What is horror?

Before we get started, we should probably define what we mean by a "horror film."  For so many people, horror is like pornography: you know it when you see it.  But there has to be something that defines the genre.  It's not like war films or westerns, who have specific settings and characters common to most, if not all, their films.  The romantic comedy promises a happy ending where boy and girl end up happily ever after, probably despite some wacky misadventures.

Part of the issue is that what is considered "horror" changes through generations.  Horror literature from the Victorian era often addresses issues of grave robbing, a horrifying taboo at the time but something that is now distasteful but not exactly frightening.  Modern horror fans often complain that older horror films move too slowly and aren't actually scary at all.

So what is horror?  Some have defined a horror film as one that contains a monster.  Others claim horror films contain a threat to specific characters or the greater society.  Some claim only gore and guts counts as horror.

I have a much more basic definition of horror: it's anything that horrifies.

But first off, it has to mean to be horrifying.  The point of the film has to be to evoke strong emotions of fear, fright, or unease. War films can be horrifying to those watching but the main point of the film is not to scare the audience.  Some comedy films can be horrifying because of how bad they are, but they were originally meant to elicit laughter, not screams.  Films not considered as horror can contain frightening images; I know of more than one adult who is still terrified of the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz.  But it's not a horror film.

I also consider films which use common horror film conventions.  Much talk has been going around in the horror community about the Twilight series.  Although the underlying story is about a teen girl's first love, the use of vampires and werewolves allows it to be considered a horror film.  Ghostbusters and Young Frankenstein are pure comedy, but their use of horror tropes bring them into the genre.

Some may say I am casting too wide a net by including everything from Monsters vs. Aliens to A Serbian Film.  But that's the point.  Too many people, especially women, look down on horror films as worthless or even dangerous.  Looking at horror through such a wide lens, we see that the horror genre is all around us and is an important part of our lives.  In fact, I feel that horror is actually good for us - it lets us confront our fears in a safe manner.  Everyone, no matter their age or gender, needs help working through their fears.  And with the horror genre being so wide open, there's something out there for everyone.