Suppose- The psychological thriller writer speaks:
Why are Japanese cult-ish horror films so successful? Just like why are Japanese msytery/horror/thriller novels such a great read? On the other hand, America teen slasher horror films sucks (to the core). And why R.L.Stine, Christopher Pike types are in fact lousy thrillers. There are tricks to make thrillers exciting. And for the same reason, Hollywood adaptations of Japanese horror movies stink. Because they completely screw up the tricks, by mashing it with their idea of horror. (lots of blood and screaming and sudden loud music). Their trick is really to keep the audience in the dark until it's too late. revealing and concealing. It is a kind of psychological heigtening of tension. They let it seep slowly, so that you don't actually know that you are slowly being fed the horror. And when they finally burst the dam on you, the fear becomes overwhelming. So that you can't scream. And the horrific scene stays. Alfred Hitchcock fans would know this. You are not aware that you are creeped out. Until the end, then you'll never forget that film.
Great horror film/books screws with your mind. Lousy horror bks/flicks screws with your emotions. It is a one shot scare and it's all over. They deal with the improbable. Things like ghost and totally out of ths world murder scenes with gallons of blood. The great flicks plays with the possible. Any normal household items takes on a new use. A normal person, a normal life, a normal household yet a horrific tale.
They tap into our insecurities and make them into a fear. They take a concept and distort it into a horror. Nursery rhymes, butterflies, the televison set. Children's laughters, the curtains. The palette for creating horror is infinte. Possibilities endless.
They never waste scares. Lousy horror flicks/books have a series of shocks-Climax and anti-climax. They spend time building up suspense and then wasting it on lousy little shocks. Great flicks and books keep it building up ever so slowly and let it out on you gently or as a matter of factly.
And at the end of the day, you can never quite explain the whole thing. It's weird and freaky and escapes the logic. Yet, somehow, a seed has been planted in your head. And you'll never quite know when these strange plants will burst into your consciousness.
There