I used to read a lot of Dean Koontz he had a tendency to do suspense/thriller which actually worked for me. A lot of "this can't be real". I got sucked into horror originally through Edgar Allen Poe in school it resonated with something inside me and I read a lot of his work and HP Lovecraft whose works are mostly cosmic horror but Dagon just lets you make up so much in your head that could be worse than what he was thinking of. I believe it probably was depression that originally drew me to the genre as I felt at time life was just a series of no choices that lead no where why can't mine be more interesting like these. I got help and mostly bledt it behind once in a while I will find one that works for new but they don't leave an impression like they used to. And most modern horror is either slasher or stupid. Psychological suspense/thriller which still what I like best just can't be written well when nobody can face reality themselves.
I'm not a horror fan myself, but here and there: McCarthy's The Road is not "horror", but it *is* horror itself. 'Salem's Lot, and the two short stories I know of linked to it ("Jerusalem's Lot" and "One For The Road"), are almost beautiful and speak to my experience of growing up in a small town. Most any Lovecraft (particularly "The Haunter of the Dark" and "The Dunwich Horror") for the oppressive psychology. For movies, the initial Blair Witch movie. Most pre-war B&W. A few 1970s psychological flicks like The Wicker Man, I think.
Like you, there are a few I’ve found and read or watched that were good. Hitchcock can reliably pull it off, I think. I am so very not a Stephen King fan, but writing as Richard Bachman his Strawberry Pie is haunting.
Movies; the only horror show that I thoroughly (Though cringaly and painfully.) enjoyed is A Dream of Passion, a remaking of Medea directed by Jules Dassin. A movie that I think satisfies most definitions of horror show although, as in the days of Greek theater, all the blood and gore is off stage. It, in form and format mirrors Euripides' Greek tragedy and led me to appreciate such as the Greeks did their tragedies, as catharsis.
I used to read a lot of Dean Koontz he had a tendency to do suspense/thriller which actually worked for me. A lot of "this can't be real". I got sucked into horror originally through Edgar Allen Poe in school it resonated with something inside me and I read a lot of his work and HP Lovecraft whose works are mostly cosmic horror but Dagon just lets you make up so much in your head that could be worse than what he was thinking of. I believe it probably was depression that originally drew me to the genre as I felt at time life was just a series of no choices that lead no where why can't mine be more interesting like these. I got help and mostly bledt it behind once in a while I will find one that works for new but they don't leave an impression like they used to. And most modern horror is either slasher or stupid. Psychological suspense/thriller which still what I like best just can't be written well when nobody can face reality themselves.
I'm not a horror fan myself, but here and there: McCarthy's The Road is not "horror", but it *is* horror itself. 'Salem's Lot, and the two short stories I know of linked to it ("Jerusalem's Lot" and "One For The Road"), are almost beautiful and speak to my experience of growing up in a small town. Most any Lovecraft (particularly "The Haunter of the Dark" and "The Dunwich Horror") for the oppressive psychology. For movies, the initial Blair Witch movie. Most pre-war B&W. A few 1970s psychological flicks like The Wicker Man, I think.
Chop 'em up movies? No, thank you.
Like you, there are a few I’ve found and read or watched that were good. Hitchcock can reliably pull it off, I think. I am so very not a Stephen King fan, but writing as Richard Bachman his Strawberry Pie is haunting.
Reading; no Steven King. Ever.
Movies; the only horror show that I thoroughly (Though cringaly and painfully.) enjoyed is A Dream of Passion, a remaking of Medea directed by Jules Dassin. A movie that I think satisfies most definitions of horror show although, as in the days of Greek theater, all the blood and gore is off stage. It, in form and format mirrors Euripides' Greek tragedy and led me to appreciate such as the Greeks did their tragedies, as catharsis.
IMO Horror has a strong element of "this can't be real".
Salem's Lot is Horror because none of the characters believe in Vampires until they're face to face with them.
Denial, is strong with this genre ;)