4) The Massive Variety
Along with the before mentioned originality, there are so many different flavors of horror. It’s like smörgåsbord of all these unique dishes, each one providing a different experience and taste. Off the top of my head, you’ve got grindhouse horror, psychological horror, comedic horror, zombie horror, creature horror, “torture porn” horror, “found footage” horror – the list is endless. No matter what type of mood you’re in, whether you want to roll on the ground laughing or run out of the room screaming, there’s a horror movie right up your alley, providing an always changing pace which makes it almost impossible to become bored with.
It’s good too, because some horror fans aren’t into all the gushy, gross gore that is prevalent in slasher movies, so they can find their horror in more slow-burn stories that invade your psyche. Likewise, for those adrenaline junkie horror fans, there are plenty of pulse-pounding extreme horror films that exist only to excite. Hell, there are even horror movies watered down so children can get involved in the fun, introducing budding horror fans to the wonderful genre at the youngest life stage possible. Start them young, why not!
5) Practical Effects Rule!
I don’t care if you’re a gorehound or not – horror has some insanely impressive special effects. You can’t deny it. For a director to create a film like Cannibal Holocaust, where the killings are so believable he gets taken to court, you absolutely have to respect the craftsmanship at hand. Sure, you can argue it’s disgusting, and such visuals shouldn’t be applauded, but aren’t films supposed to be as realistic as possible? Isn’t it the job of a director to deliver something on-screen that looks like real life? How some of these guys/gals pull off a gruesome murder while remaining completely true to reality is absolutely astounding, especially considering special effects.
While it’s sad that CGI is becoming more prevalent in today’s horror game, there are still plenty of directors who stick to the old-school method of going to the workshop, whipping up some props, and covering everyone in a thick layer of fake blood. Filmmakers like Steven C. Miller, who I chatted with after the release of Under The Bed, thankfully feel the same way, agreeing that while extra effort has to be put in for practical effects, the result is always 10x better than CGI. I completely agree myself, so for all you directors still staying true to practical effects, keep fighting the good fight, it’s why we love this shit!
