Do you like Horror? What about it interests you?

[Ravecomics]

There are lots of aspect to horror many people may be attracted to. Some people like the psychological thrill, others the gore and the guts. Some people like the macabre humor it may present from time to time. When you think of horror, what is it that makes you sit down and spend time reading/watching it? Bonus: Whats your favorite horror comic/movie/ TV show?

[J.Lovelace]

I really like horror movies/stories about haunted places, or ghosts in general. Bonus points if there's dark humour or sarcasm.

[Down_the_Rabbithole]

There's a lot about horror that I like! I can go on and on about the genre, but I'll try to condense it as best I can. I'm not big on the superficial stuff like blood and guts, but here's what gets my ass in a seat!

-I love the mystery surrounding it. The idea of being guided through the dark unknown and not knowing what you'll see is a lot of fun!

-I like exploring those dark "what if" scenarios. 50% of what makes me interested in horror is the concept alone. If the concept grabs me, I'll likely read/watch it.

-I like seeing innocent, everyday people fighting against something stronger than them and rooting for them to come up on top. I'm not big on slashers where all the other characters are kill-fodder jack-asses because I want to root more for the everyday people instead of the monster. I know a lot of people like to watch slashers because they root for the monster, but I'm not one of those people.

-Dark humor, when done right, is so much fun! Tucker and Dale VS. Evil is a great example of that! Not only because of how likable the leads are, but it takes the "evil hillbilly slasher" sub-genre and turns it on its ear! The humor works so well because everything is happening due to accidents and misunderstandings, making the leads seem like the evil hillbillies they appear to be.

So, yeah. That's what I like. That's about as short as I can condense it.

[Ravecomics]

Those are all really good reasons! Personally, I do like slasher films but mostly I just really like the original Scream films because they're satire reflecting all all the horror tropes but also because the characters themselves are interesting, plus the mystery of trying to figure out who among them is the killer. I'm also a fan of Silent Hill because the story itself is very interesting and I like the idea of two words coming existing at the same time. I preferred the first over the second though in all honesty. My favorite movie though, is Silence of the Lambs. I LOVE psychological horror! Hannibal's character is really interesting and human behavior in its own right can be super scary!

[Ravecomics]

Those are always really cool. When I was little I stayed up once and watched the Omen even though I wasn't allowed to watch it and couldn't sleep for a month straight. Have you ever had an experience like that?

[J.Lovelace]

Yes, I did experience something similar. I watched that one horror with my parents, and they left to bed somewhere in the middle of the movie, leaving me alone in the room. I finished watching it all by myself, it was already deep in the night. I was too scared to go sleep to my own room, which is upstairs. I crashed on the couch instead in front of the TV :'D

[Ravecomics]

XD I was actually really scared of going to the bathroom because the light switch when it is turned off it glows red so from my bed the bathroom was glowing red and I was sure something would crawl out.

[J.Lovelace]

Oh gosh, I know what you mean XD

[Ospare]

One reason: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXBU0X_LuQI

[spadesart]

I've never been a big fan of horror but honestly? Junji Ito's stuff is awesome, something about it is just so fascinating. His stuff used to just gross me out (like Enigma of Amigara Fault) but then I read his comic Uzumaki and the way he incorporated spirals into his art and the way the story and it's world just progressively unraveled was so awesome? There were a few grossout moments in it but there was enough to keep me intrigued and wanting to know more about the city and why it's being consumed by spirals. I think the big seller that made me stop being turned off by his comics was a video that explained how exactly he makes his narratives scary and it was really interesting.

Tomie and Gyo were also really good, Gyo was kinda nasty in a non-gore way though, like watching someone step or fall in something gross and I didn't really like it as much, still a page turner though.

I guess the element I like is the mystery that keeps you wanting answers? For me it needs to overpower the grossout and have much more than just shock factor.

[Ravecomics]

I LOVE Guillermo del Toro!!!! His monster designs are the best! Not to mention his collaboration in Death Stranding and just his overall enthusiasm for monsters is really inspiring!

[Ravecomics]

So you're not a gore fan but more interested in the mystery that causes the gore? I don't hate gore but i'm not in love with it. I can stand it up to a point but sometimes it makes me cringe but I think that's a good part of horror because horror makes you second guess things and is supposed to make you have strong reactions, you know?

[Ravecomics]

I personally am not a fan of horror like the omen. Creeps me out way too much.

[that1person]

Well, if done right, I'd watch/read any type of horror. Though, there are times where I watch cheesy horror movies just for the fun of it. I remember when I was a wee-bit little child and I was watching horror movies. What interests me more is the psychological and unknown type of horror. Psychological really interests me and the unknown really makes curious.

I need to watch/read more.

[james19931234]

While my favorite type is the majority of the 1980's horror (special effects, monster madness and slashers) I find my favorite horror series to be the Silent Hill games, which is why I wish to mostly model my horror series after Silent Hill. My series also will take other influences from my favorite types of horror such as 1970's Italian horror such as giallos, and 80's Hong Kong jiangshi movies.
Overall when it comes to horror I mostly care about the atmosphere, the acting doesn't even need to be good (I actually prefer awkward acting and lines in my horror movies[it adds to the surreality]). Most modern horror movies involve too much crying and seriousness for me to be able to sit through it, the last thing I want is to be guilt tripped through watching a decapitation in a horror flick. I think a better way of handling a topic like death seriously in a horror movie without detracting from realism is to provide a feeling of gloom instead of outburst of emotion. I think the effect is stronger that way and is more long term.

[almondjoy445]

I love Lovecraftian horror a.k.a horror of the unknown or cosmic horror. The idea that the universe is vast and that humans are nothing more than insignificant specks of dust and the realization of that will drive one into madness. Creatures that are so beyond our comprehension that to look at them drives one insane. At least that's generally the gist of it.

I think one of my favorite stories from Lovecraft himself that really sent chills up my spine was "The Thing on the Doorstep." The implications of what happens to the characters in the story is horrifying to think about.

There are also a lot of my favorite horror movies such as "The Thing," which when you get down to it is about paranoia centered around the spread of a disease and being isolated.

"The Fly" which takes the concepts of sickness and growing old and turns it into the grotesque.

I love horror that takes the simplest concepts and twists and turns them into something that can affect you long after the movie is over. This is kind of why the Horror Genre in film isn't doing to well. Too much focus on jumpscares and scaring that audience at the moment rather than taking the time build up the horror for the climax.

[tko]

Junji Ito is great when it comes to gross mutilations and dealing with the consequences of the founding crimes that start the horror. Mike Mignola is great with atmosphere and building the story on the understatements. I love them both.

[vongcw]

I always feel as though my like for horror is unhealthy.

First there is the actual unhealth of it - sleepless nights and a stressed out physiology.

But more than that, I tend to seek horror when I'm bored. I wish I did something else. Like exercise, maybe to give me that adrenaline hit. But perhaps horror is an easier more comfortable way to get that hit. One of my weaknesses I guess.

[thekinginthesun]

Someone already mentioned Junji Ito, so I'll say that I really love cosmic horror. The feeling of being insignificant compared to beings beyond even our human understanding terrifies me to no end. Some blood and guts are really nice too, when used the correct way, wich is with dark humor and self awareness.
For the bonus question, Junji Ito's works and H. P. Lovecraft related stuff.

[VermillionWorks]

I find there are many different 'flavors' of horror, so I look at something like Child's Play with way different eyes than I do The Shining, and I enjoy it for that reason. You can get many different types of 'feels' from horror, not just being scared. Horror can be crazy and fun, or of course, downright grim and unnerving.

I think the most scary type of horror is the psychological kind, when it's done well.

I usually call myself a horror fan because I do love a lot of horror movies (particularly older ones) and horror elements in comics, books, ect. Though to say I like anything horror wouldn't be true. I can actually be very picky about horror and avoid most modern horror movies like the plague. XP