As I’m writing this, Halloween has just technically ended. But in today’s modern society, Halloween feels less like a single day and more like a celebratory season, maybe even a year-round phenomenon. We’ve seen people build a thriving community centered around a shared love for all things eerie, unsettling, and horrific. Expanding through horror movies, TV shows, and true crime podcasts, indulging in something scary has been more accessible than ever before. The phrase “comfort horror” to me, describes the strange but genuine sense of curiosity that some people find in revisiting horror films, series, or stories. But the real question is simply: why?
First, it’s worth acknowledging that horror is such a massive, multifaceted genre that most people don’t even realize how much they already love it (even those who insist they don’t). Horror as a genre has become an entire spectrum that bleeds into everything else in order to survive, and I don’t believe that’s a bad thing. Horror has evolved dramatically over the decades, reflecting both cultural anxieties and innovations in filmmaking as audiences craved deeper tension, traditional horror or slasher shifted toward psychological thrillers, exploring inner fears, moral corruption, and suspense. Once Found-footage and mockumentary horror was introduced, it started immersing viewers in realistic, voyeuristic terror. Today, horror increasingly embraces artsy and surreal approaches, blending dreamlike visuals, emotional depth, and symbolic storytelling, demonstrating that horror can evoke dread through atmosphere, psychological complexity, and aesthetic experience rather than just shock or gore. You’ve heard of iconic slashers like Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), Scream (1996), and Terrifier (2016), but those are not all what horror has to offer. Looking for a more psychological thriller? There’s The Shining (1980), Midsommar (2016), and Hereditary (2018). Want something more real and intimate? Found footage or Mockumentaries like The Blair Witch Project (1999), The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014), and Incantation (2022) exist to be authentic and horrific all at once. Maybe even want something more surreal and artsy? Take a look at Perfect Blue (1997), Parasite (2019), and Sinners (2025). The list basically could go on and on. Regardless, it is without a doubt that horror at its core taps into something universal in our humanity: our fascination with fear, tension, and the unknown.
There are several overlapping psychological and emotional reasons people find “comfort” in horror. One could be emotional regulation and control, where Horror provides a space to experience fear, dread, grief, or chaos within the boundaries of the film. Although it’s not actually happening to you, it may feel like it is, which can make you confront your inner fears subconsciously. This leads me to my next point, which is coping mechanisms. Watching these characters can let people process their own anxieties metaphorically. For many, especially those with anxiety or trauma, horror becomes a form of learning how to cope with fear in a controlled environment (the best thing is that you can turn it off at any time!).
Lastly, horror reflects the way we perceive and engage with real fear, tragedy, and conflict in society, as it grounds us in the world amid its absurdity. Think of it as similar to watching the news, we can often have an uncomfortable experience with it—exposed to chaos yet unable to look away. It’s like watching it becomes a way to reaffirm our connection to it. Thus, this sense mirrors the fascination with horror, people who constantly watch police body cam footage or true crime podcasts are in the middle of the blurred line between horror and reality. Although these types of media discuss real people and real events, audiences are not only drawn to them out of morbid curiosity, but also as a means of understanding or learning about the darker sides of human behavior. Being aware of violence inherent in society (whether that be watching true crime or entertainment based on those cases) can make one feel a sense of control within it.Â
In some strange, spooky way, we all crave some kind of horror that reflects our deepest instincts of curiosity, survival, empathy, or fascination with the unknown. Comfort horror transforms fear into something manageable and communal for others. One of my favorite Horror movie quotes is from The Substance (2024), stating “you can’t escape from yourself”. Though the world can be dark, but you can still watch, understand, and survive it.
