What is "true" horror?

This concept is often perceived, or misconstrued, as being a complex question. The ultimate answer is simple: fear and the supernatural.

Fear is a psychological response to a given situation. In that same respect, it can't be fear alone. There has to be another element involved for fear to equal horror. Is it fear of a villain? Every mystery features that. Fear of commitment? A world of drama, romance, and such genres feature that. Is it a phobic fear? Phobias are mentioned throughout most fiction genres when it comes to quirky characters.

Horror began using that human emotion and the psychological process as the basis for its existence. Just as romance plays upon sentiment, and mystery uses doubt, horror is all about provoking fear and terror.

The presence of gore does not warrant a "horror," label. Many hard-core mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy novels contain this element.

Horror has been merged with many genres throughout the decades. From erotica to drama to comedy, it has been paired with nearly every category known to the publishing industry. Sometimes the union has been positive, sometimes disastrous.

The movie, "Alien," and its sequels are frequently categorized as "horror," however they are science fiction. The widely-known, "Friday the 13th ," started as nothing more than a slasher, or suspense, film. It didn't actually become horror until the villain became supernatural. Movies such as, "Hellraiser," and, "The Nightmare on Elm Street," were solidly horror from the beginning as they featured demonic villains. The, "Jaws," movies were thrillers as they featured an overgrown shark. However, many of these are still classified today as horror.

It is a strange twist that so many movies can be misinterpreted on a wide scale. A recent televised countdown of the top horror films not only drifted to other genres, a large fraction included movies that weren't horror.

The "Resident Evil," moves are impressive films that most horror fans will enjoy. While they contain zombies, the villain is actually a biological "germ," called the T-Virus and the "Umbrella Corporation,' which spawned it. The common element of computer and technological elements places this in the realm of science fiction. The zombies don't stem from anything supernatural, it's purely viral.

It is surprising that Mary Shelley's, "Frankenstein," is more of a science fiction novel. The creature is not revived through any supernatural means, but by the energy from lightening. Of course, at the time of its creation, this idea was completely supernatural. At the time of its creation, it was horror. By today's standards, mad scientists are more science fiction.

Misrepresentation: Is it important?

Most viewers and readers will remain passive about the common confusion. Every now and then a movie, seemingly supernatural, is really just another slasher or suspense. Sometimes fans are disappointed, but apparently not enough that any attention is brought to the matter.

It is imperative that writers and authors know exactly what they are writing before querying a publisher. You can't submit a science fiction or suspense novel to a horror publisher. They are both established fiction genres, themselves. Here's a chart for genre separation:

Science Fiction:

Viruses, bacteria, futuristic, computers, UFOs, alien bacteria/viruses, atmospheric phenomena, "mad" scientists, doctor experimentation,

Anything scientific that can be physically examined, placed under a microscope, or legitimized and documented in some known manner.

Suspense:

Serial killers, mass murderers, stalkers, voyeurs,

These plots involve the authorities and, while the villains may even seem supernatural, they are not.

Horror:

Spirits, angels, demons, vampires, occult elements, ghosts, wraiths, supernatural events, paranormal, poltergeists, shape-shifting, lycanthrope,

This genre can include anything that can be classified as unworldly or supernatural. When it emerged as a genre, the setting atmosphere played a key role in the classification. Today, since novels from romance to science fiction feature the "Gothic" atmosphere, movies and books can no longer be labeled as "horror," simply based upon a dark or "Gothic" setting.