It’s the middle of October, the nights are getting longer and there’s a chill in the air so where else would you rather be than at home nestled up in a blanket ready to scare yourself with a horror movie!
Now I’m not the biggest horror movie fan, but I can appreciate how popular the horror genre is and all its iconic movies like Scream (1996), Carrie (1976) and The Shining (1980) to name only a few. These movies have had a huge impact on pop culture and more continue to be made every year.
So, what makes a great horror movie? And more importantly, why do people enjoy watching them?
Horror Movies dissected.
What makes a horror movie good? Firstly, I think a great plot with lots of twists and turns is essential. We need great characters to root for and to hope that they make it till the end of the film. The tense moments are vital to build up suspense, we want to be on the edge of our seats shouting at the TV!
Of course, everyone loves a villain. In horror, the villains tend to have a very central part to the plot and can often be the protagonist. Notable villains are Michael Myers, Chucky and Pennywise! Some even hide their identity until the end of the film like Ghostface, this keeps the audience guessing. It’s always the most unlikely suspect!
Aside from the supernatural and alien elements, a lot of horror movies have an underlying social commentary. For example, Get Out (2017) comments on racial politics and American Psycho (2000) focuses on masculinity and materialism. In a way, this makes them scarier because they are based on real-life issues and not fictional monsters.
Why do people enjoy horror movies?
1. Living vicariously- watching movies can give us the chance to live through the characters and experience situations that would never normally happen to us, and all from the safety of our own homes. A study in 1994 suggests that people found documentaries about real-life horrors more difficult to watch than a horror movie, even if the movie was gorier. This could be because we know the movie is fictional, it’s comforting to know that no matter what happens it’s not real. However, the documentaries are based on real life and the dark side of society in which there is no real escape.
2. Catharsis- this is the process of psychological relief due to the expression of strong and negative emotions. The idea is that while we watch a horror movie we experience fear, anxiety, and panic, this can release all our negative energy. This explains why you might feel relieved and positive after watching a horror movie.
3. Physiological responses- When we watch horror movies our fight or flight instincts kick in, this floods our body with adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine. You might also experience an increased heart rate and blood pressure which shows us just how much of an impact these movies have on our bodies. After the feelings of fear wear off, we are left with an immense feeling of relief as our brain sends the feel-good positive chemicals into our body.
Who is most likely to be a horror movie fanatic?
1. Sensation seeking scale- Individuals who are high up on this scale are likely to enjoy thrill seeking and exciting sensations such as rollercoasters and bungee jumping, which elicit a similar adrenaline rush to horror movies. However, there was not always a significant correlation between the two so just because you enjoy horror movies doesn’t mean you’re more likely to go skydiving!
2. Gender- There’s not really a conclusive answer when it comes to which gender prefers horror more. A study in 2019 (Martin et al) suggests that men watch, enjoy, and seek out horror more than women, a reason behind this could be gender socialisation and the way that boys are raised to be ‘brave’ and ‘seek out threat and risk’.
However, this is not to say that women are not consumers of the horror genre. The popularity can be linked to the portrayal of women in horror, in the recent media women have taken a more prominent role within the films and not just as the victim. There are numerous films which star strong female leads like Carrie and Jennifer’s Body and they often provide an interesting commentary on issues affecting women in society.
3. Age- Studies suggest that the younger generation likes to watch horror movies more than the older. Horror is quite a popular genre among the Gen Z audience, its ranks in roughly 3rd place just after comedy and action/dramas.
Overall, it’s evident that horror movies are incredibly popular and appeal to huge audiences for numerous reasons.
Will you be watching horror movies this Halloween? I think I’ll stick to Hocus Pocus.
Sources-
Park, M. (2018). The Aesthetics and Psychology Behind Horror Films. https://digitalcommons.liu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=post_honors_theses
Martin, G. N. (2019). (Why) do you like scary movies? A review of the empirical research on psychological responses to horror films. Frontiers in psychology
Haidt, J., McCauley, C., & Rozin, P. (1994). Individual differences in sensitivity to disgust: A scale sampling seven domains of disgust elicitors. Personality and Individual differences, 16(5), 701-713.