Here you will post your questions and comments about the stories we read.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Spine Tinglers
What do you think makes a story truly scary? Think about stories you have read that you think are frightening. What characteristics make the story a spine tingler?
In order for a story to truly be scary, it needs to have an element of truth to it, like you feel it could really happen. A random glut of gross scenes and unrelated events is just discusting and weird. If something is really scary, it is, to a point, realistic. Obviously, something must be out of the ordinary, an account of an average day hardly constitutes "scary".
I tend not to read really scary things, I value sleep too much, and generally I don't check out books that have anything remotely disturbing on the front, but I have watched movies try to be "scary". Like Jurassic Park. Now here is a movie that takes what could be scary- namely, dinosaurs running all over the place- and turns it into something gross- namely, dinosaurs running all over, graphically devouring your beloved friends and family members. Ew. In all, scary means you walk away shaken and nervous, not horrified that someone has a sick enough mind to right this stuff.
I think in order for a story to be truly scary that it has to have actually happened before. If the story being told has not acually happened before then I think it takes away from how scary it is because you dont really know if it could happen. I actually dont really read any scary stories just because they dont really appeal to me. I dont really plan on reading any books that are scary either but i guess i kind of have to now. The characteristics that make a story scary is that some of the story has to be made up. Most of the story has to be true but then if you add just a little bit extra then you probably will have a scarier story than before.
YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHh it finally worked HAHAHAHAHAHAHA lets go for the top ten post
I feel that in order for a story to seem remotely frightening it has to seem true. I don't enjoy stories that don't seem real or at least possible. The gory stories or stories that are slashers or anything that wouldn't be likely wouldn't really be scary now would they?
A spine tingler has to be realistic like stated above. I have to be able to imagine happening in real life, that's when it's really scary because then you go to bed dreaming what if that happened to me? Which seriously you wouldn't expect most of these things to happen but at least it's possible.
A good book I liked was "Saving His Son" By: Rita Herron which I don't think it was meant to be a thriller more of suspense but it's oneof the best and most frightening book I've ever read because it could happen yet it's not likely. This book is highly recommended by me.
I don't believe I've ever seen something quiet so scary as Greg's response to getting his computer to work. YEAHHHHHHHHHH! Sends chills up my spine just reading it.
I think that for a story to be truly scary it has to be suspensful and somewhat true. It can't(or at least shouldn't)be just a bunch of random killings like most of the Hollywood slasher movies. Those aren't scary, but just plain gross. It should also have a point to it, which most slasher movies don't have.
I haven't read too many scary books, but the few I have read have been more suspensful than the horror movies, namely Steven King. His books are genually scary, mostly because you know all of the characters' thoughts, and most of his books take place in real places. That's the way spine tinglers should be.
I think that for something to be scary it has to be close to reality, like to make me think that it could actually happen to me or some one else. Also to be scary in movies it usually just has to be very shocking and jumpy like when the killer just comes out of no where and tries to kill the main actor or actress, that in my mind is scary just because you expect and know that it's going to happen but you don't know when it's going to happen.
Really for the most part I have not read any scary books besides for "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Ransom" (which by the way are both by Lois Duncan who is an amazing author) which really was not that scary. But I think all you really have to do is make it shocking but something that's feasible to the reader.
O and for Mary Kate when I was younger, Jurassic Park scared me because I remember my parents took me to see the third one since it had just came out and I had to go sit in the car because I thought it was so scary.
Well it seems like this response is the popular one and exactly what I was thinking,I think in order for a story to even begin to be scary,it needs to hit close to home.Though I also think that if you take something controversal,such as ghost,and make a story about them,it can get pretty scary.Such as the sixth sense.That was very spine tingling. But back to my other point,things that can and have actually happened are even more scary because it can happen.Such as the movie Disturbia.You never know if your private neighbor could be a serial killer.I mean come on,in todays world,its probably true.Thats what makes it so scary,because now your going to wonder and your going to keep alert. And now back to the controversal subjects such as ghosts and demons and such,they can be the most scary because your not so sure if it could happen but dag nabbit there going to make you belive it. Thats what makes these stories so spine tingling,is that they pull you in to a normal story and then BAM! they pull a twist like a little girl making a killer video tape that kills you in 7 days or ghost coming out of the computer because some guy was dumb and made a virus. These are the ones I like but they make you watch your back and check your closet at night.
I strongly agree with the majority of the previous posts. In order for a story to really send chills up my spine, i have to believe that it could happen to me. A masquerade of actors in gory costumes doesn't sound realistic or at all appealing.
Some stories that i thought were frightening are a lot of Poe stories. Such as "the house of Usher" and "The black cat " Some aspects or characteristics of those stories which i found especially terrifying were the fact that some of them could actually happen. Not only that but just the topics in general, and most of Poe's stories are just dark period.
Allrite I'm going to have to agree with Mary Kate here and say that for a story truly to be scary it needs to have realistic points to it. Ghosts and goblins really dont creep me out but someone vanishing in the middle of a city does. I think it has to be something that could really happen. For example Jurrasic Park really doesnt scare me because I know or I'm preeetty confident that dinosaurs dont exist anymore.
I dont think i've read many scary books in my lifetime, sports,food and sleep take up my life. But, if i had to name the scariest thing i have read I would probobly say one of those Alex Rider novels. They are less scary as they are thrilling but o well I tried. I have though watched my share of creepy movies and tv shows. For example if anyone has seen the movie Vacent you will know how horrifying it is. It could happen to any random couple looking for a good hotel.(That wasn't sarcasm by the way) I guess what im trying to say is that for something to scare me it has to be realistic and have purpose or meaning to it. 3 guys runnning around beating the crap out of each other doesnt scare me as much as it does make me laugh. Wat it doooooooooo. >:)
I have no idea if i spelled Vacent wrong. To lazy to get up and use a Dictionary. Hey guys guess what. FLORIDA WON!!!! Go GATORS!!!!!!!! <<<<<<<<<<< (Those are gator mouths)
As most are saying, I think if a story is based off a real life one that makes it scary. It has to keep me connected and have good descriptions. The story needs to be something that you can remember because you want to try to spook someone else. All the goblins and mystical creature should just stick to the movies. They just over do it. I have to say I take most of the scary things I read, see, or hear as humorous. I don't know why, but I do remember reading the stories in "Haunted Ohio". I always loved to read those books. To be a spine tingler a story should have creepyness to it. Like when in the beginning it tells you a bit what the story is about in a past setting with history and then plays out the rest through the story in present day setting. Also there needs to be a really good ending, or the story never ends up good.
For a story to be scary it has to have happened, or be something that could happen. Stories that consist of ghosts, dinosaurs, and gruesome scenes can be a little scary, yeah i'll admit that. But those kind of stories never do anything but scare you for a moment, maybe make you jump, and leave you with a distgusting picture in your mind. I would say that typically stories that are more disturbing and suspensful are the scariest.
I don't really read scary stories because i'm too much of a wimp, and my imagination would end up getting the best of me. But i have seen Stephen King movies based off his books, and i'd say those are good examples of scary stories. His stories are so disturbing and eerie. They're the kind of stories that get to you and make you wonder how someone could think of that. Stories that are real spine tinglers are the kind that creep you out so much that you don't feel comfortable and nervous.
A truly scary story is something that will leave you shocked and shaken up. Whereas some "scary" stories leave you grossed out.
I would have to agree with most of the comments already posted. I believe that if a story is going to be scary that it has to have a chance that it could happen to someone in real life. Otherwise its just like really cheesy and lame. This is mostly about movies but it could have like random people hopping out to scary you like the Hayride that the clarinets went on it wasn't realistic but was really scary because you would turn your head and there was a random guy with his face in yours. I think there is alot of ways to make a story scary, but i have to get of the computer and go to church now so if you want to know call me.
If something is scary, you have to actually care about the characters. If you don't you just spend the entire book or movie wishing something bad would happen to the characters just so it will be over. Like that movie on "The Interlopers" we watched in class. Was it just me or did they spend WAY to much stomping through the woods? Nothing happened!
As Mary Kate and Pagie, I think for a story to be scary it has to have some since of truth to it, or it has to be realistic.lso, in order for it to be scary or spin tingling it most likely doesn't have a whole bucnh of icky nasty guts in it. One because some of it is just really fake and stupid, it the human body. Two, I find gore fun and all but not scary.
I have read scary stories in the past. But not many of them have really gotten me to actualy like be afraid to go to bed or anything. Movies on the other hand, I think can be much more scary because they provide a visual of what is going on and "The Strangers" is a truely scary movvie to me because its a true story and in the world today there are some creepers out there.
Haha. Mary kate I think there was wayy to much stomping in the woods, and I found it kind of a complet waste of flim. No offence to anyone.
I've only watched a few scary movies in my life and when I do, I'm with a friend and we laugh the whole time.
Hearing everyone talk about scary movies got very irksome after a while. Movies rely on special effects to convey a sense of suspense. Most of the time, these methods are ineffectual and those of us who have deeper understanding of the world than say, a six-year-old, will tend to find them amusing. Those of you who do find such movies scary, maybe you have seen different ones than I have because for the most part, I cannot say I have seen one that has managed to catch me unawares.
Books, on the other hand,use their eloquence to articulately convey a sense of the unknown. For instance, To Kill a Mockingbird has several suspenseful scenes, such as the part near the end where the creepy guy follows Jem and Scout home. A few more are: The Monkey's paw, a story about someone who fabricated a zombie of their deceased son by using an old amulet, and in Macbeth, if it makes you happy Jacob,when the witches create their spells and potions.
Spine tinglers contain the elements of suspense which my teacher spent a great deal of time discussing with my class last year. These elements allow you to be in the story as the narrator or as one of the characters feeling your hands get clammy, hearing footsteps behind you, and then finally, seeing the creepy murderer pop out from behind you holding a knife against your throat.
True spine tinglers don't leave you with nightmares, they leave you out of breath, as if you had ran several miles. There is really no danger in reading one even for those who get scared easily. Sometimes, I will pause at a suspenseful part in a book and find myself breathing heavily, but that's about it, and I'm one of those people who gets scared when someone jumps out from behind a corner at me!
I would have to somewhat agree with paige in that it doesn't have to actually happen, but it should be something that is possible. Well, almost everyone else said the same thing but paige's description was the most precise to me. However, hearing of such stories as Amityville Horror, which is a book, a biography about people living in a haunted house. It is a true story. If you read it, I'm sure you wouldn't believe any of it, but it is a true story, as I said above. After hearing of the experiences in that house, I would not be surprised to find otherwise unbelievable stories, believable. A spine tingler has to have suspense to it, but it has to be quick too, it can't be a whole book of suspense and then something goes awry. If that happens, the reader loses interest. It must also have something being threatened with death or mutation, such as being a zombie. If there isn't a threat, then what's the point? Also, most spine tinglers involve darkness because that is a key sense of weakness to most humans. Darkness coupled with complete silence produces the true essence of fear to all humans. It allows the mind to create the worst situation possible, while the orginal threat is still there. -Jacob N.-
In my opinion to make a spine tingler into a spine tingler there has to be susppence. Without it there is just a suprising story. Another thing that can make a spine tingler scary is a little bit of gore and thats probaly it. I agree with mary_kate to that would probaly add a bit of freakyness to the story like Final Destination the fact that might happens freaks me out because you are not sure if it will happen to you and that really apprehensive.
Just a thought but i think it is funny how everyone is answearing the question like a normal person and then corin is all formal and jeez use smaller words i got a heedache.(if thats how you spell it)
For me, a story becomes scary when it takes a dramatic twist. Especially when you know something that the characters don't that could cause pandemonium later in the story. For example, my sister told me about an old horror movie that she watched with her friend, and in it, you see something that the characters don't and you realize that there will be a big agitation (I wanted to use brouhaha, but that just sounds funny) later in the narrative. Scary stories aren't filled with blood, and guts, and gory stuff, they are filled with classic suspense and drama. You know, the whole, 'Don't open the door!' classic horror movie scene? Well that's what I consider scary. Good old-fashioned terror. Mysteries are especially macabre to read, especially murder mysteries! I love getting so into those books that I can't put them down, it's so exhilarating to want to know so horribly what happens next that you want to skip ahead but you know you just can't tear your eyes away from the page long enough to read ahead! Everything about murder mysteries excites me, and now, I'm realizing that I should read them more often. I've always wanted to read Janet Evanovich's series, but never got around to it. Maybe that'll be my next project...
After reading all of your posts, I have a few more things to add... 1) If you want to see truly frightening movie, watch old black and white horror movies. Those are the absolute best! No special affects either. 2) One really good horror book that I read was Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot. It may not sound scary, but it is a murder mystery that takes place in modern times and I really enjoyed. 3) I also agree with just about everyone else who said that to be truly scary, it must have elements of truth in it, just in case I didn't already say that in my former post.
One thing needed in order to create a scary story is vivid descriptions. Descriptive words can take the story from completely boring, to exciting and suspensful. For example, saying, "A thick blanket of fog covered the black, starlit sky," is a lot more exciting than, "It was a foggy night." The story should also it should have a realistic element to it. Reading about mutated, circus-freak clowns is a little unbelievable. When the writer brings about subjects that are actually possible, it truly frightens you, knowing that it could happen to you.
I really can't recall any scary books that I have read (yes, I do read. Just not that many spine tinglers)off of the top of my head. But one book, I seem to think created a feeling of suspense is The House on the Gulf. It was very descriptive, and even though it wasn't scary, I still found myself on the edge of my seat.
Sorry this took so long, I couldn't get it to work.
I think the thing that makes a story truly scary is the fact that it could actually happen. I don't usually read scary stories because to me, they are boring. I am more into Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology. I like that stuff. I think the characteristics are, realness, not just all people killings and what not, I think a good story would be about a creeper. Like me. I don't read "scary" stories because not even I fear death. Yeah, you know. >=] P.S. Greg, NICE you actually posted. And also Greg, YEAH TOP TEN BABY! ALL THE WAY!
In order for a story to be sincerely scary, doesn't always mean it needs the cleeche` (sp?) gallons of blood or venom. If every story included those attributes, it would just seem like a bad joke over and over again. It has to be something that more than one audience can take seriously. A pretty good climax is a requirement, and i think the end of "spine-tinglers"(movies or books) should tend to leave the reader asking "So what next?". Characteristics that make stories scarly have got to be more realistic than just gore. Ghosts can be believeable, but can also be taken over the top; beyond tacky. Unlikely deaths can also be plausible, and probably creep me out the most in stories or movies. For a story to be "spine-tingling" there needs to be a little reality to it.
I think that what makes a story truly scary is if it could be true, but you're not sure if it is or not. Like for instance ghosts, we don't truly know if they're real or not because of all the opinions about them. What makes it scary is if you're on the edge of you're seat and you know something terrible is going to happen to the character you're reading about and BAM! Well, it really wasn't that frightning after all and it was all made up OR it's one of those true stories and now you're afraid to go to asleep at night.
Some characteristics that make a story a spine tingler is definetly suspense of what will happen to the characters. The whole blood, guts thing doesn't creep me out as much as someone creeping up the stairs and standing over your bed, watching you sleep (just to let you know this was in a book I read and NOT in real life. And it was also in a tv show I watched... once.) Also, the reality that the story could be true or could happen would freak anybody out.
I totally agree with Mary Kate in producers making 3 Jurassic Park movies...that's nuts! I mean really, the first one was scary enough!
You know that story we read in class today? I think it was "The Most Dangerous Game". That was NOT SCARY AT ALL. I saw every twist in the story from a mile away. Foreshadowing is an asset in scary stories, but when done in such an obvious fashion, it minimizes the shock factor to the point where the tale is just dull.
I think this further illustrates what is and isn't scary. Try too hard and you fall flat on your face. For something to be scary it has to balance really deep, dreading fear and shock so you don't get bored along the way.
30 comments:
In order for a story to truly be scary, it needs to have an element of truth to it, like you feel it could really happen. A random glut of gross scenes and unrelated events is just discusting and weird. If something is really scary, it is, to a point, realistic. Obviously, something must be out of the ordinary, an account of an average day hardly constitutes "scary".
I tend not to read really scary things, I value sleep too much, and generally I don't check out books that have anything remotely disturbing on the front, but I have watched movies try to be "scary". Like Jurassic Park. Now here is a movie that takes what could be scary- namely, dinosaurs running all over the place- and turns it into something gross- namely, dinosaurs running all over, graphically devouring your beloved friends and family members. Ew. In all, scary means you walk away shaken and nervous, not horrified that someone has a sick enough mind to right this stuff.
I think in order for a story to be truly scary that it has to have actually happened before. If the story being told has not acually happened before then I think it takes away from how scary it is because you dont really know if it could happen.
I actually dont really read any scary stories just because they dont really appeal to me. I dont really plan on reading any books that are scary either but i guess i kind of have to now.
The characteristics that make a story scary is that some of the story has to be made up. Most of the story has to be true but then if you add just a little bit extra then you probably will have a scarier story than before.
YYYYYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHh it finally worked HAHAHAHAHAHAHA lets go for the top ten post
I feel that in order for a story to seem remotely frightening it has to seem true. I don't enjoy stories that don't seem real or at least possible. The gory stories or stories that are slashers or anything that wouldn't be likely wouldn't really be scary now would they?
A spine tingler has to be realistic like stated above. I have to be able to imagine happening in real life, that's when it's really scary because then you go to bed dreaming what if that happened to me? Which seriously you wouldn't expect most of these things to happen but at least it's possible.
A good book I liked was "Saving His Son" By: Rita Herron which I don't think it was meant to be a thriller more of suspense but it's oneof the best and most frightening book I've ever read because it could happen yet it's not likely. This book is highly recommended by me.
(:
I don't believe I've ever seen something quiet so scary as Greg's response to getting his computer to work. YEAHHHHHHHHHH! Sends chills up my spine just reading it.
Oh, sorry I mean spine "tingles". My bad.
I think that for a story to be truly scary it has to be suspensful and somewhat true. It can't(or at least shouldn't)be just a bunch of random killings like most of the Hollywood slasher movies. Those aren't scary, but just plain gross. It should also have a point to it, which most slasher movies don't have.
I haven't read too many scary books, but the few I have read have been more suspensful than the horror movies, namely Steven King. His books are genually scary, mostly because you know all of the characters' thoughts, and most of his books take place in real places. That's the way spine tinglers should be.
I think that for something to be scary it has to be close to reality, like to make me think that it could actually happen to me or some one else. Also to be scary in movies it usually just has to be very shocking and jumpy like when the killer just comes out of no where and tries to kill the main actor or actress, that in my mind is scary just because you expect and know that it's going to happen but you don't know when it's going to happen.
Really for the most part I have not read any scary books besides for "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Ransom" (which by the way are both by Lois Duncan who is an amazing author) which really was not that scary. But I think all you really have to do is make it shocking but something that's feasible to the reader.
O and for Mary Kate when I was younger, Jurassic Park scared me because I remember my parents took me to see the third one since it had just came out and I had to go sit in the car because I thought it was so scary.
Well it seems like this response is the popular one and exactly what I was thinking,I think in order for a story to even begin to be scary,it needs to hit close to home.Though I also think that if you take something controversal,such as ghost,and make a story about them,it can get pretty scary.Such as the sixth sense.That was very spine tingling.
But back to my other point,things that can and have actually happened are even more scary because it can happen.Such as the movie Disturbia.You never know if your private neighbor could be a serial killer.I mean come on,in todays world,its probably true.Thats what makes it so scary,because now your going to wonder and your going to keep alert.
And now back to the controversal subjects such as ghosts and demons and such,they can be the most scary because your not so sure if it could happen but dag nabbit there going to make you belive it. Thats what makes these stories so spine tingling,is that they pull you in to a normal story and then BAM! they pull a twist like a little girl making a killer video tape that kills you in 7 days or ghost coming out of the computer because some guy was dumb and made a virus. These are the ones I like but they make you watch your back and check your closet at night.
I strongly agree with the majority of the previous posts. In order for a story to really send chills up my spine, i have to believe that it could happen to me. A masquerade of actors in gory costumes doesn't sound realistic or at all appealing.
Some stories that i thought were frightening are a lot of Poe stories. Such as "the house of Usher" and "The black cat " Some aspects or characteristics of those stories which i found especially terrifying were the fact that some of them could actually happen. Not only that but just the topics in general, and most of Poe's stories are just dark period.
CORRECTION ^
"the fall of the house of Usher"
by bad
Allrite I'm going to have to agree with Mary Kate here and say that for a story truly to be scary it needs to have realistic points to it. Ghosts and goblins really dont creep me out but someone vanishing in the middle of a city does. I think it has to be something that could really happen. For example Jurrasic Park really doesnt scare me because I know or I'm preeetty confident that dinosaurs dont exist anymore.
I dont think i've read many scary books in my lifetime, sports,food and sleep take up my life. But, if i had to name the scariest thing i have read I would probobly say one of those Alex Rider novels. They are less scary as they are thrilling but o well I tried. I have though watched my share of creepy movies and tv shows. For example if anyone has seen the movie Vacent you will know how horrifying it is. It could happen to any random couple looking for a good hotel.(That wasn't sarcasm by the way) I guess what im trying to say is that for something to scare me it has to be realistic and have purpose or meaning to it. 3 guys runnning around beating the crap out of each other doesnt scare me as much as it does make me laugh. Wat it doooooooooo. >:)
Correction^
I forgot to capitalize some of my "I's" and Taylor its my bad not by bad......just sayin.
Another Correction^ I think.....
I have no idea if i spelled Vacent wrong. To lazy to get up and use a Dictionary. Hey guys guess what. FLORIDA WON!!!! Go GATORS!!!!!!!! <<<<<<<<<<< (Those are gator mouths)
As most are saying, I think if a story is based off a real life one that makes it scary. It has to keep me connected and have good descriptions. The story needs to be something that you can remember because you want to try to spook someone else. All the goblins and mystical creature should just stick to the movies. They just over do it.
I have to say I take most of the scary things I read, see, or hear as humorous. I don't know why, but I do remember reading the stories in "Haunted Ohio". I always loved to read those books.
To be a spine tingler a story should have creepyness to it. Like when in the beginning it tells you a bit what the story is about in a past setting with history and then plays out the rest through the story in present day setting. Also there needs to be a really good ending, or the story never ends up good.
I agree with most the comments left already.
For a story to be scary it has to have happened, or be something that could happen. Stories that consist of ghosts, dinosaurs, and gruesome scenes can be a little scary, yeah i'll admit that. But those kind of stories never do anything but scare you for a moment, maybe make you jump, and leave you with a distgusting picture in your mind.
I would say that typically stories that are more disturbing and suspensful are the scariest.
I don't really read scary stories because i'm too much of a wimp, and my imagination would end up getting the best of me. But i have seen Stephen King movies based off his books, and i'd say those are good examples of scary stories. His stories are so disturbing and eerie. They're the kind of stories that get to you and make you wonder how someone could think of that. Stories that are real spine tinglers are the kind that creep you out so much that you don't feel comfortable and nervous.
A truly scary story is something that will leave you shocked and shaken up. Whereas some "scary" stories leave you grossed out.
I would have to agree with most of the comments already posted. I believe that if a story is going to be scary that it has to have a chance that it could happen to someone in real life. Otherwise its just like really cheesy and lame. This is mostly about movies but it could have like random people hopping out to scary you like the Hayride that the clarinets went on it wasn't realistic but was really scary because you would turn your head and there was a random guy with his face in yours. I think there is alot of ways to make a story scary, but i have to get of the computer and go to church now so if you want to know call me.
P.S if you really call me your a creeper.
~Christine~
Kasey, there are THREE Jurassic Parks? I thought that one was bad.
I have another comment.
If something is scary, you have to actually care about the characters. If you don't you just spend the entire book or movie wishing something bad would happen to the characters just so it will be over. Like that movie on "The Interlopers" we watched in class. Was it just me or did they spend WAY to much stomping through the woods? Nothing happened!
As Mary Kate and Pagie, I think for a story to be scary it has to have some since of truth to it, or it has to be realistic.lso, in order for it to be scary or spin tingling it most likely doesn't have a whole bucnh of icky nasty guts in it. One because some of it is just really fake and stupid, it the human body. Two, I find gore fun and all but not scary.
I have read scary stories in the past. But not many of them have really gotten me to actualy like be afraid to go to bed or anything. Movies on the other hand, I think can be much more scary because they provide a visual of what is going on and "The Strangers" is a truely scary movvie to me because its a true story and in the world today there are some creepers out there.
Haha. Mary kate I think there was wayy to much stomping in the woods, and I found it kind of a complet waste of flim. No offence to anyone.
Sorry about alll the spelling issues:[
I have issues with spelling.
OH!
and I really agree with Briahna
I've only watched a few scary movies in my life and when I do, I'm with a friend and we laugh the whole time.
Hearing everyone talk about scary movies got very irksome after a while. Movies rely on special effects to convey a sense of suspense. Most of the time, these methods are ineffectual and those of us who have deeper understanding of the world than say, a six-year-old, will tend to find them amusing. Those of you who do find such movies scary, maybe you have seen different ones than I have because for the most part, I cannot say I have seen one that has managed to catch me unawares.
Books, on the other hand,use their eloquence to articulately convey a sense of the unknown. For instance, To Kill a Mockingbird has several suspenseful scenes, such as the part near the end where the creepy guy follows Jem and Scout home. A few more are: The Monkey's paw, a story about someone who fabricated a zombie of their deceased son by using an old amulet, and in Macbeth, if it makes you happy Jacob,when the witches create their spells and potions.
Spine tinglers contain the elements of suspense which my teacher spent a great deal of time discussing with my class last year. These elements allow you to be in the story as the narrator or as one of the characters feeling your hands get clammy, hearing footsteps behind you, and then finally, seeing the creepy murderer pop out from behind you holding a knife against your throat.
True spine tinglers don't leave you with nightmares, they leave you out of breath, as if you had ran several miles. There is really no danger in reading one even for those who get scared easily. Sometimes, I will pause at a suspenseful part in a book and find myself breathing heavily, but that's about it, and I'm one of those people who gets scared when someone jumps out from behind a corner at me!
I would have to somewhat agree with paige in that it doesn't have to actually happen, but it should be something that is possible. Well, almost everyone else said the same thing but paige's description was the most precise to me. However, hearing of such stories as Amityville Horror, which is a book, a biography about people living in a haunted house. It is a true story.
If you read it, I'm sure you wouldn't believe any of it, but it is a true story, as I said above. After hearing of the experiences in that house, I would not be surprised to find otherwise unbelievable stories, believable.
A spine tingler has to have suspense to it, but it has to be quick too, it can't be a whole book of suspense and then something goes awry. If that happens, the reader loses interest. It must also have something being threatened with death or mutation, such as being a zombie. If there isn't a threat, then what's the point? Also, most spine tinglers involve darkness because that is a key sense of weakness to most humans. Darkness coupled with complete silence produces the true essence of fear to all humans.
It allows the mind to create the worst situation possible, while the orginal threat is still there.
-Jacob N.-
In my opinion to make a spine tingler into a spine tingler there has to be susppence. Without it there is just a suprising story. Another thing that can make a spine tingler scary is a little bit of gore and thats probaly it. I agree with mary_kate to that would probaly add a bit of freakyness to the story like Final Destination the fact that might happens freaks me out because you are not sure if it will happen to you and that really apprehensive.
Just a thought but i think it is funny how everyone is answearing the question like a normal person and then corin is all formal and jeez use smaller words i got a heedache.(if thats how you spell it)
10/05/08
For me, a story becomes scary when it takes a dramatic twist. Especially when you know something that the characters don't that could cause pandemonium later in the story. For example, my sister told me about an old horror movie that she watched with her friend, and in it, you see something that the characters don't and you realize that there will be a big agitation (I wanted to use brouhaha, but that just sounds funny) later in the narrative. Scary stories aren't filled with blood, and guts, and gory stuff, they are filled with classic suspense and drama. You know, the whole, 'Don't open the door!' classic horror movie scene? Well that's what I consider scary. Good old-fashioned terror. Mysteries are especially macabre to read, especially murder mysteries! I love getting so into those books that I can't put them down, it's so exhilarating to want to know so horribly what happens next that you want to skip ahead but you know you just can't tear your eyes away from the page long enough to read ahead! Everything about murder mysteries excites me, and now, I'm realizing that I should read them more often. I've always wanted to read Janet Evanovich's series, but never got around to it. Maybe that'll be my next project...
Kati
After reading all of your posts, I have a few more things to add...
1) If you want to see truly frightening movie, watch old black and white horror movies. Those are the absolute best! No special affects either.
2) One really good horror book that I read was Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot. It may not sound scary, but it is a murder mystery that takes place in modern times and I really enjoyed.
3) I also agree with just about everyone else who said that to be truly scary, it must have elements of truth in it, just in case I didn't already say that in my former post.
Kati
One thing needed in order to create a scary story is vivid descriptions. Descriptive words can take the story from completely boring, to exciting and suspensful. For example, saying, "A thick blanket of fog covered the black, starlit sky," is a lot more exciting than, "It was a foggy night." The story should also it should have a realistic element to it. Reading about mutated, circus-freak clowns is a little unbelievable. When the writer brings about subjects that are actually possible, it truly frightens you, knowing that it could happen to you.
I really can't recall any scary books that I have read (yes, I do read. Just not that many spine tinglers)off of the top of my head. But one book, I seem to think created a feeling of suspense is The House on the Gulf. It was very descriptive, and even though it wasn't scary, I still found myself on the edge of my seat.
Sorry this took so long, I couldn't get it to work.
I think the thing that makes a story truly scary is the fact that it could actually happen. I don't usually read scary stories because to me, they are boring. I am more into Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology. I like that stuff. I think the characteristics are, realness, not just all people killings and what not, I think a good story would be about a creeper. Like me. I don't read "scary" stories because not even I fear death. Yeah, you know. >=] P.S. Greg, NICE you actually posted. And also Greg, YEAH TOP TEN BABY! ALL THE WAY!
In order for a story to be sincerely scary, doesn't always mean it needs the cleeche` (sp?) gallons of blood or venom. If every story included those attributes, it would just seem like a bad joke over and over again. It has to be something that more than one audience can take seriously. A pretty good climax is a requirement, and i think the end of "spine-tinglers"(movies or books) should tend to leave the reader asking "So what next?". Characteristics that make stories scarly have got to be more realistic than just gore. Ghosts can be believeable, but can also be taken over the top; beyond tacky. Unlikely deaths can also be plausible, and probably creep me out the most in stories or movies. For a story to be "spine-tingling" there needs to be a little reality to it.
I think that what makes a story truly scary is if it could be true, but you're not sure if it is or not. Like for instance ghosts, we don't truly know if they're real or not because of all the opinions about them. What makes it scary is if you're on the edge of you're seat and you know something terrible is going to happen to the character you're reading about and BAM! Well, it really wasn't that frightning after all and it was all made up OR it's one of those true stories and now you're afraid to go to asleep at night.
Some characteristics that make a story a spine tingler is definetly suspense of what will happen to the characters. The whole blood, guts thing doesn't creep me out as much as someone creeping up the stairs and standing over your bed, watching you sleep (just to let you know this was in a book I read and NOT in real life. And it was also in a tv show I watched... once.) Also, the reality that the story could be true or could happen would freak anybody out.
I totally agree with Mary Kate in producers making 3 Jurassic Park movies...that's nuts! I mean really, the first one was scary enough!
:Alex Meyer:
You know that story we read in class today? I think it was "The Most Dangerous Game". That was NOT SCARY AT ALL. I saw every twist in the story from a mile away. Foreshadowing is an asset in scary stories, but when done in such an obvious fashion, it minimizes the shock factor to the point where the tale is just dull.
I think this further illustrates what is and isn't scary. Try too hard and you fall flat on your face. For something to be scary it has to balance really deep, dreading fear and shock so you don't get bored along the way.
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