Horror Movies

Horror Movies

Why do so many of us enjoy watching frightening movies? What are some of the consequences from such exposure? In short horror has become staple across contemporary art forms, movies in particular. Allusions of spawning vampires, trolls, gremlins, zombies, werewolves, demoniacally possessed children, space monsters of all sizes, ghosts and other concoctions have made their way into our living rooms and theaters. From nail-biting thrillers to horrifying monsters, people have a variety of movies to stop their hearts with. Horror movies can be divided into three categories: supernatural, slasher, and psychological thriller. Each category is equally entertaining giving you that rush of adrenaline, plays with your mind, and puts you at the edge of your seat. With these categories, one can decide which horror movie is right for them.

Supernatural horror movies begin with the assumption that the real world is governed by "natural law" and we live our lives according to this belief. In particular, horror is created when some "natural law" is violated. When this occurs, life as we once knew it starts to function according to laws we do not understand and over which we have no control. We are at the mercy of supernatural forces that appear to have malicious intent. In a supernatural movie, the violation appears supernatural at the present but it is implied that the audience will be able to explain the phenomenon in the future. Nonetheless in a supernatural movie we are confronted by malevolent powers beyond our understanding or control, and the threat it presents is horrifying. Supernatural movie examples include Children of the Corn, The Omen, Hellraiser, and Pumpkinhead.

A “slasher” film is a sub genre of horror movie most often featuring a psychopathic killer stalking and killing a series of victims in random, unexpected fashion. The victims in these particular movies usually seem to be good looking teenagers or young adults, conveniently away from any help. Most of the time the victims are involved in sexual activities and/or drug and alcohol usage. Here the killer is usually donning a mask or is grotesquely disfigured facial-wise. The killer is able to withstand most of his victim's attempts to defend themselves. Thus after being drowned, stabbed, and shot numerous times, the killer is able to continue his killing spree even more powerful than he originally was. For every blow he receives, the killer gains a supernatural immunity against his victims and is able to reappear in sequels to hunt again. Notable films in this category are Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Psycho.

A psychological thriller is a sub genre of the the thriller genre. In a psychological thriller, the movie tends to emphasize characters and character development rather than focus completely on the