# Horror Movies



## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

I don't understand the fascination with watching other people get mutilated. Can anyone shed some light on this? ...perhaps, those of you who do enjoy this particular genre. Most horror movies don't seem to be rich in plot or suspense, just sensless gore and violence. There must be somewhat of a demand for these films or they wouldn't be so successful in the entertainment industry. What does this say about our society? In Rome, bloodsports seemed to be quite appealing in their culture. I have to question the mentality of someone who enjoys watching others suffer, in reality or in fantasy. Violence is popular in video games, as well. When I was younger, I thought boys were supposed to like violence so I pretended to enjoy horror movies and war movies, but what is so entertaining about them? I wonder if people who enjoy watching violence would have a different perspective if someone they loved had been a victim of torture.


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## εmptε (Nov 20, 2008)

I love Horror movies, and what you seem to be talking about; Which is Gore or Slasher. I love those too.


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

I have no idea why anyone would enjoy watching depictions of suffering. I can't.


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## εmptε (Nov 20, 2008)

snail said:


> I have no idea why anyone would enjoy watching depictions of suffering. I can't.


I laughed when the guy laid down infront of the lawnmower in The Happening. What do you think of that?


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

I didn't watch that movie. Thanks for the warning about it.


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## εmptε (Nov 20, 2008)

snail said:


> I didn't watch that movie. Thanks for the warning about it.


Awww, That movie was awesome.


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## Surreal Breakfast (Oct 24, 2008)

I watch horror movies (mostly the older ones), the death and bloody scenes do gross me out quit a bit, but I still like like watching them. I saw The Shinning last night and it was freaky as Hell


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

LiamWolf said:


> I laughed when the guy laid down infront of the lawnmower in The Happening. What do you think of that?


I liked the concept behind a lot of M. Night Shyamalan's movies. But they don't seem to glorify violence.


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## NephilimAzrael (Oct 26, 2008)

Most horror movies don't even come close to realistic depictions of suffering, it is mostly dramatization of the idea of violence etc. I much prefer the less pretentious psychological horror/thriller films out there, e.g. Seven.


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## Ikari T (Nov 1, 2008)

I'd go for Korean or Japanese horror. They have better plots.


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

I generally don't pay any attention to horror movies with a focus on gore; very boring.

I often enjoy watching very bleak/violent war movies (and for similar reasons, the movie Elephant), and they are some of the only movies that affect me emotionally.
The fact is, in real life, things really are as bad as they portray them, or worse.
Life is a rich spectrum of events, and focusing only on the good things is a very bad way to go through it.
The bad stuff is just as important, for many reasons.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

NephilimAzrael said:


> Most horror movies don't even come close to realistic depictions of suffering, it is mostly dramatization of the idea of violence etc. I much prefer the less pretentious psychological horror/thriller films out there, e.g. Seven.


I did like Se7en. It had a good plot. As disturbing as it was in some parts, I don't recall it actually showing violence, like in the SAW movies.


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## NephilimAzrael (Oct 26, 2008)

Beloved said:


> I did like Se7en. It had a good plot. As disturbing as it was in some parts, I don't recall it actually showing violence, like in the SAW movies.


Ahem.. Read my post again, I stated I *prefer* psychological horror/thrillers and gave Seven as an example.

In relation to the OP:
*Morbid brutality reminds us that we are not all as aesthetically pleasing when our insides become our outsides..* - thats a quote from yours truly. Take it, spread it around, not too much though or you will go blind.


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## Inky (Dec 2, 2008)

I agree with BenW about the bad stuff being important.
It's almost like the Taoist(?) belief of Yin and Yang.

I rarely watch horror movies though. I can't stand most of the senseless gore, slimy creatures, blood-covered ghosts - you name it - which is usually found in the typical horror movie. They usually makes me feel sick. I'd rather watch light-hearted movies:happy:

Not saying that all horror movies are like that though - some are meaningful and aren't too gory (in my definition).


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> The fact is, in real life, things really are as bad as they portray them, or worse.
> Life is a rich spectrum of events, and focusing only on the good things is a very bad way to go through it.
> The bad stuff is just as important, for many reasons.


I agree, horrific violence does exist in real life. We hear about it everyday on the news. I don' think people should be oblivious to the reality of violence, I just don't understand it's focus in entertainment, not just in horror movies.


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

The aim of modern society is largely contrary to what deep human insticts were wired to do, so put simply, (I think) most people want a safe way to vicariously live them out; I don't see anything wrong with this.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> The aim of modern society is largely contrary to what deep human insticts were wired to do, so put simply, (I think) most people want a safe way to vicariously live them out; I don't see anything wrong with this.


So are you saying that humans are wired to kill each other? Many times people who act out horrific crimes entertain the fantasy of their crimes beforehand. When I was in the Marines, this guy was telling me about his homicidal fantasies. He was about 30 yrs old when he enlisted, college educated, above average intelligence than most of the others. He had never been to combat, but it was clear that he had a few mental issues and some of the other marines made fun of him for it. He was always in a daze staring off into space. I tried to befriend him and show him respect despite his apparent eccentricities; and he seemed to trust me. He was a pretty easy going, laid back individual. Seemed pretty peaceful for the most part; never showed much aggression.

And then we were eating lunch in this cafe at a naval hospital. He had a tendency to stare without ever blinking his eyes and it kind of creeped people out. These two women were sitting at a table near us and moved to a different table, one with her back facing towards us. He got so offended by this gesture and would not shut up about it. First of all, the cafe was really small. One of the women had a baby with her and the carriage was taking up a lot of room in between the tables. There could have been a number of reasons why they decided to move, but he took it personally. Even if they were moving to get away from us...so what? Who cares? Let it go. Not this guy. He kept going on about how "disrespectful" and "rude" it was. I thought he was joking at first, and then it became apparent that he wasn't. He made a quiet remark about throwing her baby against the wall, and later told me that he wants to "punish" her for showing such disrespect. Literally, hours later he was still talking about it; and said that he sometimes fantasizes about killing women. He talked to a military psychologist, at one point. But they disregarded him because some marines were feigning mental issues to get an early discharge.

He said he did some research on serial killers and discovered that he has a lot of commonalities with them; and that he has tried to get professional help on several occasions, but nothing has helped him, and now he's at the point where he doesn't want to get help anymore. He just wants to live out his fantasies. I hardly think he was telling me these things because he wanted attention. Needless to say, he allowed himself to fantasize about killing people. When the line between fantasy and reality gets blurred, what's to stop him from acting it out?


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

Beloved said:


> So are you saying that humans are wired to kill each other?


Yes.
Destrudo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Death drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Id, ego, and super-ego - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




Beloved said:


> Many times people who act out horrific crimes entertain the fantasy of their crimes beforehand. When I was in the Marines, this guy was telling me about his homicidal fantasies. He was about 30 yrs old when he enlisted, college educated, above average intelligence than most of the others. He had never been to combat, but it was clear that he had a few mental issues and some of the other marines made fun of him for it. He was always in a daze staring off into space. I tried to befriend him and show him respect despite his apparent eccentricities; and he seemed to trust me. He was a pretty easy going, laid back individual. Seemed pretty peaceful for the most part; never showed much aggression.
> 
> And then we were eating lunch in this cafe at a naval hospital. He had a tendency to stare without ever blinking his eyes and it kind of creeped people out. These two women were sitting at a table near us and moved to a different table, one with her back facing towards us. He got so offended by this gesture and would not shut up about it. First of all, the cafe was really small. One of the women had a baby with her and the carriage was taking up a lot of room in between the tables. There could have been a number of reasons why they decided to move, but he took it personally. Even if they were moving to get away from us...so what? Who cares? Let it go. Not this guy. He kept going on about how "disrespectful" and "rude" it was. I thought he was joking at first, and then it became apparent that he wasn't. He made a quiet remark about throwing her baby against the wall, and later told me that he wants to "punish" her for showing such disrespect. Literally, hours later he was still talking about it; and said that he sometimes fantasizes about killing women. He talked to a military psychologist, at one point. But they disregarded him because some marines were feigning mental issues to get an early discharge.
> 
> He said he did some research on serial killers and discovered that he has a lot of commonalities with them; and that he has tried to get professional help on several occasions, but nothing has helped him, and now he's at the point where he doesn't want to get help anymore. He just wants to live out his fantasies. I hardly think he was telling me these things because he wanted attention. Needless to say, he allowed himself to fantasize about killing people. When the line between fantasy and reality gets blurred, what's to stop him from acting it out?


I'm unsure what relation this has to violent media; if somebody is seriously influenced by a "violent" videogames/movie, I'm quite willing to believe that they have some form of preexisting condition. Sane individuals are able to discern fantasy from reality.

Furthermore, I highly doubt that if your friends problems are/were indeed legitimate, that he at all "allowed" himself to fantasize about whatever he did... Insanity is not a voluntary condition.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> Yes.
> Destrudo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Death drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> Id, ego, and super-ego - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> ...


True. I don't think Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were unable to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality, but they still seemed to have a fascination with violent video games and movies, I believe "Natural Born Killers" in particular. 

Have you ever seen footage of them prior to the Columbine Massacre. They seemed pretty sane for the most part. Here's a clip of Eric Harris in the cafeteria that they shot up. It's not the image I had of someone who's capable of slaughtering random, innocent kids.

YouTube - Eric with friends


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

I'm somewhat of a Columbine buff, myself.

Eric and Dylan, mainly the former, definitively showed signs of mental problems, though the most important ones were unearthed post-hoc.
Eric was obsessed with NBK and Doom because he already had quite a penchant for violence (just look up his journal entries).
Dylan was known to have liked Doom and NBK too, but he is much more of a mystery, and he was also clearly much more intelligent than Eric.
Overall though, for the most part Eric and Dylan _were_ just normal kids.
In fact, most school shooters are.
*That* is the frightening part.


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## Ikari T (Nov 1, 2008)

The way he's spinning the phone there. That's quite violent and dangerous. That's an abnormal behavior right there. How could you have fun spinning the phone like that? oh yeah, Eric looks quite abnormal. He looks like he's about to shoot somebody at any given moment. He's like super bored. He's not even enjoying his own group. He say's "bye" with a disinterested tone of voice. He walks like a killer. He's a potential killer alright. :dry:


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## Happy (Oct 10, 2008)

I am not really into gore movies but I'm more into curses and ghost like "The Ring" or "The Sixth Sense." I can't stand torture myself.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

Ikari T said:


> The way he's spinning the phone there. That's quite violent and dangerous. That's an abnormal behavior right there. How could you have fun spinning the phone like that? oh yeah, Eric looks quite abnormal. He looks like he's about to shoot somebody at any given moment. He's like super bored. He's not even enjoying his own group. He say's "bye" with a disinterested tone of voice. He walks like a killer. He's a potential killer alright. :dry:


Your post seems to have a sarcastic tone to it. That was the whole point: he seems pretty normal for the most part, but he is, in fact, a killer. So why the sarcasm? Unless I misinterpreted your reply.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> Eric was obsessed with NBK and Doom because he already had quite a penchant for violence (just look up his journal entries).
> Dylan was known to have liked Doom and NBK too, but he is much more of a mystery, and he was also clearly much more intelligent than Eric.
> Overall though, for the most part Eric and Dylan _were_ just normal kids.
> In fact, most school shooters are.
> *That* is the frightening part.


They were normal kids who *loved* violence and violent media. That brings me back to my original point. I have to question the mentality of _normal_ people who enjoy watching others suffer, in reality or in fantasy.


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## lunniey (Oct 19, 2008)

I don't like horror or gore movie either.. 
one of my friend once told to see SAW.. he said it was a great movie.. and I end up feeling queasy after I saw it >,<
although it's a creative movie indeed..


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

Beloved said:


> They were normal kids who *loved* violence and violent media. That brings me back to my original point. I have to question the mentality of _normal_ people who enjoy watching others suffer, in reality or in fantasy.


Hundreds of millions of kids *love* "violent" videogames and movies, and a very small percentage of them ever do anything violent.

Aside from providing a good example of typical straw man wording, your above insinuation of a connection between the two when logic and statistics very cleary indicate none exists is just stupid and snide...


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> Hundreds of millions of kids *love* "violent" videogames and movies, and a very small percentage of them ever do anything violent.
> 
> Aside from providing a good example of typical straw man wording, your above insinuation of a connection between the two when logic and statistics very cleary indicate the converse is just stupid and snide...


What exactly did I insinuate? That Eric and Dylan loved violent media? I don't think I insinuated anything. I questioned the mentality of _normal_ people who enjoy watching others suffer. If you inferred anything from my statement, that's not my fault.


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

Beloved said:


> What exactly was my insinuation? That Eric and Dylan loved violent media? I don't think I insinuated anything. I questioned the mentality of _normal_ people who enjoy watching others suffer. If you inferred anything from my statement, that's not my fault.


I felt that your post attempted to imply that anyone who enjoys "violent" media (I continue to put this in quotes for a specific reason) clearly does because they "enjoy watching others suffer".
If this wasn't what you meant to imply, my apologies.
Somehow, I have a feeling that it was.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> I felt that your post attempted to imply that anyone who enjoys "violent" media (I continue to put this in quotes for a specific reason) clearly does because they "enjoy watching others suffer".
> If this wasn't what you meant to imply, my apologies.
> Somehow, I have a feeling that it was.


Let's use SAW for an example. I think I've only seen the first one, so I can't comment on the rest. From what I remember, the movie was about victims being mutilated in grotesque ways. Wouldn't it stand to reason that people who enjoy these movies enjoy watching victims getting mutilated in grotesque ways?


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

It would certainly seem so to me, although I am not one of those people. I avoid those kinds of movies because I don't even like to imagine people being harmed.


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## BenW (Nov 10, 2008)

Beloved said:


> Let's use SAW for an example. I think I've only seen the first one, so I can't comment on the rest. From what I remember, the movie was about victims being mutilated in grotesque ways. Wouldn't it stand to reason that people who enjoy these movies enjoy watching victims getting mutilated in grotesque ways?


I'm pretty certain the entire concept of horror movies is to evoke feelings of shock, horror and empathy for the victims...
So, no.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

BenW said:


> I'm pretty certain the entire concept of horror movies is to evoke feelings of shock, horror and empathy for the victims...
> So, no.


I feel empathy for the victims, which is why I don't watch horror movies. I was laying in my rack one day and a bunch of marines were watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I didn't even watch it, but I could hear the movie and their resonse to it, and "empathy" was not evoked. I heard more laughs than anything else. So if the intention of the director/producers was to evoke feelings of empathy, they certainly failed.


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

Yes, I have noticed that some people respond to movie violence as if it were humorous, and I don't quite get it.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

snail said:


> Yes, I have noticed that some people respond to movie violence as if it were humorous, and I don't quite get it.


I don't either. I was trying to figure out if they actually thought it was funny, or if they were just responding to it that way because they were *Marines* and only unmasculine, weak-minded people would show disgust or empathy. I wonder how their individual responses would have been different had they watched it by themselves instead of in a large group.


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## Morpheus83 (Oct 17, 2008)

During adolescence, I thought slasher films were refreshingly 'liberating'. They were a means to externalize my angst and frustration without having to confront the source of my pain.

I believe that the appeal of gory slasher films/torture porn is partly derived from the violation of social taboos. Perhaps a number of people feel that certain cultural mores are somewhat repressive, and that by watching extremely gory films, one is able to enjoy a vicarious sense of individual 'freedom'.

These days, I often prefer psychological horror films. While gore may or may not feature in these films, the violence isn't an end in itself used to elicit cheap thrills. Horror films can be an effective medium to explore a person's battle against repressed neuroses in societies reinforcing a certain degree of social and psychic conformity.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

andywg said:


> I believe that the appeal of gory slasher films/torture porn is partly derived from the violation of social taboos. Perhaps a number of people feel that certain cultural mores are somewhat repressive, and that by watching extremely gory films, one is able to enjoy a vicarious sense of individual 'freedom'.


But aren't certain social taboos and cultural mores repressive for a reason, and thereby justified? Because they're evil in nature. I'm not talking about sex or anything that is consensual. If somebody receives pleasure from giving/receiving pain and it's exclusive to their consensual party, so be it. But who would argue that murder is wrong, and torturing victims? I don't see anything liberating about that.


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## Morpheus83 (Oct 17, 2008)

Beloved said:


> But aren't certain social taboos and cultural mores repressive for a reason, and thereby justified? Because they're evil in nature. I'm not talking about sex or anything that is consensual. If somebody receives pleasure from giving/receiving pain and it's exclusive to their consensual party, so be it. But who would argue that murder is wrong, and torturing victims? I don't see anything liberating about that.


Perhaps some people feel constrained by the external imposition of any rule or standard; they simply don't like to be told what to do as well as how to feel or think, no matter how well-argued a case may be. Maybe by watching extremely gory horror films, some people are simply saying "Up yours!" to who they perceive as self-righteous moral watchdogs seeking to 'control' other people's lives. People who enjoy horror films may not necessarily condone or enjoy violent acts in 'real' life, but if they choose not to perform morally reprehensible actions, they'd choose not to do so on their own terms rather than according to any enforced standard.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

andywg said:


> Perhaps some people feel constrained by the external imposition of any rule or standard; they simply don't like to be told what to do as well as how to feel or think, no matter how well-argued a case may be. Maybe by watching extremely gory horror films, some people are simply saying "Up yours!" to who they perceive as self-righteous moral watchdogs seeking to 'control' other people's lives. People who enjoy horror films may not necessarily condone or enjoy violent acts in 'real' life, but if they choose not to perform morally reprehensible actions, they'd choose not to do so on their own terms rather than according to any enforced standard.



Who doesn't feel constrained by external imposition of rules and standards? That's what rules are for. If someone watches horror movies as a means of defiance against "self-righteous moral watchdogs", whoever that might be...the police? I think that's a bad reason to watch them. For one, horror movies are socially acceptable. Many people like to watch them. The people you are referring to sound like anarchists to me. Society needs laws and regulations to protect it's citizens. Do you believe the people you are describing are opposed to laws that prohibit murder, since _"if they choose not to perfom morally reprehensible actions, they'd choose not to do so on their own terms rather than according to any enforced standard." ?_


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## Morpheus83 (Oct 17, 2008)

Beloved said:


> Who doesn't feel constrained by external imposition of rules and standards? That's what rules are for. If someone watches horror movies as a means of defiance against "self-righteous moral watchdogs", whoever that might be...the police? I think that's a bad reason to watch them. For one, horror movies are socially acceptable. Many people like to watch them. The people you are referring to sound like anarchists to me. Society needs laws and regulations to protect it's citizens. Do you believe the people you are describing are opposed to laws that prohibit murder, since _"if they choose not to perfom morally reprehensible actions, they'd choose not to do so on their own terms rather than according to any enforced standard." ?_


Some people may not feel constrained by laws or regulations if they perfectly align with personal values and ideals. On the other hand, other people possess their own individualistic value systems and simply dislike any kind of social imposition, whether or not some laws align with personal values. I don't disagree with the need for law and structure, though, but I do disagree with government-sanctioned censorship. 

While I doubt that merely watching extremely gory horror films is a subversive or transgressive act in itself, the morality portrayed in such films often disgusts people who have delicate or conservative sensibilities. I believe that "self-righteous moral watchdogs" are mainly pro-censorship and conservative groups who don't believe that individuals as well as families can take responsibility for their own viewing choices. This is why I believe that some people regard the viewing of horror films to be an act of defiance against certain 'repressive' social norms, mores and sensibilities. Not everybody wants to be told by authorities what they should believe or what they're allowed to watch/read in their own personal time. Some people want to form their own conclusions in any democratic society which encourages free-thinking. By watching graphic horror films, some people probably believe that they're telling conservative social groups and authorities to "Get lost!"


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

andywg said:


> Some people may not feel constrained by laws or regulations if they perfectly align with personal values and ideals. On the other hand, other people possess their own individualistic value systems and simply dislike any kind of social imposition, whether or not some laws align with personal values. I don't disagree with the need for law and structure, though, but I do disagree with government-sanctioned censorship.
> 
> While I doubt that merely watching extremely gory horror films is a subversive or transgressive act in itself, the morality portrayed in such films often disgusts people who have delicate or conservative sensibilities. I believe that "self-righteous moral watchdogs" are mainly pro-censorship and conservative groups who don't believe that individuals as well as families can take responsibility for their own viewing choices. This is why I believe that some people regard the viewing of horror films to be an act of defiance against certain 'repressive' social norms, mores and sensibilities. Not everybody wants to be told by authorities what they should believe or what they're allowed to watch/read in their own personal time. Some people want to form their own conclusions in any democratic society which encourages free-thinking. By watching graphic horror films, some people probably believe that they're telling conservative social groups and authorities to "Get lost!"


Perhaps some people watch horror movies to make some kind of statement, but I think most people do it for their own enjoyment. I understand why Hollywood is making horror movies. MONEY! There's a demand for it and people want to watch violence.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

*Understanding the Popular Appeal of Horror Cinema: An Integrated-Interactive Model*

http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/sfischo/horrormoviesRev2.htm

This subject continues to pique my interest. My friend's 13 year old sister seems entertained by gory stories. She was describing this book to me that she's reading and told me how cool it was that the characters were being mutilated. I tried to get a rational explanation out of her as to why she enjoyed it, but all she told me was "because it's cool."


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## untitled (Aug 12, 2009)

I was allowed to watch horror movies from a very young age (my mother used to bring me to her film classes and figured I knew how movies were made and that they weren't real). The slasher movies of my childhood were just plain silly - Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. - and not based in reality at all, so I didn't find them particularly scary and it was hard to identify with any of the one dimensional characters and feel empathy for them. I did enjoy the more psychological and supernatural ones though - Omen, Shining, Rosemary's Baby, etc. I love a good ghost story. I think people tend to substitute themselves for the characters to experience fear in a safe way - like roller coasters. I'm not sure why this is fun, but it is sometimes. I love movies like the Ring and the Sixth Sense - Dark and Creepy, but not violent. 

That said, I can't do the modern slasher/torture films. I have no desire to see any of the Saw movies. Even the previews bother me. I can't stand graphic and realistic violence regardless of genre. I've seen a few war movies that had wonderful plots and acting but bothered me for days. I know I wouldn't be able to watch American History X from descriptions I've heard. My husband recently saw a prison movie where the main character's back story involved something horrific happening to his wife and child. It was just the back story and I didn't even see the movie, but I cried and cried when my husband was telling me about it. I can't stand violence against children and animals. Often, violence in non horror movies is worse because it is much more realistic.

I think INFP's (and maybe other NF's?) feel empathy different than others. I often feel physical pain when I see someone else suffer pain. I don't think everyone experiences this so it makes sense to me that not everyone would be as bothered by depictions of violence. 


This is a very good topic though. I never gave much thought to the appeal of these movies. It's interesting.


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## yara (Jul 28, 2009)

I'm not really a fan of horror movies,but I loved "The Ring".and I agree with Untitled about "the Saw movies",it's a* SICK* movie .I don't know why people love it so much.


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## ralph22v93 (Oct 22, 2008)

try Amytiville,,


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## SuicidalMarshmallow (Aug 15, 2009)

Shadow said:


> I don't understand the fascination with watching other people get mutilated. Can anyone shed some light on this? ...perhaps, those of you who do enjoy this particular genre. Most horror movies don't seem to be rich in plot or suspense, just sensless gore and violence. There must be somewhat of a demand for these films or they wouldn't be so successful in the entertainment industry. What does this say about our society? In Rome, bloodsports seemed to be quite appealing in their culture. I have to question the mentality of someone who enjoys watching others suffer, in reality or in fantasy. Violence is popular in video games, as well. When I was younger, I thought boys were supposed to like violence so I pretended to enjoy horror movies and war movies, but what is so entertaining about them? I wonder if people who enjoy watching violence would have a different perspective if someone they loved had been a victim of torture.


Horror movies....I kept so creeped out/scared. I seriously can't handle them. The Ring was the first one I saw-- in middle school. Not god. Perhaps it was because I had never been allowed to before and now I go tthe chance and it came as a shock?
War movies....I love them o.o I don't know why. Maybe the adventure appeal to them? Maybe it just lost the "creepy" factor and just the "blood and gore" factor? In real life, do not enjoy watching anyone in pain-- physical or mental. I can't even handle watching someone getting injected. But somehow I can handle some of the goriest war movies and actually cheer some of the scenes on. 
I do, however, enjoy a good plot. And I only like the best of crime/mystery novels. Usually not my type. There could be a few exceptions.


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## TreeBob (Oct 11, 2008)

This is a rejected series pilot that came out a few years back. Check it out. 

Babylon Fields - Pilot


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## SuicidalMarshmallow (Aug 15, 2009)

Shadow said:


> This subject continues to pique my interest. My friend's 13 year old sister seems entertained by gory stories. She was describing this book to me that she's reading and told me how cool it was that the characters were being mutilated. I tried to get a rational explanation out of her as to why she enjoyed it, but all she told me was "because it's cool."


 It _could_ be something social. Like people don't want to be called sissies for not being able to handle stuff like that. Personally, I don't rally care what people say about me not watching horror movies-- I won't watch them. I can barely even listen to them. I get so creeped out xD
Also, the human mind accustoms itself to a lot of stuff. Sometimes when you grow up watchign stuff like that or experiencing it, it won't affect you any more.


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## imru2 (Jun 20, 2009)

I enjoy horror films, but I don't like gore or slasher movies. If it's realistic, I cringe and cry and sometimes actually feel the pain and fear as the characters on the screen. I especially hate when gore/slasher films feel the need to kill off innocent pets for shock value. 

That being said, I like scary horror movies if they are more in the direction of fear and suspense. I think the reason lies in the same realm as people who enjoy terrifying rides. They are scary, there is a thrill, but there is no real sense of danger. Well, at least as far as the movie is concerned... ^_^;; 

I often end up watching movies that are slasher/gore much to my dismay (I always hope it will be a better movie with a plot and real scariness, but most of them that are recent are crap) and don't like them and equate them to trash. But, I also know that I've seen so many violent things on tv that unless something is realistic or I have invested time into the characters, I end up laughing and finding the movie stupid. 

In real life, I can't handle any kind of pain or torture to people, animals, plants... But somehow, in tvland, it doesn't bother me as much unless it's vivid and realistic.


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## angularvelocity (Jun 15, 2009)

yara said:


> I'm not really a fan of horror movies,but I loved "The Ring".and I agree with Untitled about "the Saw movies",it's a* SICK* movie .I don't know why people love it so much.


SERIOUSLY!!! WTH!!! Saw is so gross. If anything, it probably gives people ideas of what to do.


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## SuicidalMarshmallow (Aug 15, 2009)

avalanche183 said:


> SERIOUSLY!!! WTH!!! Saw is so gross. If anything, it probably gives people ideas of what to do.


I wouldn't be able to handle Saw :/ My friend called me on the phone while she was watching it...I felt so bad, but my parents were screaming at me to get off of the phone for bed time...that was like 7th grade....Poor friend of mine! D:


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

I did an essay on the horror genre for my film studies. The reason why people watch them is because they are mostly thrill seekers. You don't have a monster day to day following you back from work/school and having to protect yourself against them/it. It gives you an escape to your boring day, where maybe you wish you had some sort of danger to keep your life exciting.

I enjoy horror movies because I don't even find them scary anymore, and I am looking for something to actually make me jump out of my skin. They are all quite laughable and predictable.


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## Selene (Aug 2, 2009)

Horror movies are somewhat disturbing, but I feel that many of them have a deeper message to them. As far as I'm concerned, they are works of art which use violence and psychological horror to shape the emotions of the viewer and prove a point. I feel that it's like Dante's Inferno, a Francis Bacon painting, or music by Nirvana/Joy Division/The Doors--it sucks you into another person's hell, and forces you to recognize and empathize with it.

Just to give some examples...Audition is a beautiful film because of the way it puts you into the perspective of the character, and thrusts you into this really dark, nihilistic world. I love David Lynch movies for the same reason--it's like listening to Stravinsky or Ives...they force you to come to grips with a hostile, unsettling reality which violates all your expectations. A lot of horror movies contain moral conflicts...like A Clockwork Orange and The Last House on the Left. A Nightmare on Elm Street is an allegory for confronting your unconscious, owning up to your suffering, and struggling through it until you reach acceptance. Stephen King's It is all about confronting painful truths, not denying harsh realities, and love as a way of coping with this terrifying experience. Jacob's Ladder, probably my favorite movie of all time, uses themes/images of hell to convey the same message...demons are actually angels, and suffering is the path to salvation if we have the right perspective. It also focuses on the agony of seeing your world fall apart around you and the experience of having your reality being completely destroyed.

Some horror movies can be deeply moving and spiritual. Just...seeing another character suffer and struggle, and seeing it expressed so eloquently, makes me feel that I am not alone in the universal human experience. I haven't seen this movie and I'm not Christian, but I feel that a movie like Passion of the Christ is no different than a sermon on the Passion where one comes to grips with the suffering of the Messiah. "Wow, our Lord suffered all of this...and yet he still maintained his faith, goodness, and love. He suffered and sacrificed all of that! What kind of state of mind was he in? Incredible..." The same could be said about the elaborate, grotesque descriptions of the hell realms in Buddhist cosmology. The Jakata Tales has stories which are basically nothing but descriptions of people being tortured. Some religious practices for heightening compassion (ex: tong-len) depend on visualizing yourself taking on other people's suffering and opening up to that experience.

I find that the best horror movies function as social commentary, put me in touch with parts of myself I refuse to accept, and heighten my empathy and sensitivity and actually make me feel more human after I've watched them. But that being said...I think that most of the horror movies that come out today are complete garbage. :tongue:

*On a side-note, unrealistic horror movies are really funny and comedic. When the characters are just plain stupid and go out of their way to put themselves into harm's way, it can be downright hilarious. Jurassic Park is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, for this very reason. There's this really amusing poetic justice when one guy is picking on the dinosaur baby and then the mama comes in and it's totally like, "Hah, yeah...you better run, bitch." [chomp] "pwned..." :laughing:

When the villain is the only intelligent, well-developed character in the whole film, you start rooting for them...and most of the time you'll be pretty satisfied with the result. Because horror directors seem to love to make bad characters just for the sake of killing them.  But if it's real, I tend to empathize with the victims.


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## m a white (Aug 16, 2009)

*horror movies*



Shadow said:


> I don't understand the fascination with watching other people get mutilated. Can anyone shed some light on this? ...perhaps, those of you who do enjoy this particular genre. Most horror movies don't seem to be rich in plot or suspense, just sensless gore and violence. There must be somewhat of a demand for these films or they wouldn't be so successful in the entertainment industry. What does this say about our society? In Rome, bloodsports seemed to be quite appealing in their culture. I have to question the mentality of someone who enjoys watching others suffer, in reality or in fantasy. Violence is popular in video games, as well. When I was younger, I thought boys were supposed to like violence so I pretended to enjoy horror movies and war movies, but what is so entertaining about them? I wonder if people who enjoy watching violence would have a different perspective if someone they loved had been a victim of torture.


there is more than one type of horror movie. i do watch some "slasher movies", but to me really good horror lies inside of graveyards and haunted houses. it doesn't need the gore to be horrifying...something creeping just beyond your steps but out of reach...something beseeching yet breathing without breath.


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## Spooky (Oct 30, 2008)

m a white said:


> there is more than one type of horror movie. i do watch some "slasher movies", but to me really good horror lies inside of graveyards and haunted houses. it doesn't need the gore to be horrifying...something creeping just beyond your steps but out of reach...something beseeching yet breathing without breath.


I agree. I like spooky, eerie, suspenseful, mysterious movies. Psychological thrillers are great. I just don't like watching people get torn apart and mutilated.


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## Tulipgarden (Apr 5, 2012)

I don't like scary but sometimes I watch scary movies anyway but I can't handle watching other people suffer. I never could get through the Saw movies.


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