At work the other day, a few of my coworkers were having a debate: one person said horror movies are “disgusting,” why would anyone watch something so disturbing? That’s fair, until you consider the thousands of people who curl up at night just to watch those disturbing films.
Horror has always been a genre of disagreement between people. Some jump at the chance to rewatch The Conjuring, and some won’t even talk about it. Most describe it as fun and comforting to watch, whilst others describe it as unsettling, disturbing, and unnecessary. This goes beyond horror movies, it shows how you experience fear.
All the people who love horror crave adrenaline. Our bodies react to the jump scare on the tv the same way it would in real life. Which includes increased heart rates, sharpened sense, and heightened attention. The difference is that in horror movies you can pause or look away. It’s like roller coasters, you ride for the adrenaline rush but you know deep down your safe. That combination is what so many people seek out of horror movies– security with a tinge of fear.
I can’t blame them either, some of us are just curious. Horror explores things we don’t fully understand or can’t explain. Whether that means supernatural ghosts or possessed little girls, you get to confront your fears without actually experiencing them. Authors like Stepehen King have built careers around this. They see what makes people uncomfortable and give it to them, close enough to touch but not close enough to stop watching.
On the other hand however, we have the people who don’t feel so safe. The most common reason people don’t like horror is because it can feel so real so quick. Some movies forget about the line between fiction and reality. This makes the experience less fun and more anxiety ridden. Instead of sweet adrenaline they get pure panic.
You also have to consider morals. Most wonder why anyone would want to watch such violence or suffering even if it is fake. To them, horror isn’t fun, it’s just wrong. Unlike the fans, they don’t feel that same sense of security or release.
What’s interesting is that the difference isn’t about the movies at all. It might just come down to how everyone processes fear. Some are drawn to it, using the movies as a way to control their emotions and others are more sensitive to it. It reveals how they actually feel about the unknown, danger, and uncertainty.
In the end, are horror movies gross or are they fun? The answer depends on who’s watching. It also depends on how that person feels about fear, they either see it as pointless or exciting. Maybe that’s why so many love horror. Because we all know they aren’t scared of the movie, they are scared of what their fear might reveal about them. That’s the real horror movie.
