We homeschool and our Christian curriculum had 5 Poe stories last week. I didn’t skip that section-he read them. I don’t like Poe, but his stories are captivating and very well written.
I saw many horror movies when I was too young to watch them. My parents had no idea, but every year at a friend’s birthday party her mom would have a stack of horror movies and we watched them all night. Some I remember are The People Under The Stairs, Halloween, Children of the Corn, Friday the 13th, Nughtmare on Elm Street and Pet Cemetary. At nine and ten years old, I was too young and I didn’t like it at all.
Partly I remember Psalm 101:3, but it’s a tad disingenuous to claim that verse because British Mysteries aren’t exactly pure no matter how tame they may be and that is my favorite thing to read or watch. I just don’t like gore or plots where no one can control situations. My kids think it’s hilarious that I hate The Muppets, always have. I finally figured out why-random chaos and there is no one in charge to rein it in. Horror movies are the same thing-no one can stop the evil and I don’t like that.
‘Halloween’ isn’t gory at all actually. It’s about brave individuals trying to stop evil. Now all the gory and mindless imitations of Halloween (like Friday the 13) are another story...
Part of the reason Gothic or ‘horror’ fiction emerged in the 18th century was as a reaction against the Enlightenment. Some artists thought a Newtonian clockwork universe didn’t leave any room for mystery or strangeness that the imagination provides.