1. On WebMD, there was an article attempting to explain why we love scary movies. There are different kinds of horror films. The films like Saw and Hostel series offer something different that they focus more on the suffering of the victim, calling it as “torture porn”. They feature gore and violence. There are also horror films that focus on suspense of the chase.
It also mentioned a term “horror paradox” given rise from why people would put themselves through such “unpleasant” movies ( if you are not a horror movie fan at least). Furthermore, Sparks, a professor of communication at Purdue University, mentioned on studies that showed effects of horror films resulting the viewers to have an increase heart rate. In studies, the subjects shows their palms sweat, their skin temperature dropped, their muscles tensed, and their BP increased. Sparks compared it to the tribal rite of passage. He says, “there’s a motivation males have in our culture to master threatening situations,” (Sine). Furthermore, he explained that we have lost in this modern society that we are seeking to replace that with entertainment. More violent the movie is, “more justified the young man feels in boasting that he endured it”. And it may explain the reason why we get on roller coasters and frat house hazing.
Another theory was suggested that people may want to see gory films as a way of coping with their actual fears. Sparks backed up the theory by pointing to a study that showed an increased interest in students in a movie with a cold-blooded murder after the murder of a college student in a community.
Stephen King, a horror novelist, said that scary movies act as “a safety valve for our cruel or aggressive impulses” (Sine). It means that watching extremely gory violence in movies may forestall the action in the real world. However, there are opinions that are the opposite, saying it would more likely make people more hostile.
Most people would rather like to experience pleasant emotions. Thus Joanne Cantor, a director of the Center for Communication Research at University of Wisconsin, stated that “No doubt, there’s something really powerful that brings people to watch these things, because it is not logical,” (Sine). Carroll seems to agree with this. Carroll stated, “There appears to be something paradoxical about the horror genre. It obviously attracts consumers; but it seems to do so by means of the expressly repulsive.” (275). This “horror paradox” puzzles me more as I am not a horror film fan. One of the possible reasons Carroll mentions is the curiosity, as she draws a parallel with monsters in movies. As we are engaged in the movie by being involved in the process of discovery and explanations, we come up with our hypothesis and confirm as we go on. Thus the source of the pleasure may may come from the process of disclosure of the mystery horrific beings. This might be what entertains us and make us seek for more.
2. Another article that was found on website called Inquisitr pointed out possible reasons why we watch horror films. The source said people want though provoking violence. People would rather be more drawn to the violent movies which we can expect the benefits of thrills and suspense, than just straight gory and violent movies without much of story lines. They are attracted by those horror films because the films “satisfy truth-seeking motivations and offering meaningful insights”. The author stated, “people want to be intrigued, on the edge of their seat with each passing moment where anything can happen” (2013). The suspenseful sensation and stimulation may be what makes us entertained during the horror films. Also we (as audience) know we are safe, or safer than those in the screen being chased at least. Thus we can enjoy the film to full.
In this article, the reason why people keep seeking for the “harmless” entertainment, horror films is because of the satisfaction of our desire of truth-seeking motivations from the dramatic twisted plots. Carroll would also agree with this idea. She said people are attracted because of the “way that the plots of discovery and the dramas of proof pique our curiosity” (283). The monsters in the movies would be disturbing and loathing. But the process of the discovery would reward the audience in a pleasurable way. In other words, we are attracted to horror movies despite the fact that the movies contain disgusting and unpleasant elements, however those elements are required for the ultimate pleasure which will result from the process of revelation of the unknown.
Bibliography:
Carroll, N. (2002). Why Horror?. In Neill, A. & Riley, A. (eds.) Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates (2nd ed., Chap. 17). New York, NY: Routledge.
Sine, Richard (2007). ‘Why We Love Scary Movies’, Web-MD, Retrieved November 8th, 2013, from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/why-we-love-scary-movies?page=3.
(2013). ‘Attraction To Violent And Scary Movies’, Inquisitr, Retrieved November 11th, 2013, from http://www.inquisitr.com/594943/attraction-to-violent-and-scary-movies/.