Not everyone loves or appreciates horror. But for those who have the stomach for the genre, it has a purpose that it serves.
We may think horror is limited to cheap scares and disturbing or gory elements. The truth is horror can be much more than that.
It can have romance, action, thrills, suspense, fantasy, and science fiction. There is so much the genre can do.
While some think it is a lesser art, those who love it disagree. But what is that makes horror important?
Why do we love horror?
Who doesn’t love being scared out of their seat? Well, maybe not those with faint hearts.
But horror has become a pop culture genre. Movies like Halloween, Scream, and The Ring still frighten new viewers.
Part of the fun in horror is escapism. Much of horror has taken real men who have done horrible acts and turned them into monsters.
For the moment, we can forget the real sadists and believe in monsters. But why are creatures of the dark so appealing?
Horror provides us with social commentary:
Horror often falls victim to much criticism. In recent decades, it has become more exploitative and reduced to B or Z status.
The 70s and 80s were notorious for bringing out video nasties. But what about those that made it into pop culture?
The 50s provided moviegoers with monsters based on Cold War or nuclear fears and the idea of chemicals creating giant insects.
The 70s brought us movies with real murderers. Horror introduced us to icons like Leatherface and Micheal Myers. In the 80s, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger.
As time went on, horror matured and became more hip. But it is more than just social commentary.
Challenges us to face our fears:
Watching and reading a lot of horror, I have become more aware. Maybe some would say I’ve become desensitized.
Horror tells us evil is out there. The genre shows us that evil can be defeated even if the odds are against us.
More modern horror faces psychological fears. It turns our mental states into a monster.
Having grown up Catholic, I can say there are demons in the mental process. Our life, in some ways, is a horror film.
The movies and stories provide us with the help to face them. Maybe they aren’t all accurate, but still.
Gives a unique take on real horrors:
Yes, I said this before. Horror takes real men and disguises them as monsters. Vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies all come from factual ideas.
Viewers can’t stomach the real thing. Even the most hardened and desensitized of us couldn’t handle it.
Funny Games is as realistic as horror gets. But the movie is not fun to watch, and its atmosphere is too dark.
Yes, horror can take these real monsters and help us escape our fears. It’s like comedy when it takes stupid things people do.
Then, of course, we laugh at them. All to escape the anger we feel. So, in some ways, horror is a therapeutic genre.
Like all genres, we need it. It is one of the more innovative genres, like science fiction.
Do you think we need horror? If so, why? I’d love to know your thoughts!