The first article that I read in relation to the horror film genre is called “Horror Movies: Why People Love them” by Leslie Fink.  To people who do not enjoy horror movies, it does not make sense to go to a theater and pay money just to be scared.  Fink address why the horror film genre is so popular and why viewers continue to go next.  The articles was written in November and states that after Halloween, so around this time, people want to continue the thrill and go see scary movies to get that feeling again.  One of the most crucial reasons why viewers love horror films is for the pure suspense.  This incorporates the objective of this unit, which is to learn about the ways in which sound is used.  The different sounds used in horror films most definitely add to the suspense that keeps audiences coming back.  She also brings attention to the fact that most scary movie viewers are male and from the ages of 15 to 45.  This is most likely because they enjoy the elements that come along with going to these movies.  They often get an adrenaline rush and enjoy the other emotions that they feel from the thrill.  There is a sense of excitement from viewing scary situations yet being at a distance that you know it will not actually harm you.  The article that we read for this assignment discusses very similar ideas.  Carroll writes, “Many people do seek out horror fictions for the purpose of deriving pleasure from sights and descriptions that customarily repulse them” (Carroll 275).”  If anyone were to see someone being murdered in real life, it would be a life-changing experience for the viewer.  However, going to the movies allows us to see these acts and not feel the extremely terrifying repercussions. We enjoy going to these movies that heighten our senses and keep us on our toes.  There is also a sort of comfort in the idea that these horrific scenes are not actually happening in the viewer’s life, but are still observable.  I personally do not enjoy scary movies.  I do not like to be scared and afterwards, I often have trouble sleeping because of the graphic images.  I do see the appeal and I understand why people go see horror films, I just cannot relate.

The second article I read is called “Why Do People Enjoy Horror Movies? They Enjoy Being Scared” by Eduardo Andrade.  This article also investigated why people spend money to be scared for two hours.  One theory is that people want to feel the excitement that they get from horror films.  The second theory is that viewers like the sense of relief that they get once the movie is over and there is a better outcome.  Andrade also brought attention to the fact that audiences are able to feel unhappy and happy at the same time throughout the course of a scary movie.  Carroll writes that when a horrifying event is produced in an aesthetically appealing way, “…the predominant feeling response, in terms of pleasure and interest, attaches to the presentation as a function of the overall, narrative structure” (Carroll 277).  Viewers appreciate the events that are portrayed in horror films because they keep our interest and are displayed in a creative way.  We are able to be scared without the events actually applying to our lives.  There are many people who are simply disturbed by these events and do not see the appeal or enjoy the effects that come from watching a scary movie.  I am one of these people.  I enjoy getting adrenaline from activities other than being scared.  However, the horror film industry is immensely successful and movies continue to make millions of dollars to scare their audiences.

Fink, Leslie.  “Horror Movies: Why People Love Them”. Live Science. Retrieved 8 November 2013. http://www.livescience.com/7949-horror-movies-people-love.html.

Eduardo B. Andrade and Joel B. Cohen. “Why do People Enjoy Horror Movies? They Enjoy Being Scared.” Journal of Consumer Research: August 2007. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070725152040.htm

Non- Diagetic sound:

In the beginning, the girl fell asleep in class and there was a loud sound used to wake her up.  This added a great deal of dramatic effect.  This part of the episode followed a very creepy scene of a child singing a song in the hallway.  The song can be defined as scary because of the low, creepy tone that the girl was singing in.  In horror films especially, music is able to intensify scary or calming scenes depending on the goal of the director.  This can be considered mood music.  During this episode, there is intense music playing while the actors are sleeping and a white cloud is coming from them.  The music becomes even more intense when the man who is collecting their voices is shown.  This added to the horror of the episode.

Mise En scene

This video is set in a normal, everyday setting.  Sets include homes, offices, and even casually walking on the street.  They are wearing average clothes that could be worn any day of the week.  The actors were portrayed as any ordinary person doing their daily routine.  One example of this is when Buffy and the man she is interested in see each other.  They are wearing normal clothes and seem to not have any voices.  I believe that in horror films, the producers try to show their actors as normal people.  I think that this adds fear into the audience because it makes them feel like it could happen to them and not just in Hollywood.  It makes the aesthetics seem more real.

Diagetic Sound:

I was able to find the use of diagetic sound in the scene where the two men are in a lab and talking about Buffy.  It was easy to head sounds like them climbing the ladder, a golf cart, and loud voices in the background coming through the speaker.  These sounds, as well as the characters talking, are all examples of diagetic sound.  I chose to use this scene because it comes right before the part where the characters lose their voices.  Background noises that are subtle but most definitely present add to the horror aspect of films.  Any small noise can keep an audience on the edge of their seats.