Humanity X Horror

Ever get the feeling that a ghost story is too eerily familiar? What draws in to the things that we fear most? Follow our writer Anya as she unravels the haunting allure of horror through the chilling scenes of Ringu, Pontianak and more.

The television screen flickered, turning into a pixelated mess of black and white. Ryuji stared for a while, and it became a bunch of grey flickering waves. A black-haired lady inside the television swayed with her white gown while Ryuji became one with the couch he was on. The lady’s hand caressed the edge of the screen, which jiggled like water, before she extended her hand, crawling out from her ‘dungeon’. Her arm extended awkwardly to the ground, black hair swishing around, gown sweeping the floor. Ryuji gripped the blanket tighter and stopped breathing. Silence enveloped the place, leaving only the static sound.

Does this sound familiar? Some might remember this from the famous Japanese horror movie, Ringu, which was released in 1998 and took the world by storm. Subsequently, this movie inspired an American version to be released. In particular, Ringu has impacted Singaporean horror in terms of the psychological effects on its audiences. Here in Singapore, horror has also formed a quintessential part of ‘Spook-to-ber’ season: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios and local horror films. However, the question really is what makes horror what we know it to be, and what makes it so good?

Before beginning to outline our ghostly endeavours, let us understand what horror is. Horror exists as an emotion and a genre. As an emotion, horror refers to feeling intense fear, shock, or revulsion in reaction to a situation. However, as a genre, horror capitalises on such emotions through certain forms of literature. In Singapore, the genre was definitively localised through classics such as The Pontianak (late 1950s and early 1960s) and The Maid (2005). Modern local renditions include Circle Line (2023) and 23:59 (2011).

Before I move on, dear reader, you can be assured that these films will not be covered in depth as your writer has a weak heart. In general, these films surround contexts that are very familiar to us, such as the MRT, domestic helpers, and National Service. This strange familiarity gives us that connection to it. We are not in the film itself, neither are we a part of it, but we reimagine ourselves to be. Through that imagination, it creates that sense of dread as though we are experiencing horror ourselves. Another thread that runs through this is the fear of the supernatural, and our justifications for the supernatural. Whether it is a vengeful ghost, or an unexplained death, it almost seems as though we are finding answers to questions we will never be able to answer. Perhaps it is the lack of explanation that makes us create supernatural explanations for our peace of mind, which in turn scares us. This collective fear, therefore, highlights our societal anxiety when dealing with such issues, and how these films are merely a reflection of that. With this understanding of horror locally, let us ponder the spirit of good horror: what makes horror good Naturally, what constitutes ‘good’ as a horror movie often revolves around the idea of how disgusted, disturbed or dreadful a person feels after seeing a film – maybe even the ability to fall asleep with a creeping sensation up our nerves. Or maybe for some, it would be a level of ‘horrific satisfaction’ – how horrified they feel translates to how satisfied they feel. According to The Scientist*, people who enjoy thrilling adventures tend to “enjoy the horror genre because the jolt of horror is exhilarating and invigorating for them.” Nevertheless, there could be an underlying theme: the fear of the unknown. As aforementioned, horror reveals the way we are looking for answers to questions we will never be able to answer. Thus, this forms the foundation for the topics that are specifically chosen, topics that we have never been able to deal with adequately. In turn, the devices that drive these topics include atmosphere, suspense, and tension to bring that story to life. Then perhaps a good horror film would be one that manages to identify this fear of the unknown–whether natural or supernatural–and sufficiently haunt people with that sense of unsolvable uncertainty and dread. question people about it such that they are forced to live with no answers to these questions.

At this point in my supernatural journey, I must admit that my courage is limited, and I would never dare venture past these screens of horror. Beyond just an individual emotion, horror as a genre is key to exposing societal fears, whether willingly or unwillingly, through exploring the cracks in our seemingly perfect society. However, it is also in our favour to sometimes take all these supernatural beliefs with a pinch of salt – movies are purely for entertainment purposes. Now, if you may excuse me, I would like to watch Frankenstein (2025) on Netflix and sincerely hope for no glitches with a ghostly being crawling out of my television. On that note, I wish you a happy Halloween!

*More on the psychological effects of horror: https://www.the-scientist.com/why-do-some-people-enjoy-horrormovies-72181