October is a rough month for me.Oh, it's not because October is when things really start to heat up at work. And it's not because the weather starts to turn chilly and I'm a wuss about the cold. It's not even because it's when the deadly Valley fog starts rolling in, making my morning commute a life-threatening activity.
No ... It's the movies.
I love scifi movies, action movies, even a very small handful of whatcha might call "scary movies".
But I HATE "horror movies".
You cannot pay me enough to make me watch movies like Hellraiser or The Ring or The Grudge or The Hills Have Eyes or The Blair Witch Project or those damned ubiquitous Saw movies and the like.
I. Will. Freak. Out.
Urban horror? Slasher flicks? Anything with guys named Freddy or Jason? Fugeddahboutit - I am not watching. I don't even want to see the commercials or trailers for them. And please don't tell me about them.
I am just not constitutionally capable of watching stuff like Paranormal Activity or even The Exorcist.
Do. Not. Want.
The weird thing, though, it that there are "scary" movies that I DO like.
Vampires? Werewolves? Zombies? Space Aliens? ... I'm your gal! All over it!
I love Aliens, Predator, Resident Evil, Evil Dead 2, Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein, Shaun of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, Dusk til Dawn, Silver Bullet, An American Werewolf in London, Hellboy, Underworld, Hitchcock movies ... hell, I even like the uber-cheesy ones like Dracula 2000, Doom, Ghosts of Mars, Bats and Bubba Ho-Tep.
And Jason X was the notable exception to my "no Jason or Freddy movies" rule. Because it was all scifi and comedic, so I just closed my eyes during the gory parts.
I even like Stephen King's It - Oh, it scared the bejeesus out of me - but I've still seen it five times. Because it had such a great story and such a life-affirming message under all of the OMFG-it's-a-man-eating-clown.
What's the difference? How is it that I can love Zombieland and hate Saw? Where do I draw the line between "horror" movies and "scary" movies?
I dunno. But it's there. Maybe somebody else can 'splain it to me. In the meantime, I will pass on the "horror" movies ... but you can pass the popcorn, please, for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
What about you? Do you like horror movies? Scary movies? Vampires, weres and zombies, oh my?
* Inspired by DaddyGeekBoy, who is a self-proclaimed scary movie wimp. ;)
I have a love/hate relationship with horror movies. I *want* to watch them (at least some of them, not so much the 'horror porn' type like Saw, etc.), but I end up not looking at the nasty parts.
ReplyDeleteI really, really want to see Paranormal Activity, and it finally shows up in theaters here tomorrow, however, I have to wait a few weeks to go because for the bulk of next week, I'm going to be home alone, day and night, and I don't need the added stress of my mind working overtime!
I've never been a fan of the horror genre either, although I can watch some of them (without actually watching the gross parts - weak stomach, you understand) without being scared, if that makes any sense.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of horror movies, because to me most of them are predictable and/or poorly done.
ReplyDeleteBut something like "The Silence of the Lambs"? Love it!
Of course, with the kiddos, I have no idea the last time I saw something in the movie theater that wasn't animated!!
Well..as you know, my oldest child was born just before The Exorcist was released. It was the first movie I saw after her birth and the first time I left her with a sitter. It was beyond traumatic and I have still not fully recovered. So, I do not do horror movies but I do like Sci-Fi which is much more intelligent most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI hate October! I hate the half deadness of the zombie crap too! I hate halloween!
ReplyDeleteI am a breath of fresh air huh?
OK, I'll take a stab (giggle) at this! I am with you about my severe distaste for horror movies. I had one exception to that general rule though. And it was The Ring (from the original Ringu from Japan). I absolutely loved that movie even though it scared the hell out of me. But why? I asked myself that and concluded that it was because there was a solid story behind it. The blood and gore was not the point of the movie. The point was that it was a supernatural thriller that was also a solid science fiction story. Most horror movies do it for the shock factor of watching people get hacked up. Not with The Ring and the ones you've mentioned as ones you like. That's my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I saw one of the Halloween or Friday the 13th or Freddy or Nightmare on Elm Street or whatever movies when I was in high school and mostly just thought it was dumb and have not seen any since. One of those things I am perfectly happy to go throughout life without.
ReplyDeleteThat's "Shaun"... dear. "Shaun."
ReplyDeleteGet it right.
~M
Strangely, I love haunted attractions but do NOT like horror films.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the 'jump out and getcha' films. I abhor the 'horror porn' as previously described, like Saw.
Psychological horror films, tho? Yes. Exorcist. Serpent and the Rainbow. 28 Days Later scared the beeeeejeeebus out of me, and I loved it. Even Blair Witch was kinda cool (except for the shaky camera crap).
But I love haunts! Can't get enough of them, wish there were some that could actually scare me (when it does happen, so rarely, I treasure it).
And I love taking cute cute girls out to haunted attractions...well, I loved it the one time I've done that ;-)
FADKOG: Even the ones I do like, I can't watch the gross stuff. I always end up covering my eyes and ears like a big kid.
ReplyDeleteSFD: What about the more sci-fi "scary" movies? Like, say, Aliens or Resident Evil? I don't think of those as horror, but, apparently some people do.
Hubman: I agree. A lot of them are just bad. But even the ones that get critical acclaim, I can't watch. Not if they are "horror" ... Silence of the Lambs, though? Rocks.
Elizabeth: Yep. Sci-Fi trumps horror every time. I am my mother's daughter. ;)
Chief: Two wods: Candy. corn. October's not all bad! :)
Keith: I think you're right. A good story makes a big difference. But I'm still not watching The Ring - not even in Japanese. ;)
YEO: Have you seen Jason X? It's almost a spoof of itself. Wile I won't touch those others with a ten-foot pole, I actually like that one!
M: Thank you, darling. I know I can count on you for my movie trivia. Will fix. ;) But, no comment on content? I'm talking about scary scifi movies! This is your forte', man! ;)
Mintz: Come back halloween week for a discussion of haunted attractions!
Haha. You're like my daughter - she runs and hides in her room with a book whenever my son and I put on a truly frightening DVD.
ReplyDeleteLove Scifi but hate horror and scarry is hit and miss for me. I seem to be right there with you.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too different than the rest of you. I love me some good scary celluloid, but blood and gore for the sake of blood and gore is pointless. I want to be frightened, not grossed out. If there's a reason for gore in the the plot and it keeps my brain engaged it's good. If not, it's nothing more than violence porn.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I find old Hitchcock movies so compelling: they leave the gore to the viewer's imagination which is going to be far scarier than anything special effects wizards can concoct.
All of that said I'll take a good sci-fi romp any day, especially when laced with action and comedy. Newest "Star Trek" flick, anyone?
Although Zombieland has horror elements, it's not really a horror movie. Not a true one. It's not meant to scare you. Saw is designed to scare and gross you out. It's more psychological.
ReplyDeleteThat's the distinction for me. There are movies that don't really ask you to suspend your disbelief...then there are the ones that prey upon your fears. Those are the ones I can't take.
Me and scary movies do not mix. I saw Seven years ago and it STILL bothers me!
ReplyDeleteIt's the serial killer movies that are stupid. That's what it is. Because you're like, "Why is everyone running away? How is this guy so bad ass? Gang up on him, you idiots." Drives me nuts.
ReplyDeleteNo one ever fights back, defending their humanity. That's why sci-fi horror and thrillers are sooo much better...we like it when people fight back.
I'm on the fence about true horror movies. I kind of enjoy watching one with a big group of people. I infinitely prefer watching fictional horror movies to, like, the true crime movies based on real events. Those scare the shit out of me more than anything because they actually happened.
ReplyDelete