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Essays on stephen king why we crave horror movies
Horror movies analysis
Essays on stephen king why we crave horror movies
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Stephen King believes that we are naturally attracted to the horror genre because we can identify with it to some degree and it is also considered a challenge by some to be able to withstand horror. I find it slightly unsettling that to some degree we are all insane according to King, however, I find this to be very believable. I usually do not watch horror films, however, it is mainly because they just do not appeal to me as much as other genres do. Furthermore, I normally do not watch many movies. However, in the past, I played a horror game called Outlast which was much scarier than I am comfortable with. Stephen King begins this essay by saying how we are all, to some degree, mentally insane and how that shapes our outlook and thoughts
on horror movies. Furthermore, King ends his essay by discussing how watching horror movies allows the viewers to be able to prevent these ideas from coming out in everyday society and turn from fiction to reality. For example, King says, “The mythic horror movie, like a sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to the worst in us.” When King wrote this, he was describing that although horror movies can be grotesque and at sometimes, disturbing, they are intentionally created to be that way for the purposes of entertainment.
In his essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies” King attempts to bring understanding to the phenomenon of the horror film genre. He states “sanity becomes a matter of degree” eluding to the theory that sanity is relative and that all humans are relatively insane. Jack the Ripper and the Cleveland Torso Murderer were the examples of humans on one extreme of the spectrum of sanity; saints represent the other safe end of the sanity spectrum. He illustrates the thought that in order for human kind to stay functionally sane there needs to be some sort of outlet for our violent “mad” thoughts. In King’s view horror movies provide a stable outlet and mental relief for innate madness. King argues that his insanity/ant civilization emotions are ingrained
The horror genre of film captives the frightfulness of individual fear, horror is the only genre that is meant captive the terror of the audience. The horror- the genre has been around well over one hundred- years there has been an extension of different types of horror and how the audience perceives horror. Many would even argue that horror films often reflect the fear of society in that certain time period. The evolution of horror reflects the evolution of society’s fear.
Stephen King is a well-known and talented horror/fiction author who has published over eleven books in the last two decades. His great stories of horror and fantasy have been enjoyed by kids and adults starting from his first best-seller, Carrie. King's wit and style of writing has made him one of the most popular horror story authors today. Stephen King's life has not been an easy one.
Stephen King is one of the greatest authors in history, and will forever be timeless in our hearts and minds. It’s truly amazing how king is able to unearth our deepest fears and bring them to life. He is a major contribution to the literature world of horror, with over three hundred and fifty million copies sold but some critics feel that he is not worthy of being in the same category as The best horror authors. King has revolutionized horror by turning it into something readable for everyone; he makes our fears a reality that we must overcome. He understands all of the defining moments in our lives such as, expressions of loss, and the dreaded terror of the unknown. There should be no doubt that Stephen will remain the modern face of horror despite what ridiculers may state.
Stephen King a very popular story writer is most famous for his horror fiction stories. He has written many books that have inspired other writers to write and other people to read more. He has made many accomplishments that a lot of writers have never achieved. According to his biography, King has sold fifty bestsellers, and has acted in a few movies that are based on his books. The use of Suspense as a literary element is constant in books written by Stephen King. This will examine Stephen King’s life and the literary criticism of his short story, “The Two Dead Girls” The Green Mile. In his works he blends elements of the traditional gothic, depressing and threatening tales with those of the modern psychological suspenseful fiction stories.
The Horror Genre The Horror Genre has been very popular ever since Etienne Robertson, the pioneer of film horror, made the first film. The film 'Phantasmagoria' was more of a theatre shadow play. It was made during the French revolution. Since then, thousands of Horror films have been made. Many developments have been used in newer films such as special effects and 3-D animation.
1.0- When I was younger I was terrified of scary movies and basically anything that made weird noises during the night . I would always cry to mom in the middle of the night saying “ A clown was chasing me in my dream with big sharp teeth “ or “ A man with a white mask was trying to stab me “ I was adorable now I’m meh . Now that I’m older and serious ( in some things ) I’ve started to like watching Horror movies and I’ve enjoyed getting scared. This genre interests me so much because it all comes from imagination and mind of the director or the person who created this story. The two movies I’ve chosen that changed this genre was the remastered 2017 IT based on the hugely popular Stephen King novel of the same name and the 1984 classic slasher film Nightmare on Elm street.
As the main topic suggests, what are the types of horrors associated with media? First off, you might want to think about what your definition of fear is, what unsettles you, and what rubs you the wrong way. Well according to Stephen King, this can be broken down into three types; which is the gross-out, horror, and terror. The gross-out in this case is what it is. It’s things we as humans find disgusting, morbid, or diseased. To provide an example; picture yourself waking up in your bed, all seems normal right? You then look around and notice a severed torso sitting on your computer chair. Morbid right? Onto the next type which is horror. Stephen King places the supernatural under this category; it’s creatures or unnatural happenings that we as humans fabricate or can’t explain. It’s things such as the dead waking up from their slumber and walking around; spiders the size of man transforming into clowns, or a long slender man with no face stalking his prey. And finally, possibly the most terrifying of the three: terror. What we can describe as terror is ambiguity, the feeling of uneasiness we feel when dealing with the unknown. Quoting Stephen King an excellent example is “ When you come home and notice everything you own have been taken away and replaced with an exact substitute. It’s the insecurity you feel when talking with someone wearing a mask; you can’t visually identify their expressions, you don’t know what thinking, whether they’re a threat or not. These categories are the basic building blocks used in today's horror media today.
The appeal of horror film is effective due to the traits of the human mind. Filmgoers of horror leave theaters with a positive train of thought, yet the negative nature of the content presented points to psychological factors which cause their enjoyment. Answers are found by looking at the psychological factors, how an individual processes emotional arousal, identifies with issues that they consider relevant, and perceives reality, help to explain why films presenting such horrific imagery excites many people. Many horror franchises create a level of violence and gore that is offensive to most, yet viewers continue to swarm theaters, making the horror film industry extremely profitable. Graphic horror cinema relies on shocking imagery as much as storytelling to create an effective type of entertainment. The subject matter, alone, does not provide enough attraction to bring back viewers. When looking at the psychological drivers behind the films, it can be seen that the composition addresses a level much deeper than the entertainment that makes horror
There were several moments in Stephen King’s life that inspired many of his best- selling books. The comics and books he read as a child influenced the genre of his writing. Places he worked became settings for his books. His belief of supernatural and the paranormal influenced his books and TV shows. His mom, his wife, and several editors who had either rejected or accepted his work were also influential. Without these influences the world wouldn’t have the
Stephen King is one of the most famous horror writers in this time. King is a very powerful author whose books are read by many. His fame is due to the amazing ideas he has in his head and from his life experiences. King’s stories are very popular to many people. His stories include many different characters and places. He went through many things in life which is shown in his books. King was very poor most of his early life including his college years. His first book took him many years to write, but life experiences he faced helped him finish his first horror book. The book started as a story called, Carrie which ended up changing his life tremendously.
One of Stephens strengths are taking real life situations and bringing out the horror in the situation (www.infoplease.com). He’s the most successful writer in the history of horror (www.thefamouspeople.com). “I recognize terror as the finest emotion and so I will try to terrorize the reader. But if I find that I cannot terrify, I will try to horrify, and if I find that I cannot horrify, I'll go for the gross-out,” Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an excellent writer who can tell heart-wrenching stories and thrilling tales. His childhood life was rough because of a divorce, he uses description and emotion to make fake stories become so much more real, and because of this, he is very successful. King uses scary details, and sad backstories to make his writing exceptional, with a sad backstory and detailed writing style, King illustrates his success as a writer.
“Horror films don’t create fear. They release it.” – Wes Craven. Considering the nature of horror, enjoying horror serves as a paradox. If horror is revolting why is it enjoyable? However, many people take pleasure in the thrills and suspense of horror. In the genre of horror, the quality of work is dependent on whether a book/film succeeds in scaring people since fear is an emotional response. Readers and viewers of the genre horror experience fear from an author's ability to provoke emotional responses through the element of fear of the unknown, placing the reader in the character's perspective and engaging the audience's curiosity.
Though inconclusive, many people believe that the main reason horror is so popular is because people actually like being scared. Mark Olsen, of the L.A. Times, believes the reason it is so fun to be scared is because in real life, it isn’t fun (Olsen). Horror provides a safe place where the viewer can explore the dark side of imagination and human psyche. Because the movie ends, even if the ending is not happy, the audience can return to his or her reality unharmed (Olsen). Gina...