As it is near Halloween, I reflect on the horror genre and where it has appeared in my life.
Coming from a Greek background, there were the Greek myths with tales of Tartarus and the horrific punishments - especially the one that always stood out was poor Prometheus and the eagle eating his liver only to regrow and be eaten again the next day. All because he gave fire to humanity.
As a teenager, I not only read the then standard teenage books of the Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High series, but discovered the spooky and the gothic with authors Stephen King and Victoria Holt via my high school library. I devoured all books I could get my hands on by these authors. And it wasn't just the supernatural element that had me hiding under the covers–like It and Pet Semetary–but the dark nature of humanity. Misery where a fan became crazed with their favourite author is one that has always stood out for me, as well as the teenage cruelty in Carrie. One of Holt's books that I can't remember the title of had the seemingly 'nice' girl actually being the villain.
The teenage years also was littered with binge watching of horror films with my brother. We not only saw classics like Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th, but B grade films as well (or is that really D grade as some were really bad). Like the books of my childhood, these films have become a mishmash in my head.
But unlike the magical feeling left from childhood books, I remember the feeling of fascination, disgust, and sheer terror over the both the macabre and the grisly side of humanity.
Why the fascination? I honestly don't know. Perhaps because the 'what if' is extraordinary, scary, and way out there, exploring those deep and visceral fears humanity has and what humanity can do. Perhaps to come out the other side and think 'holy crap, what a ride', and 'thank goodness, that's not real.'
Then there was reboot of The Twilight Zone in the 1980s- though that was late at night and I didn't get to watch it often. But the unknown and the bizarre, and the twists and turns was always captivating.
Later on, I got hooked on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, which introduced a whole generation to not only a butt kicking witty (and at times whingey) teenage heroine, but also the horrors of both living on the Hellmouth and enduring high school, all while saving the world from the Big Bad. It had the horror element but also had some quirky dialogue, dark humour and lots of angst.
More recently, there is Stranger Things. This feels like a homage to the horror books and movies of the past, as well as the nostalgia of being a teenager in the 80s. And while that's all fun, it's the friendships that attract me to this series, and how together they can fight against impossible odds.
Oh, let's not forget The Walking Dead, tipping its hat to the great zombie movies like Dawn of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead (yep, two of those movies from the teenage years) - totally throw-up worthy zombie action - but to me it's the actions of the humans that is truly gruesome. The Big Bads were always human, and the way they viewed the world was intense and terrifying. The zombies couldn't help being what they were, but the humans could.
It's no wonder I find psychological thrillers give me the chills and perhaps be more terrifying, probably because psychopaths and sociopaths exist in real life. American Psycho was particularly chilling.
While the horror genre still creeps into my reading and watching, in recent times, it is urban fantasy and paranormal romance I have gravitated towards rather than the true horror works. I think going through health conditions for myself and family, made me want a bit more of a lighter touch from the terror of the horror genre.
Still, while I tend to write on the lighter side*, I do find horror a useful genre that can make you think about the deep recesses of the human condition, confronting fears, making one wish for the characters to win against unbelievable odds, to fight the 'evil' whatever that may be, and hopefully come out of it in one piece. Of course that would influence one as a person and then as a writer.
So I tip my hat the the horror genre this Halloween Eve.
It's been a while since I've read Stephen King - perhaps it should be my Halloween treat. 😈
~ Eleni
* I did write a horror flash fiction story called The Magician originally published in the e-zine, Flashes In The Dark in 2011.
The Magician
Vladimir-the-Magician mesmerised the crowd gathered at his ‘Believe It’ travelling magic show. They clapped. They gasped. They cheered.
The smoke machine choked out its mist as he finished with the grand finale–breathing underwater for twenty minutes while he escaped his straight jacket.
Unbelievable, they cried.
As the last cheers died down and it was time for the crowd to go, Vladimir had one final performance. One they wouldn’t like. He flicked his wrist. The doors slammed shut and locked.
His fangs extended. Now was time for Vladimir the Vampire.
He cackled.
Time for his audience to scream.
- found in
Enchanted Dreams
Be transported to fantastical worlds in this collection of nineteen speculative fiction shorts of previously published works and new stories. From wizards to magic mirrors, dragons to ghosts, minions to goddesses, space ships to diamond slippers, there's an enchanting tale right for you.
Eleni Konstantine
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