Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Why I love to be scared.... by Peggy Jaeger

 So...

Halloween is just around the corner. I'm not gonna talk about how it will be such a different celebration this year because of the way the world is right now. I mention Halloween as an introduction to my topic today WHY I LOVE TO BE SCARED.

Now, I often admit, I am not like other people. If you've ever read my bio sheet on my webpage you know there are some unusual things about me. One eye larger than the other, my favorite book and song, and the fact that I love scary movies - the scarier the better.

And I'm not talking about those torture-porn movies like SAW 1- 56, or The Texas chainsaw massacre. Those movies were made for bloody shock value and aren't scary as much as shocking and...gross.

No, I'm talking about melt down in to your seat, cover your eyes, close one of them, and don't breath, scary movies.

For example... when I was a 12 THE EXORCIST premiered. People were fainting and throwing up in the theater. Not me. I hunkered down and planted my butt waaaaaay down in the seat, lifted my legs so my  knees were up around my chin and then spent two hours scared to death.

Loved every second of it.

The OMEN was another childhood scare fest. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS still gets to me when I catch it while channel surfing. And forget about JAWS. I haven't dipped a toe in the ocean since that movie released in 1975.

Those are the movies that do it for me, not the persistent blood, guts and gore of so many filmmakers theses day. To be truly scared you need to have a visceral reaction to what you are seeing, plus an intellectual one - where you ENVISION or just know what is going to happen, and THAT is why you are terrified. In writing we call this foreshadowing during a romantic suspense novel. Great filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg know this and it shows in all their films.

SO, tell me, because my inquiring mind wants to know: What was the scariest movie you ever saw, and why was it so scary?

On that note, I wish everyone a Happy Halloween, albeit it will be a different day than we're used to. I didn't even buy candy this year!!

Looking for me ( on Halloween or any other day, lol?) here I am: FOLLOW ME

17 comments:

  1. Do you like Stephen King. Wondered if you watched It. The year that movie came out, clown costumes were big sellers for Halloween.

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    1. Love King. Seen all the movies, read all the books.

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  2. I can't do anything scary. It stays with me for years and I can't sleep at night!

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    1. Oh, Kara - it stays with me too, but since I never sleep, I'm okay, LOL!

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  3. I don't do scary movies, especially the ones that have a paranormal twist. I've reluctantly seen a few over the years and try not to think about them. One was on the Bermuda Triangle and it totally freaked me out. A friend made me watch this Oprah movie called Beloved and it still haunts me thinking about it. No thank you! You can have all of the scary movies. Me, I'll take romance every time!!

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  4. Hahaah. No worries, I'll watch them for you. And we can watch RomComs together!

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  5. I don't like scary anything, although I'll cop to enjoying The Amityville Horror. However, when that cat jumped up at the window, I came off the seat...a long way. Fun post, Peggy!

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  6. HAHAHA. Liz, I jump when the dog barks!!!

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  7. I'm a wimp when it comes to scary movies. I'm still not over The Shining. "Redrum."

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  8. Can't handle scary movies. That being said, I love Alfred Hitchcock movies. Except psycho. To this day I hear that sound and I cringe. Nearly knocked my husband out when we were first marriage and he came to join me in the shower. Pulled the curtain open and wham. Reflex. Poor guy!

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  9. PSYCHO is actually my favorite of the Hitchcock movies with The Birds a close close second!!!!

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  10. Oooh Peggy, I'm right there with you. I love to be scared but in a classy way. Have you seen The Changling with George C. Scott? It's an eerie ghost story you'll love. I also love Silver Bullet (S. King short story).

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  11. Yes, I saw the Chengling when it came out, ooodles of years ago!!!! So many really good scary movies before all the guts and gore stuff!

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  12. I hate the blood, guts, and gore genre, but I'm always up for a good scary movie. The Omen totally freaked me out. Any guy named Damian creeps me out. Poltergeist, The Exorcist, first Alien, Resident Evil? Yikes!!! I'll admit to watching some scenes with my hand over my face, peeking between my fingers.

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  13. I forgot about Alien. Yes, that one I sat in the movie theater hunkered waaaaaaay down with my knees infront of my eyes.

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