Big Featured Discussions | October 29, 2010 | 49 comments

What makes horror movies so scary?

Justs in time for Halloween, Live Science reported on a study that took a look at why some people love horror films -- and others hate them.

The researchers found that a love of horror may run deep; those who liked scary movies tended to be what were classified as high sensation seeking personalities, a trait that may be at least partially genetic. The scientists also suggested that those who like horror flicks may be better at reminding themselves the movie they're watching isn't actually real.

Are you a fan of horror films? What do you think makes for the scariest movie experience?

  1. groups:
    Entertainment,   Movies,   Film,   TV and Film,   5 more
  2. tags:
    Movies,  Cinema,  Horror,  horror movies,  3 more
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49 comments // What makes horror movies so scary?

  • Raffielo
  • nanonarcagent
  • floydyboy
    • +1
      floydyboy  

    • Cujo was scary as hell, but most of Stephen Kings movies were great. Saw all the movies when I was a kid, then read the books in my teens & got scared all over again. I'm 29 & I'm still scared of clowns!

    • 1 year ago
  • UtopianSky
    • +1
      UtopianSky  

    • The most frightening horror movies are the ones that could happen, not the fantasy/sci-fi ones.

      The movie that scared me the most as a kid was Cujo.

      That's because walking home from the theater, you know you are not going to be attacked by vampires, aliens, or monsters.
      Rabid St Bernard dogs, however- that could happen!

    • 1 year ago
  • sgwhites
    • +1
      sgwhites  
    • UtopianSky:

      Oh, man. Cujo terrified me--it was the first horror movie I saw, I think I was around 12. I was at a friend's for Halloween and we all went for a hayride after. We're all in the back of her dad's tractor, probably 6-8 girls, and all of a sudden her golden retriever comes flying out of the woods and jumps onto the cart/trailer/whatever with us.

      There aren't words to explain how loud the screaming was.

    • 1 year ago
  • s_peak
    • 0
      s_peak  

    • The only movie that ever scared me was Alien. I love that movie and it's sequel. I saw em both first when I was a kid... and all of these newfangled horror movies are crap. There's no subtlety or passion in them anymore.

      Alien, first and foremost, had an awesomely designed, well-thought-out creature. Spawned from the sick (and awesome) talent of H.R. Giger. I think the whole idea of the creature, it's style and execution with the face hugger... brilliant.

    • 1 year ago
  • H2O_4U
  • Confucius
    • +3
      Confucius  

    • im gonna post in every BFD that currents best show infomania is being systematically destroyed: studio audience w/ laugh track, no full eps online, canceled rotten tomatoes... wtf current

    • 1 year ago
  • NorwegianHammer
    • 0
      NorwegianHammer  
    • Confucius:

      Yes, but now you can watch so many other horrible programs! You can choose to watch shitty trucks driven on shitty roads, two amateur motorcyclists drive around the world, or some kid going around the world cooking in "dangerous places"! Oh and lets not forget that glorious show about people hiking up a mountain or the cops rip off show. LOL current=travel channel gone to shit. Worst programming i have ever seen.

    • 1 year ago
  • Sadiebaby
    • +1
      Sadiebaby  

    • Horror Films are really great because they make the filmmaker come up with unusual ways to present their films and really makes the film maker use their imagination while giving a thrill to the viewer. This is a really good thing.

    • 1 year ago
  • Dmerza1989
  • remanns
  • remanns
    • +1
      remanns  

    • REALLY SCARY movies carry a theme of a DEEP,PERVASIVE, UNIVERSAL - "EVIL", "MADNESS", and "WRONGNESS",.... that really can not ultimately be escaped or avoided. "NO HOPE" and "CHAOS" are what make for quality horror tales; Lovecraftian themes.

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
    • 0
      remanns  

    • Anticipation,...................................................AND . . . . "SURPRISE" !!!

      ( are what make a scary movie )

    • 1 year ago
  • SamuraiDave
    • 0
      SamuraiDave  

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2EBuaPXTJA

      Then there is the remake of "The Haunting" that was just one long CGI bore-fest. In the original I mentioned how there was subtleness of the statues possibly moving. Here thru the lame magic of CGI they practically breakdance. One of the characters actually beats back a living stone statue by hitting it with a metal vase - uh, how does a stone statue come to life feel pain? (why am I even bothering to ask?) And the main bad spirit had the means to his own destruction built into his house? WTF? Again why I do even bother?

    • 1 year ago
  • Deadtheist
  • SamuraiDave
    • 0
      SamuraiDave  
    • Deadtheist:

      Owen Wilson isn't that bad. I liked him in Bottle Rocket and a few other films. In this case he has little to do with why this movie sucked. Blaming the actors lets the directors. writers, and producers off the hook who deserved to be skewered more so than the actors most of the time in these cases.

    • 1 year ago
  • Deadtheist
    • 0
      Deadtheist  
    • SamuraiDave:

      I don't care for him as an actor. The only film I ever enjoyed that featured him was Zoolander, but of course I'm a sucker for stupid comedies of that caliber. Still, the movie you featured looks terribly boring.

    • 1 year ago
  • SamuraiDave
    • +1
      SamuraiDave  

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq74oz6mf3w

      The original "The Haunting" is a good scary movie that uses light and shadow and angles to make a spooky atmosphere. Some shots of the house inside and out are frightening. The house does appear to be looking at you at certain angles. One the characters screams that the statues move and the way the camera angle and lighting shows them from one scene to the next there is that feeling that they did move ever so slightly. The film's scares could be subtle and full on but equally effective.

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
  • SamuraiDave
    • 0
      SamuraiDave  

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvdnygirn6w

      Don't watch this then if scary movies scare you.

      No but seriously what I mock in that vid is those stupid jump scares found in too many so-called horror movies. They're a cheap device. Guess it still works on jumpy teens but I like something that makes you genuinely scared by using your imagination.

      What I liked about Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity was that they worked on your imagination and both had that element of realism as opposed to over-the-top CGI that is completely divorced from reality.

    • 1 year ago
  • coxian_armada
    • +2
      coxian_armada  

    • Nowadays horror movies don't scare, they just surprise you. That is lame. Some don't even have the surprise factor....damn I want to watch "the Exorcist" again.

    • 1 year ago
  • artemis6
    • 0
      artemis6  

    • I got enough scary , blood and horror in life , that watching a movie of it , is out of the question . I have a better question , have those that enjoy such movies ever experienced horrific things , or have they had a pretty good life , so far ? For instance would a guy that had racked up lots of hours in bloody combat WANT to watch a war flick ?

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
    • 0
      remanns  
    • artemis6:

      Phobics don't like to watch movies focused on their phobias either !
      ( go figure )

      p.s I also have a friend who simply CAN NOT WATCH "psychological" thrillers, they just get tooo deeply under his skin !

    • 1 year ago
  • King_Luie
    • 0
      King_Luie  

    • Ok, I didn't see Paranormal Activity 2 yet, but I was wondering, looking at the still picture of the movie about 12 comments below this (clarity_kat), why is there a baby in the crib in the closet mirror but NO baby in in the crib in the actual room? Is this part of the movie or a mess up? If it is explained in the movie, DON'T tell me why, just confirm that it is in the movie. If not how could they leave a mess up like that?

    • 1 year ago
  • clarity_kat
    • 0
      clarity_kat  
    • King_Luie:

      hehe. In the words of Don't Say a Word "I'll never tell. I'll never tell... Any of you." LOL
      But you know the deal with PA going in to it. Lots of odd things here and there that you're never sure are real or just your imagination.
      I swear, that is why that movie series is so creepy. It plays off the little things that happen everyday that we just chalk up to wind, pipes, bad memory, etc. They do such a good job on taking those one offs that we brush off and making them a part of the larger scare factor.
      Forever people will wonder if that really was the old pipes, the weathered floorboards, or just a gust of wind. **creepy*

    • 1 year ago
  • pjacobs51
    • 0
      pjacobs51  

    • The movies that are really scary are the ones with REAL horror.

      The Age of Stupid, The Cove, Food Inc, and many others, now those are scary!

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
  • themotivateddropout
    • +3
      themotivateddropout  
    • Image

    • I had always been interested in the idea of horror films as a kid, although trying to watch one always proved difficult. I read loads of ghost stories and scary story books by Alvin Schwartz and the like, but I could only watch horror films as a child if one of my parents was watching it also. Although, I would still have to leave the room from time to time.

      What got me over my fear was realizing that when the scene I was watching was over, when they first filmed it, that the director yelled cut, the actor went back to normal (unless it's Depp or Day-Lewis), and the crew applauded. It helped me understand what a performance was (The specific film that did this was Silence of the Lambs).
      I guess you could say I have a high sensation seeking personality for enjoying to be scared, though I don't like roller coasters, but I have the same affection for horror as I do for any other genre, provided the film evokes at least one powerful emotional response out of me. Even anger, as long as it's intentional.

      I don't think the horror genre is being utilized either. Well, in America anyways, over in Europe and Asia they had some great films released that not only scared you, but drove home powerful points, featured amazing performances, and are directed by men and women who apparently eat, drink, and breathe nothing but suspense. And the cinematography usually kicks ass. Here in America... well, look at the picture above.
      There was a time when horror movies got nominated for Oscar's. Not often, but it's happened. I'd like to see that again.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
  • CCorsair
    • 0
      CCorsair  

    • primal fear ..finding the things we fear most and using them to scare as we seem to have all the same fears in one way or another..

    • 1 year ago
  • floydyboy
    • +1
      floydyboy  

    • "Horror" movies are usually just funny. A lot of the time they overdo the blood & gore. You gotta have suspense, or realism. Cujo, that could really happen.The Friday the 13th movies (the good ones) were scary because of the suspense. Where's Jason, when is he going to get 'em.

    • 1 year ago
  • EmperorThan
  • MizPiz
    • 0
      MizPiz  

    • The same reason sneaking up on someone and going "BLEAH!" scares people. This, however, doesn't really apply to the eight horror movies that are actually good.

    • 1 year ago
  • floydyboy
  • MizPiz
  • cheshiresleeves
    • 0
      cheshiresleeves  

    • I love all horror genres. Slashers, psychological thrillers, etc... But I think that keeping the element of the unseen is very important. When directors do that they have to really work on keeping the story alive. I'd rather have to use my brain to figure out the plot than watch gallons of blood flying around. But thats just me. To each their own.

    • 1 year ago
  • tverdell
    • tverdell  
    • This comment was removed by its owner.
  • clarity_kat
    • 0
      clarity_kat  
    • Image
    • tverdell:

      If you like minimal blood shed with max suspense, you're going to love paranormal activity 2. I went last week and outside the chick the row over screaming every two seconds it was fun.
      I think it's extra hair raising creepy because it isn't over the top. Who hasn't thought they closed the door to turn around and see it open. Or, been asleep in the middle of the night and heard a funny noise only to chalk it up to the wind or pipes. The fact that they took every day slightly creepy things and attributed them to this other world creature maxes the 'oogey boogie' vibes. Although I will say the creature does take it to the next level in this go round.

    • 1 year ago
  • ibrake4rappers13
  • JanforGore
  • NorwegianHammer
  • cheshiresleeves
  • kage23
    • +5
      kage23  

    • Personally, I prefer the psychological thrillers. Movies where you don't know what's real and what's not, movies where you don't know when (or even if) the baddie is going to jump out and attack. So-called "horror" movies that are just full of blood and guts, while potentially entertaining in their own right, are not scary. True horror movies go right to the heart of dread - fear of the unknown, fear of what's to come. True fear comes from within, not without.

    • 1 year ago
  • Mariased
    • +4
      Mariased  

    • I've found that I'm afraid not of horror movies, but of suspenseful music. Well placed sound can make a film absolutely terrifying.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
  • Armageddon_Now
  • CalgarC
sgwhites
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