About This Horror Thing

[eskemp]

For someone who's worked on a hell of a lot of horror games, I don't consume a lot of horror. Don't go to horror movies (especially slasher or torture porn flicks, which just completely do nothing for me), don't read much horror literature apart from the occasional classic. It's an odd choice to make, given my profession.

I think it has something to

Comments

[eurika]

Horror movies, games and books are a symptom of a spoiled society. Do you think the victims of Katrina find entertainment in monster themed games? Having worked at the Holocaust Museum, I can say that those of us who worked there never felt like human depravity was lacking in our lives. My friends in the military and in law enforcement..well..those of us who have seen horror tend to fill our free time with gardening or something light-hearted. It always makes me laugh when people embrace horror films, trying to be dark, because it is as though they wear a gigantic sign that says "I have no experience with this kind of suffering". You don't have to go to war to see horror. People who want to see it up close and personal can become EMT's or volunteer with shelters or become NY-type guardian angels or volunteer on cold cases. Historically, horror stories were supposed to educate, teach and help maintain social order (revenge horror). Modern horror is 'entertainment'. Does anyone else see something wrong with our deriving

[eberg]

"Horror as you describe is a uniquely American/Anglo hobby and it underscores how Americans are truly messed up."

Apparently working in a Holocaust Museum didn't teach you anything about the perils of bigotry.

[eurika]

You might like to look up the definition of 'bigot'. E offered an opinion and I stated a different opinion. Just because a person may disagree with your point of view, it doesn't make them a bigot, but thanks for playing.
Focusing on the conversation and less on name calling would be nice.

BTW, if you actually care, there are some great articles a google-step away about American vs European or Scandinavian culture and a tolerance for violence. Interesting stuff.

[princeofcairo]

Horror as you describe is a uniquely American/Anglo hobby and it underscores how Americans are truly messed up.

Lucio Fulci, Alejandro Aja, Guillermo del Toro, Mario Bava, and a whole litany of non-Anglo-Americans would be (dare I say it) horrified to find that out.

[eskemp]

Ai yi yi. I certainly didn't mean to make some sort of judgment call regarding horror and people who enjoy it. Rather, I was noting that I seem to sit in an interesting place in the wide scale of sensitivity, perhaps over-sensitive to some aspects.

[eurika]

:) I like it when you posts spark discussion.

[nothri]

This is a lecture series about video games and the video game industry, but this particular topic I think touches on a lot of the questions you raise, so I thought it might be of interest:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/1933-Where-Did-Survival-Horror-Go

For my part I've had a soft spot for good horror (which is, admittedly, a lamentably rare thing, most writers and especially movie directors seem to think of horror as the 'easy' thing to do, when in fact inspiring real fear in your audience is one of the hardest things to do) ever since I read the introduction to my first Ravenloft boxed set. Horror done well pokes at that good old human instinct to wonder what's hiding in the closet or peaking through the window, and it occasionally leaves you asking 'what would I have done in that situation?'. Which in turn is why horror RPGs are so fun, they let you find out in a way that's safe.