My Guilty Pleasure

It's an experience everyone ought to have. I don’t watch old horror films because they scare me; in fact, they comfort me. Watching old horror films takes me back to movie night with my grandmother. Spending time with my grandma was my favorite family tradition. As long as I can remember, I have loved watching old films with my grandma. No one else may understand my fascination with old horror films, but my husband and daughter do. I will forever love watching old horror films, guilty pleasure or not.

There are many things to admire when watching old horror films. The makeup and special effects are definitely worth looking at when watching old horror films. Because they did not have computers to aid them, they relied on their makeup artists to create some of the creepiest monsters to grace the screen. Some of these monsters were unbelievable. I’ll never forget seeing Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster for the first time. That face is iconic. One of the most recognizable scenes in movie history. Those makeup artists deserve so much recognition!

What really amazes me about old horror films is the creativity. These people did not have all the gadgets we have now. They were working with a limited budget and very little technology, and they still came up with some REALLY good movies. These film directors built their set pieces from scratch. They created stories that we remember and characters we will never forget. They came up with plots that still speak to us today. I hope to be as creative as they were in my life.

People might think it’s creepy that horror films comfort me, but they do. Every time I sit down to watch a black-and-white horror film from way back when, I can picture myself in my grandma’s living room. Popcorn bowl in hand, wrapped in the warmth of the TV lights. It feels cozy. It feels safe. I don’t ever remember feeling that way while watching new movies. I love that I can experience those kinds of flashbacks from old films.

No matter how many times you watch them, black-and-white horror films will always creep you out. Something about the movie being in black-and-white makes them scarier. The shadows dancing along the wall are something I think you could never replicate with color films. Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy…these movies still freak people out after all these years. You can have all the special effects in the world, but if you do not have a great plot and mood, you’ll lose your audience. There’s something classy about those films. I adore them. They truly amaze me.

Old horror films are not just a favorite thing of mine to watch. They are something that took my grandma and me on a journey when I was younger and will always be cherished.