MaKayla Hensley: Horror/Fantasy

I've always been particularly fascinated with Asian/Japanese horror and supernatural films. Growing up in a Southern Christian home things were exceptionally stiff and filtered. We believed in angels and demons but not ghosts, or anything identical. Easter supernatural has such a fascinating culture around spirits good and bad. Evil spirits can be incredibly terrifying, some of the best horror out there is from Japan. The presence of ominous spirits can be incredibly terrifying, and the Japanese culture goes to great lengths warding off evil spirits and welcoming kind ones. In Western American tales of demons and possession usually nothing happens to resolve it until the damage has already been done. By the time exorcists have been approved and arrive the vessel the demon has possessed cannot be saved without significant harm both physical and psychological have already been done. In Japanese horror usually the spirits themselves are human beings that had a horrible fate and now

Vampires are an incredibly intriguing monster in horror. Their numerous gifts of being able to transform into elements and creatures, and their danger makes them very provocative beings. In most cases vampires have lived several decades beyond a human lifespan, even centuries, which provides a sense of wisdom. They could technically be classified as immortal, but at a grave price of feeding on the blood of the living, and avoiding sunlight. These are people who were once human beings, but in one way or another transition into being monsters. In "Interview With a Vampire" Louis was human at one point, but he agrees to become a vampire. At first it seems enchanting, the way he becomes a vampire is mentioned to be a euphoria beyond pleasure he has known. Later on in the novel though he realizes what he has to do in order to survive and becomes very guilty, whereas Lestat, who has been a vampire for a while relishes in killing his meal in gruesome ways. Since Lestat has been a v

Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" is a Hallmark of Gothic Horror, and a lot of the elements within this novel have lived on as inspiration for the Genre to this very day. One of the things I have always come to adore in this genre is the settings and the characters themselves. Gothic environments are usually enchanted with decay, vast manors on high hilltops or deep within forests. The attire usually worn is of course dark, but is layered with such lovely and intricate details. Which this choice in turn usually makes the hero/heroine stand out with lighter clothing choices. In the novel Frankenstein the setting is a far off castle that has seen better days. Since our characters in the story thrive in this main environment it weighs the entire text down with a very saturated and dreary sensation. You as the reader feel alone, depressed, and this atmosphere is where a monster is produced. The description of the environment is identical to that of the monster. A recent film t

ominous weather animal behavior foreshadowing taboos/superstitious themes whether in the environment or in the plot musical scores/ ominous ambiance monster (person/animal/entity) "damsel" special effects dim lighting/candlelight large empty environments (estates/castles) make the main character feel small.