With it being Halloween, scary movies are back on the rise. The Shining, The Exorcist, Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street – there are so many movies people consider to be Halloween classics. Some people love them, and some people hate them. It seems everyone I know gets so excited for spooky season. Scares and gore are deeply integrated in Halloween. Personally, I hate everything scary. I’ve always wondered how people can have such different opinions on the same thing.
As aforementioned, I hate scary movies. I’ve seen a good handful, but I haven’t enjoyed any. The first one I watched was Coraline. While it may not be considered a scary movie, it was to me. I saw it when I was maybe 13 years old, and it gave me nightmares for weeks. I couldn’t look at buttons for a while. I saw It not too long after, and that was definitely an experience. There were some parts I could make fun of, but the jumpscares got me. Jumpscares are terrible no matter what movie. I’ve never liked clowns, but you couldn’t catch me in a 50-yard radius of one after that. My friends and I at home watched Truth or Dare together, and I made my friend drive me home and walk me through my entire house to make sure the coast was clear. Then, there was Scream 7 not too long ago. I made all my friends huddle around me in a circle for the entire walk back. Clearly, they aren’t for me.
But how are some people so obsessed with horror? There isn’t one solid answer, but there are a few theories. One of the earliest psychological theories to explain enjoyment of horror movies is Dolf Zillmann’s excitation transfer theory. His theory proposes that the enjoyment is created by the negativity in the film followed by a positive effect when the threat is resolved (Vinney). Horror movies often present a problem that reigns terror on the characters. Enjoyment can be found through this issue being resolved. Other studies theorize that the enjoyment of horror movies comes from morbid curiosity. One piece of research found that people with more morbid curiosity are more likely to watch horror films and enjoy them (Vinney). Some people enjoy the adrenaline horror movies generate. Some people are also just more curious about the subjects horror movies tend to explore.
Everyone is different, and everyone likes different things. I don’t like fear, and I don’t think anything about it is fun. Some people like the controlled fear in horror movies. They like the adrenaline that comes from it. When I want to relax, I like watching things that let me turn my brain off. I want to watch something that I don’t have to think about. Rom-coms and comedies are my jam. Horror movies, not so much, and that’s okay.
References
Vinney, Cynthia. Why Do People Like Horror Movies?, 12 Oct. 2026, www.verywellmind.com/why-do-people-like-horror-movies-5224447.