--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Audiences are very sophisticated and they…" description: "\"Audiences are very sophisticated and they know the nuts and bolts of the genre - certainly with horror more than others I think. But they attract lots ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/reece-shearsmith-58702_audience_audiences-are-very-sophisticated-and-the_62215.jpg" --- # Audiences are very sophisticated and they know the nuts… ![“Audiences are very sophisticated and they know the nuts and bolts of the genre - certainly with horror more than others I think. But they attract lots of people, they're much derided as a genre but people go and see them and they're not all dumb. There's some very clever horror films. Stephen King…” quote by Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/reece-shearsmith-58702_audience_audiences-are-very-sophisticated-and-the_62215.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/reece-shearsmith-58702_audience_audiences-are-very-sophisticated-and-the_62215.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a3/reece-shearsmith-58702_audience_audiences-are-very-sophisticated-and-the_62215.jpg) > “Audiences are very sophisticated and they know the nuts and bolts of the genre - certainly with horror more than others I think. But they attract lots of people, they're much derided as a genre but people go and see them and they're not all dumb. There's some very clever horror films. Stephen King gets a lot of flack for not being a proper writer because he's a horror writer, but I think he writes some brilliant books. I think it's wrong to just bin it before looking at it.” [Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that horror audiences are discerning, that the genre contains intelligent works, and that dismissing it outright is unfair. **In simple terms:** Horror is often underrated but can be sophisticated. Key Takeaway Avoid genre bias. Themes Genre perception Audience sophistication Literary merit Cultural bias Mood defensive thoughtful Type Opinion Cultural commentary When to use this quote - Film criticism - Book reviews - Genre studies Key Concepts Horror Critical evaluation Practical Applications - Reassessing genre value - Promoting nuanced criticism Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should we use to judge a genre's worth? - How does audience knowledge affect genre reputation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brilliant/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Horror film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-film/) [Horror films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-films/) [Nuts and bolts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuts-and-bolts/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Any writer of horror needs to at least have a good, solid love of the genre. Also, good horror writers need to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-cross/any-writer-of-horror-needs-to-at-least-have-a-good-solid-love-of-the/) [Alistair Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-cross/) > [Growing up devouring horror comics and novels, and being inspired to become a writer because of horror novels, movies, and comic books, I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/growing-up-devouring-horror-comics-and-novels-and-being-inspired-to/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I was inspired to become a writer by horror movies and science fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-was-inspired-to-become-a-writer-by-horror-movies-and-science-fiction/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Horror grows impatient, rhetorically, with the Stoic fatalism of Ecclesiastes. That we are all going to die, that death mocks and cancels every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/horror-grows-impatient-rhetorically-with-the-stoic-fatalism-of/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ I have always felt a little bit uncomfortable with question \[why I'm write these stories\]. It's not a question that you would ask a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-have-always-felt-a-little-bit-uncomfortable-with-question-why-i-m/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Edgar Allan Poe is considered the great writer of horror stories, perhaps the greatest - I will say the greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/edgar-allan-poe-is-considered-the-great-writer-of-horror-stories/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [True horror, I think, deals with dread and menace and gets under your skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-anderson/true-horror-i-think-deals-with-dread-and-menace-and-gets-under-your/) [Brad Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-anderson/) > [My first horror film was - well, I don't know. 'Bless the Child' is sort of genre, but 'May' was such a cult hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bettis/my-first-horror-film-was-well-i-don-t-know-bless-the-child-is-sort-of/) [Angela Bettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bettis/) > [“Six days, and I have eaten nothing. It is night. I am sitting in my chair. Ah, God! I wonder have any ever felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hope-hodgson/six-days-and-i-have-eaten-nothing-it-is-night-i-am-sitting-in-my/) [William Hope Hodgson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hope-hodgson/) > [I think more than comedy, probably more than straight drama, I like horror. And horror I think I'm particularly good at. It's a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-think-more-than-comedy-probably-more-than-straight-drama-i-like/) [Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/) > [I love the idea of comedy in horror. I think this should be allowed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/i-love-the-idea-of-comedy-in-horror-i-think-this-should-be-allowed/) [Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/) > [That was horrible. Horrible. That poor little guy." Pex was unrepentant. "Yeah, well, he asked for it. Calling us ... all those things." But---buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/that-was-horrible-horrible-that-poor-little-guy-pex-was-unrepentant/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Why do I choose horror? I think it feels the most like a release, in a sense. It can be therapeutic. Because you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-thatcher/why-do-i-choose-horror-i-think-it-feels-the-most-like-a-release-in-a/) [Sophie Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-thatcher/) > [My first six books were horror, I think because when I was young I loved Stephen King. John Wyndham, Daphne Du Maurier, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-pinborough/my-first-six-books-were-horror-i-think-because-when-i-was-young-i/) [Sarah Pinborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-pinborough/) > [I think I'm less and less labelled a 'horror writer'. The books tend not to go on horror shelves any more, and when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-think-i-m-less-and-less-labelled-a-horror-writer-the-books-tend-not/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) ## More by Reece Shearsmith > [But live you get the chance every night to rework it and change it and hone it. But then you get the false, weird…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-shearsmith/but-live-you-get-the-chance-every-night-to-rework-it-and-change-it/) [Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) > [Live theatre is great. I loved doing the League live because you get that element of spontaneity, but then when I'm doing live I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-shearsmith/live-theatre-is-great-i-loved-doing-the-league-live-because-you-get/) [Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) > [You have to be kind of alerted to the fact that clowns are scary and then you can't look at them the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-shearsmith/you-have-to-be-kind-of-alerted-to-the-fact-that-clowns-are-scary-and/) [Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) > [It's such hard work doing a musical. I did my first musical last year, performing in The Producers, and it was a big part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-shearsmith/it-s-such-hard-work-doing-a-musical-i-did-my-first-musical-last-year/) [Reece Shearsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) [Explore all 5 Reece Shearsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-shearsmith/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Audiences are very sophisticated and they know the nuts and bolts of the genre - certainly with horror more than others I think. But they attract lots of people, they're much derided as a genre but people go and see them and they're not all dumb. There's some very clever horror films. Stephen King gets a lot of flack for not being a proper writer because he's a horror writer, but I think he writes some brilliant books. 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