I discovered a passion for paranormal writing relatively late on my road to publication, but my love for the genre hasn’t faded one bit over time. I love reading the world building that goes into any paranormal/fantasy book, love uncovering an author’s vivid imagination. Conversely I hate it when none of that works for me, when it all falls flat or just short of believable.
The same goes for paranormal movies. Actually the idea of this blog all started after watching ‘Fourth Kind’ where a small Alaskan town has experienced the highest number of unsolved disappearances in all of Alaska. Spliced with apparent ‘real’ footage, it makes for a very scary, very believable movie about alien encounters. For me at the time, it was frightening. (I realised this after I picked up stepson from work at midnight, trying hard not to think about said movie!)
To experience such intense emotions in a book (and I’m not talking only fear—though Stephen King does a superb job of that) the author has brought the characters to life...they clearly aren’t 2 dimensional cardboard cut outs. The reader is living through the hero and heroine, experiencing their every up and down moment, feeling every bit of their love and torment.
‘Fourth Kind’ had me questioning —is it possible?—is it real? I felt every bit of Abbey’s trauma, imagining how she must feel, wondering how she coped. The live footage had me wondering too, is this another ‘Blair Witch’ type of movie...? I’ll let you be the judge! LOL
Anyway, all this got me thinking, what makes a book or a movie, real? What movie or book has made you scared, sad, happy, made you cry? And why?
I dislike read/watching these sorts of books/movies for that very reason, Mel! Scary! My imagination is vivid enough without being petrified with the "this could be real" factor kicking in.
ReplyDeleteTrue to life accounts or believable horror is on my "miss this" list.
LOL!! After watching this one Kylie I can totally understand. I'd much rather lose myself in Underworld =)
ReplyDeleteI found "The Others" chilling and memorable. The writer was very clever give ghost stories a twist. Likewise I loved 6th Sense. Good world building in that the settings are recognisable but eerie. I thought both Kidman and Willis delivered great performances too.
ReplyDeleteI'm hopeless at horror movies or anything supernatural, Mel -- I get far too scared. I will NOT being seeing The Fourth Kind! I wouldn't sleep for a year, if I did!
ReplyDeleteCount me in as another scaredy Cat. I too tend to avoid horror movies. But I've been pondering your question, Mel -- what books and movies make me cry (I've chosen cry over your other options because if a book or movie can make me do it then it usually becomes a keeper. I don't know why because I loathe crying in real life)? I think it all boils down to how invested I become in the characters. Make me love them then put them through hell... and make them act nobly in their hell -- Harry Potter in the 4th book when Cedric Diggory dies. That gets me every time.
ReplyDeleteHmm... off to ponder some more.
Oh Zana 'The Others' was fantastic. I'm NOT a Nicole Kidman fan (except when she starred in Dead Calm) but yes, loved that twist!
ReplyDeleteEmily, I wouldn't advise it!! And I think worse for us writers who tend to have vivid imaginations at the best of times LOL!
ReplyDeleteStill, it was interesting...
Michelle I have yet to read the 4th book, but now I'm wanting to experience what you have!
ReplyDeleteJK Rowling is a seriously good writer =)
Mel, you can put me down with the fraidy cats - I can't watch horror movies either. Hmmm... seems to be a pattern here!
ReplyDeleteHey Mel --
ReplyDeleteOoh, I'll have to check out The Fourth Kind (I don't mind a scary movie every now and then!)
I agree with Michelle that a story feels real to me when I'm completely invested in the characters and also when it makes me *feel* so much (scared, happy, anxious...)
LOL - I completely understand Rach!!
ReplyDeleteAnna then you'll definately have to watch this one - though it's scary in a very different kind of sense...
ReplyDeleteI used to be a bit of a horror movie fan but I have to confess that I'm not so good with the real horror-horror movies these days... One that I particularly remember was The Changling about a haunted house. I had the most dreadful night's sleep after it!
ReplyDeleteActually Stephen King's The Green Mile was an fantastic horror/psychological thriller movie.
:)
Sharon
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI think we soak up that believability factor and that's it - we're goners!!! LOL