From: frisinv@alleg.edu(Vincent Frisina)
Subject: Re: What is "Horror" (aveNgiNg my tarNished reputatioN)
Organization: Allegheny College
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 12:59:23 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.175649.10226@pellns.alleg.edu> iain@ttel.ling  
writes:
> In article <1992Aug17.161731.20016@mdd.comm.mot.com>  
> ketter@mdd.comm.mot.com (Cindy Ketterling) writes:
> > >>definition in horror (i.e. slasher movies, bad splatterpunk (not all  
> > >>splatterpunk is bad, though), overwritten rape scenes, overdone  
sexual  
> > >>devientcy ala Clive Barker). 
> > 
> > "overdone sexual devientcy"?  Ummmmm ... I'm afraid I'm really going  
to
> > have to disagree with you on that point.  One of the main reasons I
> > LIKE Barker is because at no point does his work deteriorate into the
> > same "oh, I'd better throw in a sex scene here or this story won't  
sell"
> > trap that so many horror authors fall into.  Yes, he does use sexual
> > elements in his work, and no, they're not always what you, Jerry  
> Falwell,
> > or actually even most people would consider normal, but it ALWAYS has  
a
> > place in the story.  There is a reason for it being there, and that
> > reason is NOT "because it sells books".  It's there because it's part
> > of the plot, or essential to character development, or just because  
its
> > something that people in that situation would do.  If you can't deal
> > with sex in a book, you should probobly be reading children's books or
> > 1950's science fiction, NOT modern horror.  
> > 
> > My motto:  "If it bugs ya, don't reads it." 
> > 
> > - the Cypherkat
> 
>    First of all I resent the comparison to Jerry Falwell.  I never said  
> Barker isan't a great writer I just think he over does it on occassion.  
> Let's take The Great and Secret Show for a good example. By the middle  
of  
> the book, I wanted to go for a swim in the dream sea. The next thing i  
> know i'm dragged kicking and screaming out of the story by a dog  
screwing  
> dead(?) woman. It was annoying. I realize it was an integral part of the  
> story and well written but it was still annoying to be pulled out of the  
> story by a good bout of beastiallity/necrophilia. 
>    As far as me writting children's books, I haven't tried it. I guess I  
> never really hit it of with the under-ten crowd. I just don't think  
> "Curious George Meets the Anti-GOD" would hit it off with the parents  
> either. If you think for one second that the bible-thumpers who try to  
ban  
> books like "The Hobbit" are going to allow "Pipe Dream" into their  
> seven-year-old's library, you're the one who belongs in the 1950's.
>    As far as not reading it, no can do. When ol' Clive come out with  
> another, I'll be the first to read it. Sorry.
> ------
> Vince <- if I catch whoever wrote this...

Oh, this is great! I didn't write one word of this. I check what's new in  
alt.horror and find I supposedly posted this incoherent babble. If I get  
my hands on whoever did this they'll wish I just wanted to kill them. I'll  
string ya up from the highest pole, ya hear! Damn, I'm angry. I'll  try to  
clear my name and avoid being flamed for what this ass said.
   While I'm here, I might as well write a REAL response. In truth I  
included Clive Barker in that list out of jealousy. I write similar scenes  
on occassion, and although it is a key element of the plot it come out so  
detached from the rest of the story that it seemed I put it there just for  
titillation. A scene in one of my stories, "Pipe Dreams" (the fool didn't  
even spell it right) is similar to the scene with the dog in "The Great  
and Secret Show" but instead of being an integral part of character  
development and motivation for much of the plot it looked like I like  
beastiality. As far as defining the genre, it isn't possible.
   As far as being another Jerry Falwell, ya pegged me wrong. If I were  
out close down all the weird fiction that some people find disturbing, I'd  
go down in flames with everyone else. I LOVE WEIRD HORROR!!!!
-----
Vince (the real thing)
Newsgroups: alt.horror