathroom window, grinning in his uniquely iconic, maniacal manner. This easily deserves to be one of the top 10 horror movies of all time. Derived from the book by Stephen King, Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece is a haunting look at insanity and claustrophobia, as the Wife and Son of Jack Torrence are mentally abused and later on hunted down by him in a remote hotel called The Overlook. What perhaps scares us most here is the possibility that our trusted loved ones can become our worst enemies.

Aliens (1986)

In Aliens we see Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) return with a rescue team to a colony where she must do battle with yet more aliens. No one believes her, of course, until it is too late and both herself and the other crew members are besieged by dozens of drooling, toothy beings. It is the claustrophobic settings here, more than the Aliens, that we find most scary.

Les Diaboliques (1955)

A boarding school headmaster is murdered by his mistress and wife who has a weak heart. They submerge his corpse in their school's swimming pool but, upon being brained, the body has disappeared. What ensues are scenes of suspense that slowly turn the murderers insane with tension. This movie is painful and terrifying to watch as we, unwillingly, must become the killers and share their fears. Although it is one of the top 10 horror movies of all time, I would say it is - possibly - the best suspense movie of all time.

Jaws (1975)

Amity Island has everything: beautiful beaches, warm weather, friendly inhabitants . . . oh, and a fifteen-foot killer great white shark! This is the original summer block buster known to all movie-goers. The theme here is man against nature. What terrifies most about Jaws is the uncompromising monster. He will not be reasoned with, he will not stop eating, and you will not escape his teeth, even if you're an expert shark fisherman. In this film only the lucky survive.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

This horror movie takes up where Frankenstein left off. Frankenstein and his monster are both still alive. The crazy Dr Pretorius kidnaps Frankenstein's wife and blackmails him to create another monster to become bride to the original abomination. With grave-digging, decaying corpses, re-animated living tissues, and the terrifying theme that man should not play God, this is a truly terrifying tale.

The Thing (1982)

In a remote Antarctic station, an expedition of American scientists encounters a dog, being perused by a helicopter which crashes. That same night the dog attacks both dogs and scientists and soon a shape-changing entity is loose among the survivors. The notion that evil lurks within those we trust is explored here to terrifying affect.

King Kong (1933)

When original audiences watched King Kong many of them literally ran screaming up the isles. Never had a monster been so realistically portrayed.

The Exorcist (1973)

In the Exorcist we are confronted by the ultimate evil: The Devil and his minions. Unlike serial killers or ghosts, Satan seems invincible; success feels hopeless. This terrifying film was made shocking by the use of blasphemy, a child becoming possessed and spouting obscene language; and the weakness of Good (namely an alcoholic priest) in the face of purest evil.

The top 10 horror movies of all time will, of course, change in the future, but - perhaps - the themes will remain the same. We will always be scared of inner evils (insanity), invincible evils (nature and the Devil), and monsters, of all shapes and sizes, will likely still prove to entertain and terrify!

If you want horror movie trailers, news and reviews of upcoming horror movies, visit Kristian's site: Upcoming Horror Movies.

Old Horror Movies

The genre of horror has long been a staple to theater goers and makers alike. Its ability to terrify, and its portrayal of atrocities unapproved of by middle American society make it the target of scrutiny and praise alike. But the realm of horror has been twisted again and again over the years, into a new beast altogether. To understand horror films of today, one must first explore the films that inspired them, the original horror masterpieces and flops that shaped the cinema into what it is today.

The First Films

With the invention of the motion picture camera in the 1880s, artists and writers had an entirely new medium with which to explore the long standing traditions of the theater and dance. They used these early films to push the boundaries between art and reality, making horror a particularly interesting genre, as many movie goers felt as if they were "actually there". Some silver classics of the silent days include:

-Le Manoir du Diable directed by directed by Georges Melies in 1896

-Der Golem directed by Paul Wegener in 1913

-The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari directed by Robert Wiene in 1920

-Nosferatu directed by F.W. Murnau in 1923

A Star is Born

Of course, these films included early experiments in the horror genre, which wasn't fully established until the monster flicks of the 1930s. Cinema became very popular during the Great Depression, because it seemed to relieve the sense of hopelessness, if even for an hour, that was permeating society. Universal Studios pioneered these films, with their releases of Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932). Now, the horror genre was on the map, raking in a great deal of money, and in huge demand, thus the era of the horror film star in America. Some of these stars include:

-Lon Chaney (West of Zanzibar, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera)

-John Barrymore (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)

-Bela Lugosi (Dracula)

-Boris Karloff (The Black Cat, The Raven)

The Atomic Age

The distraction of the horrors in World War Two made most films of that time shy away from terrifying the audience, and musicals and wartime epics reigned. But with the new technologies that that time bred, the genre of horror was about to get a shot of adrenaline. Space and science fiction ruled the screen, and people wanted sleek aliens and killer robots. A few of these sci-fi staples are:

-Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

-The Thing From Another World (1951)

The Late Fifties

As film production and cinematography became cheaper and more efficient, many horror films were made by production studios solely dedicated to horror started popping up, including:

Hammer Films, a British company remaking old classics in a gorier way, often casting Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee

American International Pictures (AIP), an American company producing several interpretations of Edgar Allen Poe classics starring Vincent Price

The realm of the horror genre cannot be appreciated without knowledge of what it once was: a cathartic way to bring the audience to a new plane of awareness, to frighten, and to give people an excuse to have fun.

Check out these links for more information on old good movies and lists of old movies.

List of Top Horror Movies

Although the selection of movies depends solely on your personal preferences, you can browse through the top horror movies to see if you are keen in watching them. There are several highly rated movies that any horror fanatic should really watch. One of them is The Blob. It was released during the 1950s. Steve McQueen was the leading character, starring a young tough having a genuine heart to combat the ferocious outer space blob of goo which had been demolishing everyone. There was remake created for this horror classic but many still prefer the original version.

The Friday the 13th is also one of the captivating horror films. It was a modern day horror movie where until now, its attention and popularity still remains high. Despite the fact that there has been a whole sequence of series of the Friday the 13th films produced, most of the aficionados voted for the original as the best of all. In the film, the primary character, Jason and his hockey mask have permanently and deeply etched into the minds of the viewers and all who have watched have certainly been crept out.

Besides the two mentioned above, another incredible creation that goes into the list of top horror movies is The Exorcist. Unlike other movies released during the 1970s, this film was one that received fervent publicity. It was an odd sight that people queued up to form extraordinary lines to be one of the audiences. The leading female role was starred by Linda Blair. The story enlivens a young girl possessed by the demon and one of the best scenes was when her head spun round like a top. The frightening scenes in this movie were extremely great to send all audiences down to chills.

Another top rated movie is the Jaws. Being one of most highly ranked horror films, the Jaws were among the best screen flicks that deliver imaginary fears to audiences. In fact most of the viewers were shocked with the utterly astonishing onscreen carnage. This was an incredible production by Steven Spielberg and it is still one that deserves high top listing among the horror genre.

Chris is the writer of this article, you can visit us for more information on top horror movies and horror movies list.

Horror Movie Posters

Movie posters are created with the intention of advertising films. As the name suggests, horror movie posters are posters advertising horror movies. Horror movie posters have been around since the earliest public exhibitions of horror movies. They were used as placards listing the horror movies that were being shown in the theater. It was in the early 1900s, that horror movie posters began to feature illustrations of scenes from horror movies.

Nowadays, horror movie posters are issued in small print runs that are discarded when the film ends. However, previously, with large runs for most titles, horror movie posters were stored in production companies or advertising warehouses, with a few kept as souvenirs by theater owners. It was after the interest in pop art in the late 1960s that people started collecting horror movie posters as a hobby. Because they are rare, the supply is dwindling, and private collectors are willing to pay top dollar for collectables.

Horror movie posters come in different sizes and style that vary according to the country. In the United States, horror movie posters are found as inserts, three sheets, six sheets, one sheet and 22 inches by 28 inches sizes. The United Kingdom sizes are quad, double crown and three sheets. In Australia, most of the horror movie posters come in a size called daybill.

Nowadays, you can make your own horror movie posters. You become the director and executive producer of your own super-blockbuster with the poster as proof. All you need is a photo from a digital camera and Flickr and a poster making software.

Movie Posters provides detailed information on Movie Posters, Horror Movie Posters, Old Movie Posters, New Movie Posters and more. Movie Posters is affiliated with Movie Posters.

Horror Movie Q&A With Jeff Caxide of Isis

Horror Q&A With Jeff Caxide of Isis

TIS: What's our fascination with horror movies?

JC: I wish I knew but I have been fascinated with them since I was a little kid. I would always look at the VHS covers in the horror section of the video store wishing I were brave enough to rent one.

TIS: What's the first horror movie you remember seeing and what emotions did it elicit?

JC: I think it was Jaws. I remember seeing the little boy eaten really disturbed me. To see someone not much older than me get killed in a movie was not something I had seen before. It broke the rules I had in my little 5 year old brain that children were safe in movies. And of course like most people who saw the film at my age I have a deep fear of going into the ocean.

TIS: Why do 99% of today's Horror Movies suck?

JC: I would argue that 99% of everything sucks but I know what you mean. There seems to be a big lack of creativity and I don't consider coming up with new ways to kill people (Saw) creative. I have read hundreds of short stories from horror writers that would make great movies but instead we are stuck with remakes and uninspired teen driven crap that are made to open big, make it's money back and not leave a mark. I guess it's a generational thing. This is what people seem to want so this is what is going to get made.

TIS: What's the last great Horror movie you saw and why?

JC: Probably "Antichrist" by Lars Von Trier. It really shows the potential for artistry within the realm of horror. If you watch this with a group of friends I can almost guarantee there will be some debate afterward.

TIS: To this day I still get excited when I hear the eerie piano of John Carpenter's Halloween theme. What are some of your favorite and most memorable horror soundtracks?

JC: The Wicker Man (original) is easily for me the best soundtrack to a horror movie. It's mostly folk type songs and fits the movie perfectly. If you have not seen this yet, you are really missing out. It is my favorite horror movie of all time.

TIS: What are some of your favorite indie horror films?

JC: I really liked "The Last Winter". They obviously didn't have much money and some of the FX are pretty bad but Larry Fessenden still managed to make a nice atmospheric, creepy film. "The Burrowers" is another that comes to mind. It sadly, also suffers from bad FX but the movie has almost a Terrence Malick tone to it. It got dumped straight to DVD, which is too bad because it really is better than some of the stuff that makes it into the theater.

TIS: There's many genres of horror movies including Monster, Slasher, Supernatural, Zombie, Occult, Gore, Sci-Fi etc. In your opinion which is the scariest & which is the lamest?

JC: I think any genre has the potential to produce greatness as well as total shit. I would say that slasher films are not my favorite but still there are some great ones out there.

TIS: Who is your favorite horror writer & director?

JC: I would probably go with David Cronenberg or Roman Polanski. I wouldn't consider either of them Horror directors but they have made some amazing films in the genre. That's usually the case. Stanley Kubrick made "The Shining" and William Freidken made "The Exorcist". Those guys are definitely not horror filmmakers. Most directors who stick with horror their whole career seem to get worse with time. Look at John Carpenter, Wes Craven, George Romero and Stuart Gordon. They all started strong and each of them has made at least one classic horror film but they haven't done anything decent in years.

TIS: What the worst horror movie you've ever seen?

JC: Anything that Rob Zombie has done. I thought the Halloween remake was his best movie but I also thought it was terrible. He seems to think there is nothing more to a horror movie than violence and vulgarity. All the Saw movies that I have seen have all been laughable as well.

Steel Cage Match: Pick a winner for each match with the reason why.

Round I:

1. Michael Meyers (Halloween) Vs. Pinhead (Hellraiser)

Winner: Micheal Meyers. Why? Pinhead talks too much.

2. Freddy Krueger (a Nightmare on Elm Street) vs. Possesed Reagan (The Exorcist)

Winner: Reagan. Why? Was in a better movie

3. Norman Bates (Psycho) vs. The Birds (The Birds)

Winner: Norman. Why: He's crazy but smart. Could probably outsmart birds.

4. Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th) vs. The Shark (Jaws)

Winner: The Shark. Why: I hate the Friday the 13th movies

5. Pennywise the Clown (Stephen King's "It") vs. Xenomorphs (Alien)

Winner: Alien. Why: Alien doesn't have awful band named after it.

6. Ash (The Evil Dead) vs. Shaun (Shaun of the Dead)

Winner: Ash. Why: Shaun is great but me and Ash go way back

7. A Zombie (28 Days Later) vs. A Zombie (Night of the Living Dead)

Winner: Zombie 28 days. Why? Faster, still breathing

8. Leatherface (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) vs. Candy Man (Candy Man)

Winner: Candy Man. Why? Street cred.

Round II:

1. Micheal Meyers vs. Regan

Winner: Regan. Why: Has the devil on her side

2. Norman Bates vs. The Shark

Winner: The Shark. Why: I'll just assume this battle takes place at sea. Guy with knife doesn't stand a chance.

3. Ash vs. Alien

Winner: Ash. Why: If he can take on a hoard of demons, he can take on an Alien.

4. 28 day zombie vs. Candy Man

Winner: Candy Man. Why: Is supernatural. And has street Cred.

Round III:

1. Regan vs. The Shark

Winner: The Shark. Why: Shark can't be intimidated by Regan's insults of its mother.

2. Ash vs. Candy Man

Winner: Ash. Why: Perfect opportunity to say "Gimmie some sugar" before he kills a guy called Candy Man can not be passed up.

Final Round:

1. Ash vs. The Shark

THE CHAMPION

Ash

Why: If Chief Brody can kill it with a six shooter and an air tank, a guy with a chainsaw for a hand should do just fine.

Chris Grosso

http://www.theindiespiritualist.com

A Brief History Of Horror Movies

Horror movies has been around for almost as long as movies have been made. Before looking at the horror movie it may be best to look into horror in literature. Knowing this can help our understanding of horror films and where they come from.

Horror in literature left a legacy that helped to propel this genre into films. If there had not been such a legacy of literary works then we may not have the same movies we do now. The term horror was first coined in 1764 in a book by Horace Walpole's called The Castle of Otranto which was full of the supernatural. In the following centuries literary giants like Edgar Allan Poe championed this genre with great works like The Raven. Some of the great horror movies of today are based on old horror stories like Frankenstein and Dracula which were both written in the 1800's.

At the beginning of horror movie history these movies were often ones that had the supernatural in there. In the late 1890's short silent films was where these movies start. The Frenchman Georges Melies is thought to be the creator of the first horror film with his 1896 short silent Le Manior du diable. Around this time the Japanese also tried their hand at this genre with Bake Jizo and Shinin no Sosei.

The first full horror film was an adaptation of the hunchback of Notre-Dame. Many of these first horror films were created by German film makers as the early 1900's were the time of the German expressionist films. These films have influenced horror film makers for decades to Tim Burton. During the 1920's Hollywood started dabbling in the horror genre with Lon Chaney Sr. Becoming the first American horror star.

It was in the 1930's that the horror film was first popularized by Hollywood. Along with the classic Gothic films Frankenstein and Dracula there were also films made with a mix of Gothic horror and the supernatural. In 1941 The Wolf Man was an iconic werewolf movie created by Universal studios. This was not the first werewolf movie made but is known as the most influential. During this era other B pictures were created like the 1945 version of The Body Snatcher.

In the 1950's there had been many innovations in the technology used to make films. Additionally in this time the horror film was divided into two categories being Armageddon films and demonic films. During this time social ideas and fears were placed into movies but in such a way that it was not direct exploitation.

The 1960's were the time when many iconic movies came about. Hitchcock's movie The Birds was against a modern backdrop and was one of the first American Armageddon films. Perhaps one of the most influential films of this time was Night of the Living Dead. This movie brought zombies into the mainstream and it also moved these movies from the Gothic horror to what we know today.

The history of horror movies goes back to the beginning of movies. The long history shows how they changed from Gothic classics to what we know today.

When searching online for the largest selection of horror movies online be sure to visit Frightflicks.com - providing a massive selection of the most popular horror movies, zombie movies and vampire movies.

Horror & Suspense Movies - The Best Way to Stay Thrilled

A customer looking to buy the horror & suspense movies can visit the Internet. The Internet is full of thousands of latest horror & suspense movies and never disappoints a customer when it comes to quality and quantity. On the Internet, a customer has no choice but to get amazed by millions of cheap horror & suspense movies.

The world of horror & suspense movies has been benefited by several factors such as the emergence of new market players, intense market competition, availability of new movie titles and price war between the movie distributors.

Some of the highly acclaimed names in the world of horror movies directors are Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Francis Ford Coppola and Roman Polanski. If you are looking for the classic horror movies then movies such as Dracula, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and Frankenstein will keep you interested for long. You, as a prospective horror film viewer, may also opt for the latest horror & suspense movies on online movies shops such as Devils Rejects, Land of the dead, Evil Dead Part 1 and 2, Benny's Video and Blood Feast.

Many online shopping portals offer these cheap horror & suspense movies to their customers these days at affordable prices. They act as effective platforms for both buyers and sellers of the latest horror & suspense movies to buy and sell them. In addition to that, the growing competition in the present day online market has benefited the prospects of the cheap horror & suspense movies to a considerable extent. Some websites even offer DVD rental services to their customer against the payment of a paltry fee by the customer. After the customer makes the initial formalities and pay the prescribed fee, he can order the movies of his choice and enjoy the pleasure of movies by sitting in his home.

So if you are looking for some cheap Horror & Suspense Movies then there is no better option than the Internet. It will take you to an amazing ride that will raise your hair within no time out of pure fear. Do not just wait for a miracle to happen, visit the Internet and get some hair-raising horror & suspense movies.

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