--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think a good horror movie, like…" description: "\"I think a good horror movie, like anything else, should be a movie first, a horror movie second and it should treat the movie like a movie and you trea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/ti-west-2310_good_i-think-a-good-horror-movie-like-anythin_1168872.jpg" --- # I think a good horror movie, like anything else, should be… ![“I think a good horror movie, like anything else, should be a movie first, a horror movie second and it should treat the movie like a movie and you treat it with respect and you treat the characters like people and like characters that people should care about.” quote by Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/ti-west-2310_good_i-think-a-good-horror-movie-like-anythin_1168872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/ti-west-2310_good_i-think-a-good-horror-movie-like-anythin_1168872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/ti-west-2310_good_i-think-a-good-horror-movie-like-anythin_1168872.jpg) > “I think a good horror movie, like anything else, should be a movie first, a horror movie second and it should treat the movie like a movie and you treat it with respect and you treat the characters like people and like characters that people should care about.” [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A horror film must prioritize storytelling and character over genre tricks, treating the narrative as a genuine movie. **In simple terms:** Horror should be a story first, not just scares. Key Takeaway Respect the story and characters. Themes storytelling respect character genre craft Mood thoughtful analytical Type critical reflective When to use this quote - film production - scriptwriting - directing - acting - marketing Key Concepts cinema narrative structure audience engagement Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance horror tropes with deep character work? - What makes a character worth caring about? A Different Perspective Genre expectations can limit creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-horror-314505/) [Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror/) [Horror movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horror-movie/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Like Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-movie/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Movie Horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-horror-2381541/) [Movie Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-like/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Treat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat/) ## Related quotes > [People always ask what makes a good horror movie and it's essentially one big thing-contrast. All of the stuff in the film that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/people-always-ask-what-makes-a-good-horror-movie-and-it-s-essentially/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [A movie that's about other horror movies isn't interesting. A movie about who we are, is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/a-movie-that-s-about-other-horror-movies-isn-t-interesting-a-movie/) [Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/) > [I think Alone in the Dark was too much an action creature movie than a horror creature movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-boll/i-think-alone-in-the-dark-was-too-much-an-action-creature-movie-than/) [Uwe Boll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-boll/) > [A good horror movie should have peaks and valleys, a good horror movie should move you emotionally; a good horror movie should be exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/a-good-horror-movie-should-have-peaks-and-valleys-a-good-horror-movie/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [A good horror movie - it doesn't matter how many comedy horror films there have been before. Doesn't matter how much you think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/a-good-horror-movie-it-doesn-t-matter-how-many-comedy-horror-films/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [That's what happens in a good horror movie: there are always metaphors of greater subjects like humanity and empathy and compassion. It's not about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-ramirez/that-s-what-happens-in-a-good-horror-movie-there-are-always-metaphors/) [Edgar Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-ramirez/) > [Number one is that it just scares people! Your hair is standing up on your arms, or at least that there's a few moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-philips/number-one-is-that-it-just-scares-people-your-hair-is-standing-up-on/) [Gina Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-philips/) > [I'm always jumping in my seat or gasping during a good horror movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiefer-sutherland/i-m-always-jumping-in-my-seat-or-gasping-during-a-good-horror-movie/) [Kiefer Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiefer-sutherland/) > [I love horror movies. A good horror movie is always great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-reid/i-love-horror-movies-a-good-horror-movie-is-always-great/) [Tara Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-reid/) > [This indication of audience interest is good for all horror movie makers at any budget level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/this-indication-of-audience-interest-is-good-for-all-horror-movie/) [Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/) > [I've seen a lot of movies that were great and scary, but not particularly fancy in their filmmaking or performance. And they're still scary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fede-alvarez/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-movies-that-were-great-and-scary-but-not/) [Fede Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fede-alvarez/) > [When there's a great horror movie, people are like, 'Horror's back!' And when there's a series of not so good ones, 'Horror's dead.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/when-there-s-a-great-horror-movie-people-are-like-horror-s-back-and/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) > [I love horror movies. I mean, who doesn't like a good horror movie every once in a while? It's fun to get scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-reid/i-love-horror-movies-i-mean-who-doesn-t-like-a-good-horror-movie/) [Tara Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-reid/) > [I've got a varied taste in films. I love a good horror movie - the first few 'Saw' films for example - but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-rouass/i-ve-got-a-varied-taste-in-films-i-love-a-good-horror-movie-the-first/) [Laila Rouass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-rouass/) > [The key to a good horror movie is what happens between the scares. The scares aren't the tricky part. If you're involved in what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/the-key-to-a-good-horror-movie-is-what-happens-between-the-scares-the/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) ## More by Ti West > [ It's not the plot \[of Valley of Violence\] - the plot is the reason to get all these things to happen, all these character… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/it-s-not-the-plot-of-valley-of-violence-the-plot-is-the-reason-to-get/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Technology has just been the major progression of the last 15 years - instant communication. That stuff has gone so global. That's what's interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/technology-has-just-been-the-major-progression-of-the-last-15-years/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [ I wrote \[Valley of Violence\] entirely with James Ransone in mind. I get such a joy out of watching his performance and seeing people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/i-wrote-valley-of-violence-entirely-with-james-ransone-in-mind-i-get/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Older actresses apparently have no sense of humor about being older actresses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/older-actresses-apparently-have-no-sense-of-humor-about-being-older/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [I like movies that leave things in the hands of the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/i-like-movies-that-leave-things-in-the-hands-of-the-audience/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Conversations about piracy don't have to be condemning. 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That's why you get up in the morning, to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/you-get-to-actually-make-your-movie-as-a-filmmaker-that-s-the-dream/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [It would be dishonest to say winning an Oscar wouldn't be awesome. I'm sure it would be great, but if it matters all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/it-would-be-dishonest-to-say-winning-an-oscar-wouldn-t-be-awesome-i-m/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [In general, I go to see the stuff that for me is, "Thank God for that actor, he's doing something that I never imagined;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/in-general-i-go-to-see-the-stuff-that-for-me-is-thank-god-for-that/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [It's one of those things, when you look back on it, you'd go, "Oh, I could've done without that. If I could go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/it-s-one-of-those-things-when-you-look-back-on-it-you-d-go-oh-i-could/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [I've messed with Ouija boards. And I've snuck into the basement of an abandoned mental hospital that's supposed to be haunted, that kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/i-ve-messed-with-ouija-boards-and-i-ve-snuck-into-the-basement-of-an/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [For me, the goal of directing is to feel like you're experiencing what the character is going through, whether they're slowly walking or running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/for-me-the-goal-of-directing-is-to-feel-like-you-re-experiencing-what/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [It's fun when someone who ordinarily wouldn't watch 'Nightmare on Elm Street 4' is like, 'Well, it's on TV and I'm curious to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/it-s-fun-when-someone-who-ordinarily-wouldn-t-watch-nightmare-on-elm/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) [Explore all 172 Ti West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) ## More Good quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. 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