So You Say You're a Horror Fan

I've enjoyed horror, paranormal, sci-fi, supernatural, dark fantasy, and sci-fi horror films since I was a child. The scarier the better. The darker it gets the more scoops on my demented cone. Fill me up with delicious morsels of ghosts, demons, vampires and witches. Trick my brain with monsters stowed away on a space ship or a crash landing on an unchartered planet. Let me explore the depths of hell from the safety of my living room while hiding one eye to limit the vision of horror.

This is my jam. My take me away Calgon that can turn a bad day into a distant memory as I plunge deeper into the macabre. This summer I'd hoped for some new and inventive releases in the film industry that would bring me to the want again. Wanting to sit in the dark theater with my popcorn and water, (and M&M's of course. What's popcorn if it's not laced with a crunchy shell of chocolate.) reclined back ever so slightly, and my phone on silent for the next two hours. I yearned to feel the pull that would make me forget about social media and writing committments for just half a day. Unfortunately, I see nothing on the horizon.

Sure, we have the new Jurassic Park: Jurassic World Rebirth, I Know What You Did Last Summer 2025 (coming soon), and Final Destination Bloodlines. All of them have been done over and over again, leaving the opportunity for real spookiness to be a memory dependent on the likes of The Exorcist, The Omen, Alien, The Fly, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and the most depraved pair of Hellraiser, and Phantasm. That recipe of ingredients that bakes a perfect seven layers of fright, tears, screams, rapid heartbeat, lying in bed straining to see the shadows in the darkness, afraid to let one foot hang out during the night, and saying the mantra over and over in your head—it's not real.

I long for something that although difficult to be original, strives to be as unique in it's story as it possibly can be. Until then I will remian hopeful. Autumn is just around the corner and maybe I'll get surprised. It would be wonderful to curl up on the couch with a blanket, the fur babies in my lap, hot cocoa on my table, and an ample supply of tissues to wipe away the tears of fright.

In case you're wondering, here's a few of my all time favorites. What's yours?

The Uninvited 1944

The Thing From Another World 1951

Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1956

The Fly 1958

Excorcist 1973

The Omen 1976

Halloween 1978

Alien 1979

Phantasm 1979

The Thing 1982

Nightmare on Elm Street 1984

Fright Night 1985

The Fly 1986

The Lost Boys 1987

Hellraiser 1987

The Monster Squad 1987 (Not frightening but so much fun)

It 1990

Bram Stokers Dracula 1992

Insidious 2011

The Conjuring 2013

Hereditary 2018

The Black Phone 2024