We all love a good horror movie, don't we? The idea of sitting in the dark with a large bowl of popcorn, and a drink or two with the lights completely out appeals to some of us as a great pleasure. The feelings you get as you watch an axe-wielding murderer chase an unsuspecting teenager or a seemingly normal man who ends up being a psychopath gives you a rush like no other. Some people don't exactly understand the feeling that some of us get. They only understand the feeling of fright that comes from the terrifying figure on the screen before them.
I asked my good friend, Ava Marvin, what she loved about horror movies. She responded with this:
"I think that humans are attracted to horror movies and feeling frightened because we feel repressed. Since the beginning of time, violence has been a part of human nature, but today in modern society, we know that it is not virtuous or good to harm other people. But horror films like other kinds of movies are ways of expressing characteristics of our human nature through unrealistic situations. I think that horror movies are really fun to watch because we know that it is something that isn't going to happen and these scary situations aren't plausible but we can learn a lot about human nature through art in general. Plus it's kind of fun to s*** your pants (laughs)."
This type of response is typical of most horror movie fans. I can relate to every word that Ava said and possibly more. The idea that human nature plays into effect is an interesting one. As humans, we are taught at a young age what is good and what is bad. We know that murder, sin, and crime is wrong while fighting for the betterment of humankind is good. We know that the villain is bad and the hero is good. Movies nowadays seem to either blur the lines of those standards or to have a twist within it to hide who the villain can truly be.
A good example of the later is a movie that I viewed recently called "Creep."
The movie centers around a filmmaker who was enlisted to film a video diary of a dying man with brain cancer. The man wanted this diary for his unborn son which he will not be able to see due to his terminal condition. As the movie unfolds, we see that there are some sinister motives behind the employment. The movie is available on Netflix and is a pretty good one.
But is there a science behind why we love to be scared? This is something that many people do enjoy and isn't limited to a certain population. Horror movies can be popular to anyone, from teenagers to elderly adults.
According to psychologist Dr. Glenn D. Walter Ph.D, there are three factors that make horror appealing to us which are tension, relevance, and unrealism. Within all horror movies, there are moments that build up to the big reveal or the climax. The tension that goes along with that can bubble within you and can make it seem as if you are feeling the same as the character. The movie can be relevant to the viewer. The situation may not be something that the audience can see themselves in, but the fear associated with it can be experienced by them. Teenagers can associate with the teenagers being chased. Adults can associate with the parents worrying about their children being hurt. There is something for everyone within these movies that we can associate to. Finally, we know that what we are watching is not real. There is a fantasy that goes behind these movies. There is something about watching what could be impossible that appeals to us, like if just for a second, it could happen.
If you love horror movies or if you don't, you understand the fear you get when watching these films. Some people just enjoy the adrenline rush more than others.
