In my opinion, nothing beats horror in the mistiest season, autumn, on a Friday 13th, under a full moon, while it’s storming outside, upon a desolated hill, within a gothic castle. If you want to throw a memorable dark party, I’d recommend those conditions. Of course, since the closest to that that you can get won’t be in a while, you might want to settle for less.
Setting the mood for horror is not necessarily complicated and it is not necessarily costly either. Sure, if you can afford it, you can hire a talented and skilled designer and generously pay for their labor and for all the associated expenses so that they can work their greatest magic for you while the rest of us can only dream (or merely virtually manifest the experience). But let’s get to the basics, what pretty much any mortal can do.
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| Playhouse (2020) |
Basics
Whether you’re alone, with your significant other, with family, with friends, or with a group of mixed people. And whether you’re telling stories, reading, listening, watching, or playing a game. The following tips are generally applicable and advisable to make the most of the horror event.
• Wait for nighttime. The sun can be such an awful mood ruiner! I know.
• Prepare your snacks. Something to drink and something to eat that won’t be too distracting. Bonus if they somehow go with the theme. (No cannibalism, though.)
• Find a room or space with a cool temperature. Better if it’s so cold that you can snuggle under a cover.
• Quiet everything around it as much as you can. If it’s so dead silent that you can hear creaks and rustling, then bingo.
• Turn off or dim the lights. You may instead light black, red, white, or naturally colored candles where it’s safe. They can also be scented to suit the occasion. Or use a lantern if you’re outdoors. Go for pitch black if you’re brave.
• Let go of your preoccupations with anything outside of this moment. And get ready to fully immerse in the horror. Pay attention and let it suck you in.
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| Alone (2020) |
Electronics
When electronics are a part of the equation (e.g. when you’ll be watching films and series or playing video games), consider a large high-definition screen and a surround sound system. These help tremendously in making you feel involved. The tension, the chills, the startles - they are all intensified. And if you’re a horror fan that regularly indulges in this type of entertainment, you might find the investment worthwhile. Yet, please be mindful of how much you spend and of whether you have the luxury to be spending on this or not. Maybe what you already have available or at reach will do and you don’t need to get too fancy.
Comfort
Where are you sitting? If you’re sitting at all. Is your seat so uncomfortable that you have to be constantly moving around, switching positions, or stretching and massaging yourself so that you won’t be in pain? That is certainly a nuisance that will interfere with your enjoyment of horror. Take care of it. Cushion your seat properly or find a better one.
Other than this, measures more specific to your particular situation may be due to help set the mood for horror. And if you want to be truly creeped out, try going into an old and abandoned house with a messed up history, rumored to be haunted, just like the one I live next to. Or not. Stay safe.
Do you tend to details up to perfection? What would you recommend more exactly?