So, I'm about to finish "The Haunting of Hill House" and so far I haven't been scared. More than anything I just think the people in it are being silly. I mean, I know they're being that way because they're scared, but I'm not. I always thought reading would be scarier than watching, but so far I'm a bit disappointed. I'm hoping I'll be scared during at least one of the books. Clive Barker's "Mister B. Gone" actually scared me a little, so maybe I just need to read more like that. Maybe I just haven't been scared because I keep reading this book around people or in well-lit places...haha.
However, I would like to put out a question I've always wondered about. I've never watched a silent horror movie, so I don't know the answer but maybe one of you do. Is it the music that makes a scary movie scary? I've always felt that if I didn't hear the crescendo before a jumpy part, that I wouldn't jump, but I've never had a way to prove it. Does anyone know a musicless horror movie that I could watch?
3 comments:
I think even most silent movies have music. There would be an organ player in the back of the theater and I believe most of the DVDs for silent movies now have the soundrack already in them. That being said, I think the music contributes greatly to the suspense of movies that create fear through surprises and jumpy parts but less to movies that are more psychological or emotionally disturbing. It still contributes either way though. If you want to test it you could try muting a horror movie and putting subtitles on. It might ruin the movie for you, but it could also provide your answer.
And if you want to see a silent movie in our genre, you might try the original version of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
Yeah that book is disappointing. I really enjoyed it throughout but I expected to be more scared. But I'm starting to realize this class isn't necessarily meant to scare you, but rather to get you thinking. A good portion of the short stories end openly and let you draw you're own conclusions.
I would argue that the only true horror of The Haunting of Hill House is the "house's" ability to overtake the psyche. For instance, at one point I believe they say something about the angles of the house all being off and how that could drive someone crazy. Also, the really scary part (DO NOT READ THIS SENTENCE IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED THE BOOK!!) is when Eleanor becomes so absorbed in the fantasy put on by the house (and its current residents) that she kills herself rather than return home... or kills herself to be with the souls calling to her in the house. That, I think, is a pretty scary concept.
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