With October, arguably the best month of the year, officially here and at its peak, scary movies are being watched more than ever. Of course, they’re meant to be terrifying, but what makes some people crave them while others choose to avoid them at all costs?
Well, most of this process is in our nature. Those adrenaline junkies who are obsessed with The Conjuring or Scream get a huge rush of adrenaline every time they see a great scare.
For Rosemary Kuhl, grade 10, the “original Conjuring movie,” disturbing “Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), and “NBC’s Hannibal (2013)” do exactly that.
When this surge occurs, it often leads to an energy increase and leaves their bodies craving more. Even just the anticipation of a jump scare or a sudden turn of events can provide them with such stimulation.
“I enjoy watching scary movies because the thrill of being spooked is really fun…if it’s a good movie, you just can’t stop watching it, as it has you on the edge of your seat,” said Natilee Wilson, grade 12.
Though some people interpret this exposure as anxiety-inducing or as something that makes them feel insanely afraid, others simply can’t get enough. The rush of fear, chills down their spine, and adrenaline released only makes them want more.
Some extreme horror lovers are dedicated to enhancing their experience. For people like Claire Burke, grade 10, they “prefer to watch them alone in the spookiest setting,” or as Natilee added, “I like to watch it in 3D so I get more scared, but it also makes me experience it in real life, like when they have a jump scare I normally go flying out of my chair because I jump so high.”
Some people’s egos seem to grow along with their love of horror. The idea of gaining bragging rights to their friends or feeling cool when they walk out of the theatre gives people a boost of superiority they can’t seem to get anywhere else. And, since many of these things don’t happen in real life, they’ll never be confronted with the reality that they would probably be the first to die rather than the savior to all.
This idea also contributes to the idea of either loving or hating this genre of movies. When someone is easily able to separate this artificial horror from reality, such as in a more imaginative film, it makes them easier to watch than something that seems completely plausible, like a movie about a serial killer.
For Rosemary, this factor easily applied. “I love watching scary movies because I’m just a fan of horror in general, and I love the aesthetic of it,” she said.
So, whether you take these spine-chilling favorites as recommendations or movies to avoid, hopefully, you gained something from this, and feel free to let us know where you stand in the comments.
(Source: https://hbr.org/2021/10/the-psychology-behind-why-we-love-or-hate-horror)
