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Reviving the horror genre
As an author currently concentrating on the horror genre I have researched a lot into this particular subject. Over the year's the horror genre has lay dormant mainly due to the lack of new and fresh ideas. I have seen the same thing done time and time again regarding vampires, zombies and werewolves, Not to say they are not good enough but simply the same thing is being generated time and time again, to which I have created my own twist on horror. A new and fresh idea which has never been done before and probably never will. My aim is to once again bring horror back to the top with constant new ideas. Any comments?
OK...no takers as yet so I'm happy to be the first to chime in.
I remember devouring Clive Barker's 'Books of Blood' back in the 90's and reading somewhere that his 'In The Hills, The Cities' was one of the few original horror stories written in the latter half of the twentieth century. I think there may be some truth to that although things have improved somewhat since imho.
I think the main problem is that modern horror is written with an eye to TV or film adaptation and Hollywood is all about effects so subtlety goes right out of the window. Please don't get me wrong I enjoy 'The Walking Dead' TV adaptation as much as the next man but there are only so many zombies you can take and the secret of that series success is that it is first rate drama. It has more to do with the politics of survival in an alien and hostile world and whilst it is certainly gory and ghastly one seldom experiences a genuine spine tingling frisson of fear.
I guess the core of my complaint is ...whatever happened to subtlety? And in case anyone thinks that this is just the complaint of an old codger who hankers after the good old days of M.R. James etc I would like to say that some of the best contemporary horror gets by without multiple decapitations and disembowelments.
I wonder how many people reading this post have read Robert Aickman's classic The Wine Dark Sea ? A low body count but genuinely creepy and disturbing stuff.
I cannot end this post without mentioning two authors in Wales today ( both on AC I believe ) who specialize in subtle horror... C.M. Saunders and Peter Luther. You will find C.M. Saunders AC profile page here and an interview with Peter Luther here Interview With Peter Luther
Just my twopence worth