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The question why we crave horror movies
The question why we crave horror movies
The question why we crave horror movies
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Walking in the dark at night isn’t everyone’s favorite thing to do. Stories would always be told that anything could happen, and so for most people watching a scary movie it would always make them jump. Being alone while watching a movie is totally not fun, so most of the time its groups of people going to see scary movies together. I get that craving horror is a thing that we as humans do, but not all claims could be true for why we like it. In Stephen King’s essay “Why We Crave Horror” and it being part of the Human Condition to crave horror, I feel as if Stephen King is telling the truth in the claims of being “mentally ill,” us getting that “adrenaline rush” through horror, but he is wrong about when we watch horror that we’re “facing our
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.
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 is synonymous with images of terror, violence and human carnage; the mere mention of horror movies evokes physical and psychological torture. As remarked by noted author Stephen King “the mythic horror movie…has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals to all that is worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest fantasies realized.” (King, 786). At manageable intervals, we choose to live these horrific events vicariously through the characters in horror movies and books as a means of safely experiencing the “what if”. The horror genre allows us to explore our fears, be it spiders, vampires, loss of our identity, or death of a loved, under the most fantastic and horrible circumstances conceivable. King also points out that by watching horror movies we “may allow our emotions a free rein . . . or no rein at all.” (King, 784). According to psychiatrist James Schaller, by vicariously “experiencing contrived fears, a person develops a sense of competence over similar types of fears.” (Schaller). Horror films allow the viewer the opportunity to safely examine their fears safely and to the depth and extent they wish to do so. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 provides the opportunity for the viewer to consider a diverse range of fears, with a little humor thrown in for balance, from the safety of a darkened room, a comfortable seat and in less than 120 minutes.
Do you ever wonder why you or other people like horror movies? What makes them so interesting? Why does the general society enjoy entertaining themselves with the horror genre? Well, Stephen King might have the answer to that. Mr. King strongly agrees with the idea that we might all have a little craving for watching such morbid scenes or reading about them, and creating our own gruesome scenario. Stephen King believes that humans crave horror for the purpose of facing our fears, to reestablish our feelings of normality, and to have an unusual type of ‘fun’, and he’s right.
We crave horror movies because of our curiousity of minds, the anatomy of the body, relief of security, how the brain and emotions work. We like to know how the human anatomy works. We sometimes wonder how the body looks like if something was broken or how gruesome it is. We have the urge to see it because we usually don’t experience it in real life. For example, when we watch “Wrong Turn” or “The Chainsaw Masacre”, these two films show the gruesomeness of humans being followed and tortured (i.e. body ripped open with a chainsaw or being cut open while still conscious). This is why when we watch parts like these we feel the pain and agony the person is in because we put ourselves in that position. Secondly, we
With a firm belief that people are all mentally ill, Stephen King, a well-known horror novelist, composes his essay, titled “Why We Crave Horror Movies,” to elaborate on the popular appeal of these types of films. Within the essay, King studies the human race and claims that all of mankind needs to release their insanity. With many years of experience in the field of horror, he believes that horror films lets individuals release the bad that lives within themselves in a safe and socially acceptable way. He starts by addressing the basic reasoning of why men and women alike willingly buy a ticket to see a horror movie before deeply analyzing why horror movies are so alluring. King states that the public goes to see horror movies for three reasons:
The book uses fictional documents, such as book excerpts, news reports, and hearing transcripts, to frame the story of Carietta "Carrie" White, a 17-year-old girl from Chamberlain, Maine. Carrie's mother, Margaret, a fanatical Christian fundamentalist, has a vindictive and unstable personality, and over the years has ruled Carrie with an iron rod and repeated threats of damnation, as well as occasional physical abuse. Carrie does not fare much better at her school where her frumpy looks, lack of friends and lack of popularity with boys make her the butt of ridicule, embarrassment, and public humiliation by her fellow teenage peers.
During the 70’s and 80’s, the horror genre was thriving in the movie industry. Movies about ghosts, werewolves, demons, psychopaths, and serial killers attracted teenagers to gather at the movies to spend their hard earned money, only to be scared out of their socks. Today, we find the same thing, even thirty years later. Why is that? Why do people enjoy being scared? Some people enjoy the stress of fear, but only because of the safe environment that they are in. If one were in the actual situation, they would act differently than in the closed quarters of the movie theatre. As stated earlier, it is the lack of control that makes us scared. This is why when watching a scary movie at the theatre, the moments that pop-out at you scare you the most, because you have no control over it. However, the moments that scare you when ...
It is the end of a long week at school. The toppling pile of homework on your bedroom desk is not getting any shorter, while your stress is going through the roof. Everybody at school seems to be testing your patience and you feel like a meltdown is right around the corner. What’s the best way to relieve all this stress? Well, according to the king of horror himself, Stephen King, the best reliever is horror. In King’s essay,”Why We Crave Horror.” he states that the human condition requires this release of energy, and this release is best performed through horror. Although King may be correct in his idea of catharsis, his downfall comes when he claims that horror is the best release for everyone.
Are you a fan or horror? Or are you the one that hides under a blanket during a movie? Intense scenes, a little blood and gore mixed with creepy characters and monsters, is what makes a good horror movie, television show or even a book. Many of us wonder why we are attracted so much to these horror elements like foreshadowing, suspense, mystery and imagination within a book, movie and or tv show. There are actual characteristics of this horror related theme that gets our attention, and makes us want to crave more of the story. But the fear, obsession and power is what sets the tone for the monster realm, in both fictional and nonfictional people and characters.
“The relation can commonly be found through the belief of religion, as well as what goes on in one 's everyday life.” A common theme presented in these films is evil and bullying. Movies with evil and horror can affect a person’s personality, thoughts, and behaviors. The effect of watching extreme ideas of horror can linger in a person 's mind and self-conscious, no matter their age. Horror brings the viewers to the edge of their seats and leave them shaking. The hormones called dopamine adrenaline are released when watching a horror film. Movies goers that are prone to panic attacks could be putting themselves at a psychological risk, when watching a horror film. The rush of adrenalin pushes their minds into an overload which it can not deal with. The audience’s mind cannot turn off the theme of horror when it is time to sleep. Which can contribute to tossing and turning through the
We all have cravings, be it for snacks or sweets, there is always something we desire. We crave horror in the same way. In Stephen King’s essay, “Why We Crave Horror Movies,” he argues that people need to watch horror films in order to release the negative emotions within us. King believes that people feel enjoyment while watching others be terrorized or killed in horror movies. King’s argument has elements that are both agreeable and disagreeable. On one hand he is acceptable when claiming we like the thrill and excitement that comes from watching horror movies; however, his views regarding that the fun comes from seeing others suffer cannot be agreed with because the human condition is not as immoral as he claims it to be.
Murder. Revenge. Gore. All of these come to mind when we think and hear about horror. What should also come to mind is the Father of Modern Day horror, Stephen King. In his essay, “Why We Crave Horror” he explains that we love the thrill that we get when we watch horror film. He believes that watching the gory action packed film is like riding a roller coaster that’s doing some really great 360 degree spins. In other words, were daring the nightmare. Many believe the horror genre to be diabolic, but King’s overview on the topic are accurate because many scenarios can be realistic with the use of human experiences, just featured in an over exaggerated way.
In Stephen King’s paper Why We Crave Horror Movies, he describes three reasons why people adore horror films. He first explains that some want to prove one is not afraid; that he/she can conquer any fear. Secondly, Stephen
In Stephen King’s article, he explains how everyone “craves” horror movies and how it’s a big thing and it’s so popular and cool, and well I believe I’m the exception for that. Scary movies do not have any effect on me and the cause of that is because