From Whence Does the Scary Come From?

[ying_ko_4]

Listening to "This American Life" and the subject was 'Sleep.'  One of the bits was about a guy who saw "The Shining" when he was around 6 years old or so.  He walked into the room about the time elevator doors open and all the blood comes gushing out.  And remember, the majority of the film was from the point of view of the kid.  The boy in the

Comments

[ying_ko_4]

Thanks, Regina.

I still get on kicks or go on streaks. They are much shorter now. And strange noises can still make me jump a little.

[hekidanjo]

That's an excellent observation on Steven King and exactly on point. He IS a superlative storyteller.

Have you read House of Leaves? It's been argued that the use of typography is simply a gimmick but it really does contribute to the sense of unease that takes the story from "how odd..." to this really freaky place.

[ying_ko_4]

I haven't read a King novel in years. I think the last one I read was the serialized version of The Green Mile...

[themeindzeye]

Man, I watched so many horror movies (courtesy of my Mother) when I was little. Poltergeist, Freddy Kreuger, Jason, Critters (oh, gaws Critters *shudder*). My nightmares started then, and they've never quite left me. I've read books, too, where it just got super-creepy. I'd want to read more because omg what happens?! But I'd have to stare the book down first. There it is on the couch. It lies in wait, and the pages between the covers are drenched in blood and shadows, and if I open those covers...

[ying_ko_4]

This is sort of what I went through with some of the scary books I read. I don't read that type of book anymore. Real life can be scary enough.

[themeindzeye]

I don't read them very often, but sometimes I'll have a sleeper. I'll be reading a fantasy novel and it's all fluffy and fine and then all of a sudden it gets super-dark on me and start creeping me out really bad.

[mardeen]

Loved suspense more than scary, but did love scary.

When I was a kid there was a regular 11pm Saturday night feature - on my grandma's TV only - called Shock Theater (with your host Dr. Paul Bearer. Har.) They played all the old, cheesy/spooky movies like The Blob, The Thing, The Creature From The Black Lagoon...all that highbrow cinematic stuff. Because everyone knows that grandparents play fast and loose with what is good for children, my siblings and I were allowed a one-two punch of freedom while at her house: we could stay up late and we could rot our brains watching this show. This was the same grandmother who introduced me to Earl Stanley Gardner books and soap operas. Our parents would not have approved.

My favorite Steven King books are the less spooky ones: Misery, Cujo, Dolores Claiborne (BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN BY A YANKEE)

[ying_ko_4]

You really should read, "Cordelia Underwood" if you're looking for a terrific book by a Yankee....

I thought that 'Claiborne' was not only one of his best books, but made the transition to the screen better than the majority of his books. It was one of a string of books he wrote because he felt like he didn't write female characters well. So, he wrote books with female lead characters to improve.

I've always admired that.

And "Shock Theater" could just as easily be "Schlock Theater" because those movies, while great fun (especially the Black Lagoon) were just plain silly in places. Made me jump outta my skin a time or three when I was a kid as well.

If my last name were bearer, and I had a son, I think I'd name him Bond....Bond Bearer.....