Dai Green

With websites such as Ax Wound and documentaries like the upcoming ‘Welcome To My Darkside-Women in Horror!,’ it seems that girls are finally taking a prominent role in the genre.

Dai Green of HorrorNews.net reveals exactly what it is about horror that makes her tick…

What are your earliest memories of horror and what made you decide to pursue a career as a writer?

“My earliest memories… That would have to be of playing Dark Shadows on the playground at school with my little boyfriend and pretending like I was the most powerful vampire ever! Hahaha.
I have always written stories and poetry. Ever since I was a young girl, I would make up stories and situations to scare the pants off of my friends at slumber parties and when we would hang out. I was always obsessed with the supernatural so most of them would be about ghosts and haunted places that people could go and hear the dying moans of a woman or hear a saw as a man was cutting his victims into pieces to feed to his hell hounds. As I got older I started to write them down and eventually started winning contests at school. It was something that I always knew I was good at so I kept it going in one form or another and here I am today!”

Have you ever been starstruck when meeting an actor or filmmaker? Do you find that the fan inside you sometimes makes an unexpected appearance?

“Haha! Actually yes. Every now and then I will talk with someone and within the first few sentences I start to do the happy dance but none was as hysterical when I got completely starstruck from seeing Mickey from The Monkees! I felt like such a dork afterward but couldn’t contain how excited I got when he was within five feet from me. Its fun though! I think if I ever stop being a “fan girl” then it is time to leave this business and start a new adventure.”

What does horror mean to you? What is it about watching frightened people being terrorized or murdered that some people find so entertaining and do you find it cathartic in any way to watch a character face his or her fears and come out alive at the end?

“Horror is such an creative medium for me. Its a place where you can be scared, you can be sickened, you can even be killed, yet the cameras turn off and the end credits roll and there you are; still alive and in the same position that you were when you started.

I feel that is very cathartic because facing fears in one thing that the human nature is, by all rights for survival and well being, normally fought against. But what happens when you are forced to face it? To face your own mortality. Horror films allow you to explore that. They allow your mind to go into “what if” scenarios and you end up loving every minute of it because you can walk away from it. I personally like to watch them and say things like “Oh, if that were me, I would …”, like I’m preparing for a zombie attack or getting ready to face axe swinging psychos. Better to be safe than sorry.”

How would you respond to those who accuse the genre of inciting violence and corrupting the young? Horror has a long history of censorship around the world, more than any other genre, why do you think this is?

“I would tell those people the same thing I say all of the time about horror films, music, and television. If you would actually sit down and be a parent and explain to your children that what they are watching is fake and make believe, then maybe we wouldn’t have so many messed up kids nowadays. People like to pass the buck and blame everything that they can point a finger at and say “this is the reason our youth has no more morales anymore. These monsters, and fiends, and naked women running around; This ‘hippity-hop’ era and there demeaning of women; People allowing the words ass, bitch, whore, etc on television; that’s what’s wrong with our youth!” But you never hear them follow it up with, “I use the TV set as a baby sitter and won’t take the time to talk to my kids and make sure they know this is for entertainment and that these people are actors. God forbid I take time with my kid, how else could I sit here and tell you how to raise yours?”

Ugh, as you can see this is a very touchy topic for me. It just drives me nuts to hear people passing the buck. Do your job as a parent and let the filmmakers do their jobs and make films that people like me and anyone reading this will truly enjoy. Without the ‘all-too-safe’ restrictions and PG-13 ratings. Its not horror that is the downfall of youth, its the adults who refuse to guide their children in the right direction.”

Are there any horror films that you personally find offensive and do you agree with censorship in certain cases or should artists be allowed to show absolutely anything they want to?

“I think the only films that have ever ‘shocked’ me were the ones with no real premise or story but that were solely intended to do so. I wouldn’t say they should be censored though. They are just cheap and uncreative garbage to me that I can do without. But it probably has an audience somewhere.

I believe that filmmakers have a responsibility to their audience and always make sure that they are aiming to entertain, not shock and sicken. There is a difference when you do those two things for the fun of a film to when you base your entire film on such. As long as no people or animals are hurt for the purpose of the film, then more power to ya. Make the film the way you want it but if it sucks, please don’t expect me to like it.”

How supportive have you found other websites and critics, particularly to new writers? Would you say there is much rivalry between different sites and magazines?

“Woah. Haha! Like with other parts of the business you meet two kinds of people. On one hand you have a really great group who are completely supportive and are awesome people to have on your side. Then…you have “the others”. Ha!! There can be a lot of jealousy and cattines among certain sites that will do whatever they can to try to ruin the name of others just to get ahead but fortunately it doesn’t work. It never ceases to amaze me how much work these people put into trying to bring someone else down rather than actually do th jobs and talk about the industry and tell people the great stuff that goes on, on a daily basis. Its disappointing really. We stay dedicated to our purpose, which is giving the fans of horror everything they could ever want; not bashing other people and trying to be bigger stars than the people we write about. Although the ethics and integrity of some sites and people may be below par so to speak, not all are like that. Its the really great people who have become like family that makes me so proud to do what I do.”

Aside from Horror News.net, do you have any other projects lined up for the near future?

“I do! I am set to star in HG Lewis’ and Keith Stoddard’s upcoming film Blood De Madam and have been featured in Reyna Young’s documentary Welcome To My Darkside: Women In Horror!
I have quite a few other projects on the horizon but let’s keep those a surprise for now. Stay tuned!!”