When people think of horror movies, they commonly think of bad acting, falling for no reason, and cheesy plots. However, horror is a misunderstood genre. Horror allows people to face their fears in a safe way. It's like going on a roller coaster.
Before I go further, let's look at some horror films that have had huge successes. "The Silence of The Lambs" snagged five Academy Awards. Remember "Wait Before Dark" starring Audrey Hepburn? She did excellent in a horror film. "Halloween," "The Blair Witch Project," and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" are seen as tyrants in the genre. The films intrigued audiences and walked away with huge profits. Even today, films like "The Conjuring" and "The Purge" literally kill it at the box office.
Many people think that horror movies create violence. Contrary to popular belief, the creators are actually peaceful people. For example, George Romero who created the classic Night of the Living Dead was a jab at the silent majority of our country in the 60s. His follow up, Dawn of the Dead was a mockery of Americans and their obsession with materialism.
Another example is Brian DePalma's adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie. Everyone thinks it's a simple film of a nerd getting revenge, but it goes much deeper. The film is meant to show that a woman is in control of her body--Carrie is followed throughout the film being bullied which is a metaphor for society and the world telling a woman how to be. When Carrie brings hell to the prom, it's meant to show that she is in control--she can control what she wants to. The film also uses the metaphor of puberty and how confusing adolescence can be.
Yeah, there have been some terrible horror films. You just have to see the good ones. The genre is often overlooked as campy and cheesy, but the genre is meant for us to face our fears. The genre is alive and well and will continue to pump out films: hopefully more good than bad in the coming years,
