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Why we love horror movies
The reason we crave horror
Why we love horror movies
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Joanne Cantor once quoted, "No doubt, there's something really powerful that brings people to watch these things (horror), because it's not logical; most people like to experience pleasant emotions." Many people enjoy horror, but not many people know why. There are actually a handful of reasons as to why people enjoy horrifying material. For example, people rubberneck whenever they come past an accident to observe the horrific scenery when they are driving. People enjoy horror to show that they could handle their fear, the enjoyment of adrenaline and thrill, and using circumstances given in a film or movie in their survival situation. First off, people find horrifying find material appealing because they want to show that they could handle horror. Evidence indicates that scary movies do not actually activate fear responses in the amygdala. Instead, it was other parts of the brain that were firing, which helps us handle horror movies. For example, a man is watching a horror film with his wife and he wants to show her that he could go through the movie without showing a sign of fear. Research signifies that negative feelings created by horror movies actually intensify the positive emotions whenever the protagonist triumphs in the end. In the movie, “Scream”, for instance, the …show more content…
Evidence indicates that people’s enjoyment is higher during the terrifying portions of a horror film than it was after. For example, a person is watching a horror movie and it starts to become frightening and the person starts to wonder what is going to occur. People gets motivated by the suspense of the film and more identification with the victims. The “Saw” franchise is a great example of this, as the entire movie is a mystery, and viewers always gets stimulated due to all the suspense, and not knowing whether or not the protagonist will even triumph over the Jigsaw
The article Why We Crave Horror Movies by Stephen King distinguishes why we truly do crave horror movies. Stephen King goes into depth on the many reasons on why we, as humans, find horror movies intriguing and how we all have some sort of insanity within us. He does this by using different rhetorical techniques and appealing to the audience through ways such as experience, emotion and logic. Apart from that he also relates a numerous amount of aspects on why we crave horror movies to our lives. Throughout this essay I will be evaluating the authors arguments and points on why society finds horror movies so desirable and captivating.
...is that isn’t always the case. Often, we either became the prey or the predator. Another reason is that we need to reassure ourselves our lives could be worse. We have this idea that what happens in movies only happens in movies and therefore we watch these films to guarantee our worst fears will never become our reality, regardless of how realistic it may seem. Lastly, we watch the genre of film that best matches our current mood or events that previously took place that day. Our emotions are key; if we’re depressed, we may be more likely to watch a horror film.
Often times I wonder if people go to see horror movies for enjoyment, or is it something much more than that? I have mixed feelings about the idea that, “the horror film has become the modern version of public lynching” (King 562). Horror movies do promote violence and can influence the mindset of the audience, but sanity people is not based on the excitement we receive from watching a horror film. Instead, it is based on what is already within us, not what we witness on a movie screen, but what we experience throughout our lifetime.
After all, horror almost always has someone dying involved, and yet we seek what we fear for the fun of it. For example, despite the vivid descriptions of the murders of the campus women in “Strawberry Spring,” such as “they found part of her in the back seat and part of her in the trunk,” (King, Strawberry Spring 4) we end up craving for more for satisfaction and for a thrill. Moreover, even though “sanity becomes a matter of degree,” (King, “Why We Crave” 2) we can all agree that those of us on the lighter degrees still find amusement in horror. Horror allows our “emotional muscles” to “let loose to scream and roll around in the grass,” (King, “Why We Crave” 2)-- and I think that's a good thing. Otherwise, like the few on the harsher degrees, we would be using our physical muscles to tear each other apart, and that would just ruin the fun for the most of us, wouldn't
Horror is one of many fears humans have. We all have many terrors, but horror is the one that gets the best of us. Some crave, while others resent, the feeling horror movies bring to our body and the emotions that we experience. In Stephen King’s article, “Why We Crave Horror,” he explains that it is a part of the “Human Condition,” to crave the horror. King gives many strong and accurate claims on why we crave the horror movies, such as; testing our ability to face our fears, to re-establish our feelings of normality, and to experience a peculiar sort of fun.
Does anyone know why people find an interest in decapitating someone or slowly watch them get eaten by the dead? In the story Why We Crave Horror Movies the author, Stephen King, quotes numerous lines about death, murder, spirits, and many other violent quotes that people could think of. The author does a good job at this because of the way the story is said that makes people feel inside where the story takes place. Stephen King correctly states that people are all mentally ill, people need horror movies to stay normal, and to watch movies for that weird sort of joy.
To begin with, some people would say they enjoy a horror movie that gets them scared out of their wits. They go see these movies once a month on average, for fun, each time choosing a newer sequel like “Final Destination” or “The evil Dead”. King says “When we pay our four or five bucks and seat ourselves at tenth-row center in a theater showing a horror movie we are daring the nightmare” (405). As a writer of best-sel...
The genre of horror films is one that is vast and continually growing. So many different elements have been known to appear in horror films that it is often times difficult to define what is explicitly a horror film and what is not. Due to this ambiguous definition of horror the genre is often times divided into subgenres. Each subgenre of horror has a more readily identifiable list of classifications that make it easier to cast a film to a subgenre, rather than the entire horror genre. One such subgenre that is particularly interesting is that of the stalker film. The stalker film can be categorized as a member of the horror genre in two ways. First, the stalker film can be identified within the horror genre due to its connection with the easily recognizable subgenre of horror, the slasher film. Though many elements of the stalker film differ from those of the slasher film, the use of non-mechanical weapons and obvious sexual plot points can be used to categorize the stalker film as a subgenre of the slasher film. Secondly, the stalker film can be considered a member of the horror genre using Robin Wood’s discussion regarding horror as that which society represses. The films Fatal Attraction, The Fan, and The Crush will be discussed in support of this argument. (Need some connector sentence here to finish out the intro)
In the essay “Why We Crave Horror Movie,” Stephen King describes that horror movies are beneficial for the people because we are all mentally ill. King explains that horror movie is a sort of release because everyone has a dark side in our body, so watching horror movie can keep the hungry alligators under control. People watch horror movie because they want to prove themselves that they are not afraid of a horror movie, and they are normal people too. King describes horror movie like a roller coaster, so people have enough courage to sit through the whole ride. People also enjoy seeing other people in danger. A horror movie can also keep the dark emotion down such as violence and aggression, and it allows people to remain happy and sane. A horror movie can
Modern day horror films are very different from the first horror films which date back to the late nineteenth century, but the goal of shocking the audience is still the same. Over the course of its existence, the horror industry has had to innovate new ways to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats. Horror films are frightening films created solely to ignite anxiety and panic within the viewers. Dread and alarm summon deep fears by captivating the audience with a shocking, terrifying, and unpredictable finale that leaves the viewer stunned. (Horror Films)
Would you rather be horrified beyond repair or thrilled to the point of no return? In horror, the main purpose is to invoke fear and dread into the audience in the most unrealistic way. Horror movies involve supernatural entities such as ghosts, vampires, teleportation, and being completely immortal. As thriller films are grounded in realism and involve more suspense, mystery, and a sense of panic. Though both genres will frighten the audience, it will happen in two different ways. Whether the horror thrills or the thriller horrifies, a scare is always incorporated.
People who prefer horror films obviously like to be grossed out or like to be frightened. The horror fans probably tend to enjoy suspense and anxiety. One might suspect these people love to go on frightening roller coaster rides or do other things that would cause suspense and anxiousness. People of this nature might enjoy things that most people would not, considering the amount of gore produced in many horror films. For example, some people watch surgeries on TV. These shows contain blood and things disturbing to others. It would make sense to say that the person who has no problem with the gore in the movies could probably watch and enjoy a surgery on TV.
Fear and power are the most prevalent in why we like monsters so much. This is especially seen in scary movies. The movies that we like the most are the ones that convey the strongest emotion this is because we get a sense of relief afterwards about how what we are watching is not real and we are completely safe. People get
Clowns, gory scenes, and suspenseful music are all ingredients for tormenting movies in one of the most well-known genres of film made, horror films. Horror films have been purposefully created to provide a feeling of fright and panic among the people viewing them. Audience members cannot get enough of watching them for the thrill and excitement it gives them. They tend to be very popular, especially with young people. In fact, several writers have written articles and have many interesting observations about different horror films.
While watching a horror film the brain conceals dopamine, glutamate and serotonin meaning that the brain will continue to stay alert for longer periods of time (Kumar, 2014). Any threat signals passed through the hypothalamus in the brain will stimulate the adrenal glands, creating an anaesthesia like effect on the person which effectively creates a more peaceful mind (Kumar, 2014). Also, watching a horror movie at night can get your adrenaline pumping which acts like a stress resistant (Kumar, 2014). While the adrenaline is rushing throughout the body, your energy is immediately enhanced which assists you in avoiding anxiety and depression (Kumar,