Artifact V: Horror Research
Topic: The Aesthetics of Horror
Learning Unit Objectives:
- · Explore the psychological and emotional curiosity for and impact of horror art on individuals and society
- · Analyze the unique aesthetic qualities of horror art.
- · Understand and utilize some basic principles of film and television analysis
The article “Why Some People love Horror Movies Whiles Others Hate Them” by Margarita Tartakovsky, explained why many people influenced by the horror movies. She discussed from different aspects of horror movie, which include the excitation transfer process, different wiring, novelty, gender socialization and other reasons. I enjoy watching horror movies so I will introduce some reasons why makes people enjoy horror movies about this article. At first, she discussed that the one reason is how you feel after watching the horror movie, which she called “the excitation transfer process”, according Sparks’s research; she found that “when people watch frightening films, their heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increases”. Then she included that viewers’ sense are heightened after they watched the movie, which makes them feel enjoyable. Another reason is because people enjoy the adrenaline rush, a hormone that strengthens your sensory reception. Then, the heightened senses will make people more interested the scenes in the horror movies even a dull movement. In the reading “Why Horror “by Noel Carroll, she presented that “the horror story is driven explicitly by curiosity. It engaged audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation” (Carroll, 279). This point of view is similar to the article by margarita, she said many people love to watch horror movies included myself because they make us to think, analyze and explore the different scenes and then hypothesize what will be happen at the end of the movie.
Another article “Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies”by Sharon Begley, She discussed that young audiences are more like to watch horror movies from the philosophical research, and many reason why people want to watch horror movies. A professor Fishoff explained that “there are people who have tremendous need for stimulation and excitement, and horror movies are the one of the better ways to get really excited “(Begley). Also, an expert John Edward Campbell said that younger audiences are more likely to look for experiences because the older people are become more sensitive to their own physiology (Begley). This is the main reason why teens seem the main target viewers for this genre. Then she introduced that despite of cathartic effect which offer peoples a chance on emotional release and escape from the real world, and a thrill –seeking feeling, the horror movies help young people learn how to manage terror, which is a useful skill when they face more than just horror situation in reality life. By the way, from Carroll points, she said we are attracted to “horror fictions of this sort despite the fact that they provoke disgust, because that disgust is required for the pleasure involved in engaging our curiosity in the unknown and drawing it into the processes of revelation, ratification, etc.” (Carroll 284). This is also the reason that young viewers have more interesting and curiosity, and they want to explore more the unknown world through the horror movies.
Reflection:
This assignment definitely let me know more about horror movies like diagetic, non-diagetic sounds and mise en scene. I like to watch horror movies but I cannot watch alone because I am so scared by some popup horrible scenes. Begley has said that people especially young people “who had a tremendous need for stimulation and excitement”, I totally agree that point of view. When I was scared by the horror movie, I felt something new that I never see it before and it always pushes my limit of personal psychological acceptance. This kind of films always gives me an ability to imagine myself in these horror situations at that moment.
From learning this unit, I found the horror movies are not only for scaring people, but they have their own aesthetic value through a unique way. I have watched one of the scariest films I have seen called “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. This movie tells a serial killer who will cut off some victims’ skin as his mask and it seems that he feels nothing about killing people with his chainsaw, which is based on a true story of Ed Gains. When I watched this film, I know some plots maybe not completely true, but each scene of this film makes me feel nervous and put me on the edge of my seat through the sound effects and mise en scene. The art value of this film brings out the horror from this movie, and make me cannot imagine his scary face is coming around me with a chainsaw. This below picture is from this movie but I still be afraid of seeing his face so I choose only to show his shadow and chainsaw.
Learning goals for the future:
In order to apply what I learn, I plan to watch more horror films with a purpose that trying to understand the different components of horror, and analyze and explore the horror scenes more why that scene make me so scary. Also, I want to open my mind and push my physiological limits.
Bibliography:
Begley, S. (2011, October). Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies. Retrieved February 15, 2014 from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/25/why-our-brains-love-horror-movies-fear-catharsis-a-sense-of-doom.html
Tartakovsky, M. (2012). Why Some People Love Horror Movies While Others Hate Them. Psych Central. Retrieved on November 5, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/10/31/why-some-people-love-horror-movies-while-others-hate-them/