Why Do People Like Horror Movies?
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- Why do people enjoy scary movies? Like, it's weird, right? Why would anyone go out of their way to be scared or disturbed? Today, I explain.
Happy Halloween!
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Have people in your life who just don't understand your love of horror? Show them this.
No way unless I wanna be on the streets in the morning
@@gmg9010 Ha! Okay, maybe don't.
@@CenterRow 👍🏻
"This video is not intended for children under the the age of 18"
Me, 12 years and 364 days old: I didn't choose to be a criminal..
@@gmg9010 what kind of people are you related too? lol
For me, from a movie perspective, horror is one of the few genres that allow for experimentation and risk. It's basically the only genre where you can kill off your main character halfway through and still have a good movie. You can easily mix it with other genres without a problem. You don't need movie stars to sell horror, the fact it's horror is all its audience needs.
And as pointed out in the video, social commentary can be easily tackled through horror metaphor (sci-fi too though).
Definitely! Horror is by and far one of the most flexible genres, there's so much room for interesting ideas and genre bending
Facts, well said. 💯
Scary does not automatically equal gory. I love scary movies. I hate gory movies. Not that I'm a prude or have a weak stomach...but gore usually draws attention to itself at the cost of the story. "Hey, look at me. I'm blood. I'm shocking!" Yawn. Thrillers are my go to "scary" movies.
Same here. I only like gore if it serves the story.
I'm usually right there with you, my favorite horror films lean closer to "creepy thrillers" than bloody slashers.
@@CenterRow However, I love the first Saw film. If you rewatch it, not only will you find it is just as gory as your average horror film, but it also has a great and intriguing plot
Comment for the algorithm
Thirded!
Yeah, youtube buried this video
Yes
Yes
Most underrated channel ever
Thanks!
agree
Yea! Especially for film fans or future film makers
I don’t watch horror movies because I find them scary. In fact, the vast majority of horror movies don’t scare me. I watch horror films because of atmosphere, suspense, and tension, which is one of the reasons why I prefer classic horror. Some people like to complain when a horror movie isn’t overtly scary, but sometimes, horror films will emphasize the more subtle aspects of suspense.
Exactly! Same here!
you should deffo watch hereditary
Good video. This is one of my favorite film channels on all of youtube because you ask the questions we've all been thinking, but just haven't yet been able to ask. You tackle topics no one else seems to be and you do it in an incredibly engaging, entertaining, and informative way. This was another banger. Thanks for all you do :)
Thank you so much, I'm touched! Thanks for watching!
Do an episode on nostalgia
I actually did one years ago: ua-cam.com/video/XXbgup2N9u8/v-deo.html
*please
Here’s a comment to help the video get recommend by the algorithm
God bless you.
3:31-3:42 reason right there why action and horror overlap in terms of filmmaking and execution, its also why you see lots of horror directors doing action and vice versa
right off the bat I can say i enjoy horror because i believe it has the most creativity when it comes to the kind of stories it can tell, its full of potential for creative ideas and imagery, plus i believe it makes best uses of camera movement. Plus when I watch other genres of films, horror is the one that is the most referenced and mimicked the most in terms of what kind of scenes are in the film and the filmmaking style itself
This was uploaded on my 13th birthday
I think another interesting thing is the ways different mediums approach horror. Books, comics, games, paintings, etc... I find myself the most scared by comics oddly enough. Especially the work of Junji Ito.
Jesus that stuff is terrifying
Comics are creepy. Especially the thing.
I watched the film Midsommar and I didn't even think of it was a horror film because some of the things they did in the film are very similar to my own culture.
Interesting!
@@CenterRow Not the murdering though (at least not in this time period).
Haha good!
I much prefer horror with comedy rather than horror with depression, but not too much which is why I love Ready Or Not so much
Totally agree, love that movie.
I can definitely relate to the feeling of being a teen in the late 00s, when the biggest horror movies were Saw's torture-porn and Paranormal Activity's nothing-but-jump-scares, and thinking "this is definitely not for me", until I eventually worked up the courage to watch classics like Alien, The Thing, and Evil Dead 2, and had an amazing time with each of them. Still tentatively exploring the genre as a newcomer, and it's fun to be slightly out of my comfort zone.
Exactly! I've been going through a similar journey
I confess to not really be into horror, due to not being allowed to while growing up for religious reasons, though it's a genre I do want to explore more often in the future. The start of your video sums up some of the reasons why I've not pursued it that much. I guess my adrenaline more points to action, thrillers or adventure stuff over horror stuff. :/ Still, great video regardless!
I still prefer action/thrillers/adventure, but I've found I can enjoy certain horror films.
My parents didn't let me watch horror or too sexual movies growing up because, apart from being christian, they didn't want to expose me to stuff that could traumatise me or I couldn't understand. While I (and they) think they maybe overcompensated, I'm actually grateful, and I can now watch horror movies and rationalize them. I like horror movies because they explore topics that other genres don't for fear of being too off-putting.
If you want to start getting into horror, I recommend starting with books. If it gets too heavy for you, you can just not imagine it. Edgar Allan Poe has violent stuff in his books, but it's tasteful and never too heavy. H.P. Lovecraft I haven't read, but I've heard it's more about implications and madness than anything else. If you want to watch movies, watch more psychological stuff, like The Shining or Se7en. Unfortunately, I'm not too well-read in horror, so if someone could help me fill this list a bit more, I would be very grateful!
@@ivosamuelgiosadominguez6649 Same reasons as my parents, among other ones. But yeah I'm glad I wasn't exposed to it when younger as much as others my age, since tbf, I'd get a little scared from nature docs anyways. And ironically it was some Christian bio films that had some frightening scenes which got me more scared compared to what little else I watched then. 😂
@@debzykvids You tell me! I play bass at my church, and I was gonna play after the preacher had finished and he though it would be a good idea to play some scenes of The Passion of Christ. I left mid-song to go to the toilet because I felt I was gonna faint.
@@ivosamuelgiosadominguez6649 Really? Oh my gosh! I've yet to see Passion but knowing about its content this makes me rather disgusted. The only one church I've gone to once years ago that did something like that was a Jesus movie screening after service and lunch. Except there Jesus was tempted by Satan dressed in a modern black suit and tie. 😂
I like fear and I will say this fear can save you from heart attacks makes your blood flow faster and makes you an easy snack for Pennywise to enjoy
I wish I like horror more than I actually do
Have you checked out The Witch or Hereditary? Those might be a little more your speed than something like Lights Out.
This is one of the best videos I’ve seen this year. It’s truly inspiring how you worded this. You deserve more clout
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
I don't like rollercoasters, so I get my adrenaline rush from horror films. But most modern "horror" films, just aren't scary. Jump scares are not horror. There's no build up or tension like you get in the great horror films such as 'The Thing' (1982) or 'Alien'. There's a few exceptions obviously... 'The Babadook' and 'Get Out' are a couple that spring to mind.
Another thing that I really enjoy when watching horror films is watching them with someone who gets scared quite easily (normally my girlfriend). Watching them get scared is almost as fun vicariously.
Right? Watching other people react is half the fun.
@@CenterRow Especially if it's a film you've already seen. You try to look at them, without them noticing. When you know certain bit are coming up.
Since we can’t do these evil acts in real life, we instead watch horrors where they can & get off scot free, as it sets curiosity makes us wonder- could we ever be the killer?
If you choose to. I loved horror and can't kill people although, you could stab or cut at least once in self defense. I can't stand animals being killed!😫
Because I thought they’d get me over my fears well I was dead wrong and now I’m hooked on them
Hahaha!
I just watched "Crystal Lake Memories", a 6 hour doco on the Friday the 13th series.
The original creators said that they never intended that Jason's motivation was to punish sexual immorality, even on a metaphorical level.
Jason was motivated to kill people who behaved like the camp counsellors who got distracted having sex and allowed him to drown.
The misconception was so common many copycat slasher films included it in their formula and it became a real trope.
Yeah! A lot of the "themes" common in film are often unintentional and are imposed by the audience. Death of the author and all that!
Good video. I’ll never forget watching Rosemary’s Baby and feeling incredibly uncomfortable, only to realize it was recreating the feeling of a pregnancy from sexual assault. Someone could explain that feeling to me, but I was able to experience it through story.
A great point!
2:31 Venom, is that you?
Ha! It does look like Venom!
@@CenterRow It's an honor to have a comment loved by you.
This was a really entertaining video...but I think it leaves some aspects of the question unanswered
So there's the theory that horror movies offer a safe context for experiencing exciting emotions. This only seems to answer the question "why films?" and leaves the "why horror?" untouched. In other words, why do we seek negative emotions in the first place? There are, after all, many other ways to experience excitement.
Next, there's what looks like a "catharsis" theory, the idea that we use horror to process and "get over" some negative emotions or issues. But this doesn't explain those who flock to these movies a) not having have any corresponding trauma to work through, and b) going in *knowing* that they will leave more uneasy and fearful than when they went in.
Very good choices of clips
Thanks!
When I explain to people (who don't like horror) why I like it, I use the same analogy of carnival rides, particularly roller coasters. I don't ride carnival rides. I'm not going to jump out of a plane... I watch horror movies. The most controlled environment you can get. 🙂
Comedy + Horror = Cheep Thrills
this was a great video and i completely agree with everything in it but i cant watch most horror movies because of the feeling it gives me afterwards. it makes me feel like a bad person, as though i have watched something happen and done nothing to help or stop it. the only horror movies i’ve ever felt like i could watch are It, Sweeney Todd and A Quiet Place. It because it doesn’t seem realistic enough to me, like, a killer clown?? We all saw the killer clown phase in 2016 and I was 11, maybe that’s why it doesn’t scare me as much? Sweeney Todd because it’s a historical event, a musical and even a romance which makes it easier and even interesting to watch (I enjoy learning about history a lot). And A Quiet Place because i studied it a little bit before I watched it at a film club I went to where we recreated the sound effects used in a scene from it (also most of it was during the day). So unless a horror movie is historical, has a very unrealistic concept, is portrayed in a friendly way or is analysed beforehand so I don’t see it as realistic, I don’t think I can watch one. Even watching small scenes from the Saw movies makes me feel sick. Having said that I do see the appeal behind the movies as the themes and topics they discuss are important and some horror movies (Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday 13th, Saw, etc...) have gone on to change the industry in horror and regular film making forever. I still can’t watch most of them tho haha
True horror is tension, not shock. Films like It Follows are a perfect example of utter horror. Films like Scream are not horror, it's slasher thriller.
Fear is the expectation of something negative (tension) not the sudden jolt of over-stimulus (shock).
I feel both fit into the genre, but I do prefer tension to shock and feel those are the best horror films.
Excelente video! Para mi es difícil que me gusten las películas de terror, pero les daré una chance nuevamente para liberar el terror que tengo guardado dentro jaja. Me gustan tus análisis, seguí así!
Horror only works on several layers...
Comedic / Meta- CHUCKY / CHILD’S PLAY, PARANORMAN, IDLE HANDS, EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS, GREEN INFERNO, GET OUT (plays more like a thriller)
Animated- PARANORMAN, MONSTER HOUSE, CORALINE, CORPSE BRIDE
Political / Topical- VIDEODROME, GET OUT, THE NIGHTINGALE (violence against women), CENSOR, ANTEBELLUM, MEN BEHIND THE SUN. This is a field where dramas and thrillers tend to be more effective than horror. Supernaturalism (CONJURING, EXORCIST) doesn’t work. It’s too superficial unless it’s so ridiculous (IDLE HANDS) or cartoonish (CORALINE) it can work.
Amazing video! Totally deserves more views
Thanks! Feel free to share with your friends
I dislike gore and violence, but I love everything else about horror. I guess I respond well to the fear and suspense, but not the disgust stimuli. I can't be the only one, right?
Another great video!
Thank you!
This has less than 5k views? Geez. Time to comment, I guess...
You've pretty much hit the bullseye in regards to what I think about horror. I also recommend watching "Steven Spielberg & the Horror Inside Blockbusters (video essay)" to understand why regular cinema can also be horrifying. I found it to be brilliant and a great explanation about why modern blockbusters can be kind of dull. ¿Best blockbuster I've seen in a long time? Infinity War, a movie where Thanos is basically a slasher movie killer slashing through our heroes. Suddenly, we are more engeaged in all the action scenes, because the characters we are attached to can die if they're not too careful. Every hit, every dodge is crucial.
Right now, because blockbusters try to appeal to as wide a demographic as possible, they try to excise everything that could be off-putting about them and so they're... kind of boring.
i like watching gory horror movies for the thrill of it and to challenge myself to face the darkness of the world.
Ive always admired the beauty of life and death cuz its a natural cycle in real life.
As an artist i see dark art, psychological horror, gore films as another creative form of art.
But people think I’m psycho path or crazy and need help because of my fascination for it.
I would never do such things cuz although i’m desensitized by blood and horror I’m still an empathic person who cares for the ones i love. I love dark horror art and films cuz its simply fun and exciting.
Horror for me brings comfort, stability and elevation as if I ''belong somewhere'' but that depends on the film or franchise and not just any story............
Because people do not enjoy feeling afraid, they enjoy seeing others be afraid. It is called sadism.
I enjoy horror, you can learn a lot from it. Fight for your life or die. Which is what he face in the real world now. I also enjoy positive films, I will pop in a sad movie from time to time to remind myself that life is also good as well. Its how you look at life and its situations.
This probably isn’t important, but I’m so glad you put Get Out as your thumbnail :) great video also!
Thanks, that's nice to hear as I spent a long time fretting over the thumbnail haha
Some people are lonely and like hearing the word boo thrown their way.
Haha
you’re awesome! (personally I don’t like horror movies but i’m trying to figure out why all my friends do)
When i was a kid i hated horror movies. I liked dark emo movies. But not scary ones. Espiecially not the ones in which ppl are being slaughtered. Guess recent events changed my mind. If you can't avenge by paying ppl back you just watch other being slaughtered and imagine them being punished. Hopefully, it stays that way. Dont want to become, cruel, too. But i cant promise anything. 😂😂😂
Maybe this is why some enjoy watching horror. Violence without becoming violent yourself. Shifting anger. I remeber a friend who was totally into horror. Esp. Splatter. Inteoverted, kind, funny, sensible, childish, kawaii, cute but cruel. You wouldn't suspect. Made me laugh a lot. She never got angry or upset in public. But passionate when people would get slaughtered in the most cruel and bloody way. As if she was shifting anger this way.
Enjoyed watching this but I'm going to have to disagree that religion is thoroughly explored. (@8:15) Nearly all film makers are left leaning atheists, or agnostic at best. Saying that an atheist/agnostic film maker can thoroughly explore religion is like saying a lion is able to thoroughly explore and then represent veganism.
That's definitely true with the filmmakers' backgrounds, though classic horror does focus on religious (namely Catholic) symbolism, characters, mythology and settings a lot, at least from my film knowledge.
@@debzykvids Not that I'm some Biblical expert, but watching religion in film is like watching a Warhammer movie written by my grandmother.
It'd be neat to have a horror story/theme done by an atheist and then the same story/theme done by a devout Catholic or Christian. The difference between the two films would be very interesting.
I actually somewhat agree with you. As a Christian I find the theology in most horror films laughable. But, I can still appreciate that it's one of the few genres where faith isn't taboo. The Exorcist has a great storyline about a struggle with faith, The Conjuring's main characters are devout Christians, and Steven King wrote a few novels (like Desperation and The Stand) that border on Christian fiction with how deeply it explores Christianity. So, while I'd say there's a ton of room for improvement, I do like that horror doesn't shy away from religion like other genres, even if it isn't always portrayed accurately.
I'd point to Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds" as a horror film that deals with the trauma of 9/11.
Insightful. Thank you!
I now know there's a diverse range of reasons for people to watch horror movies. It has been something I've been struggling to comprehend, even regarding myself.
Thanks for watching! I'm still trying to wrap my head around it even now.
I was thinking about making a video like this myself so you beat me to the punch haha. You definitely put it much better than I could, though, nice work!
Haha thanks!
the Scooby Doo show is literally a horror show for kids
I have no fear maybe thats why i find them boring
hol' up when you said bad horror movies 5:23 you showed a clip of Friday the 13th?
Yea its bad
Q: why ?
A: because they are funny!
I disagree about slasher movies being about AIDS.
I believe they were more about the dangers of sexual appetite left uncontrolled.
we dont frel a rush of adrels in 😭
horror stands for horrible.
Slasher movies are terrible, things like The Ring on the other hand that truly haunt you. Or Perfect Blue which is true psychological horror and sticks with you is where it's at! I do admit to really enjoying the first two Saw films though. After that it just got ridicules. To many things in this video aren't Horror at all, more like Thriller.
I think this is a very good video and I think you are absolutely correct. Im not a horror fan but I absolutely love thrillers and explorations of the human mind and one thing I noticed is that the moments of horror in thrillers was always the ones I remembered the best.
Now, this video really got me thinking. Zodiac is the movie that has scared me the most and you made me realise that is probably because it's based on real horrifying events so what happens in the movie doesn't feel very controlled and quite close to reality, which of course is the point.
That scene in Zodiac is utterly horrifying
We are talking about the basement scene, right?
@@noalindqvist9826 That and the scene where the couple is tied up and stabbed to death.
@@CenterRow it's an all around frightening movie. Out of curiosity, what do you think of Fincher as a director?
@@noalindqvist9826 I think he's an incredible filmmaker.
I don't like, i love
I think Jim Henson once said fear was good for children.
Interesting!
You are so right, comedy and horror are the same thing just viewed differently. Tom and Jerry is a comedy for the audience but a horror for Jerry. Think about it, Tom is basically a serial killer trying to murder Jerry and all other mice to eat their flesh. How is that different from Leather face, the Jeepers Creepers monster, or Penny Wise the clown trying to kill and eat the flesh of humans? Sure, different species, but the actions are the same.
I don't like horror, I might like a few horror movies or having bits of it elsewhere, but I really don't care about or for it a a genre. I also don't particularly like Rollercoasters, sure it's a 'safe' adrenaline rush, but I don't really like the rush or the crash after the fact.
Roy Scheider (Chief Brody from Jaws) once said "People love to get the hell scared out of them."
Algorithm
Great video
Keep making movies man, don't give up!
To me, they're just like any other well-written and acted film. From comedies to dramas, fantasy and horror, if the story is good then all that comes after like humour or horror only compounds how good the film is.
Exactly!
I have been watching horror movies since I was a teenager and I love them
FUN... hughhh NO!
You should watch the house that jack built
great content! you deserve more views
I love this topic, i could not agree more with the starting points about disliking being scared
Thanks!
That "anyone can make a scary story" is not as relevant as it initially can be assumed in relevance to horror movies frankly, at least as far as I'm concerned. While yes, many can indeed think of scary scenarios, to go from this internalized fear to being able to convey it in a coherent and transferable manner is often the real challenge. You will have to explain to people watching why something is scary, and sometimes even convince people that don't inherently share your fears that it's scary. If you manage that, then I'd say you're really skillful.
Frankly you can say that same thing about romance, because very many have a dream relationship or life, or about drama, because many people have a nightmare scenario that can fuck up your life like family dying and the like. So the problem isn't always what to tell, rather it's how to do so.
Definitely, my point isn't that anyone can make a horror movie, but because everyone has nightmares they can understand why someone would want to make one!
@@CenterRow alright, that's fair enough. Was mostly referring to what your female friend said around 9:08 in the video. I interpreted it as as critique of horror movies, in that they weren't special or interesting because "anyone can make a scary story, so big deal" or something similar. I may well have misinterpreted the meaning because of the phrasing/wording, so it may just be me.
I disagree in some ways. I believe the main purpose of watching horror is self-checking our responses. We need to know that we are likely to feel repulsed by inherently repulsive events; we need to be able to reassure ourselves that we are not like the killers, and that we feel the correct amount of disgust / rage / sorrow in response to vile behaviours. We are checking to see if we're 'normal' or 'good people', in my view. What do you think about this position?
Interesting, I think that is a cool way of looking at it!
@@CenterRow Thank you. I think it explains why I sometimes watch horror - though only vicariously through breakdowns and reviews.
I still don't get it. There's literally nothing to horror, it's just "ooohhh scary monster, blood everywhere." I enjoyed films like Us that are more on the creepy side, where I could feel the tension, but the gory shit means nothing to me.
There's so much more to horror than that. Here's a few I'd recommend:
- The Babadook
- Jacob's Ladder
- Get Out
- The Fly (1986)
Thankfully, it's a big genre. There are a lot like Us that are more creepy and tense than bloody gore fests like A Quiet Place and Get Out.
Lovely tribute to one of my favourite genres. ^^
Thank you!
Great video bro. Love my B movie slashers
Thanks! I made sure to have plenty of Friday the 13th in there for ya.
I love horror, it's a good way for me to feel better when something badly happened to me or when I'm angry. It relieves me without having to torture and kill someone.
I felt the same! It is like stress relief. Thank for the reasonable insightful response!!👏
Amazing vid
Center Row > horror genre.
Haha thanks
Great job ban
Thanks
Amazing
Thank you!
I refuse to watch any horror movie aside from maybe Jaws because they're all very unoriginal and predictable.
I do love Jaws.
Thats a very dumb statement. There are tons of films that are original or terrifying and good
The adrenaline rush is like taking drugs that last for like 5 seconds at a time.
Ha! Essentially.
First
Congrats!
@@CenterRow thank you
Absolutely love this video. It addresses everything in a clear manner and it's very relatable. I'm sending this to a friend who needs some help getting through tough spots in their life they haven't really felt comfortable thinking about a lot.
Thank you so much for the kind words!