Is it just me, or do you feel like horror movies are always undervalued as well? Have you never wondered how can films fire your adrenal glands, send shivers down your spine, raise goosebumps, and quicken your breath; inspiring not only an intense physical reaction but also cerebral experiences?
Maybe the aversion some viewers may have to the horror genre is a fear of losing control- having to shy away in fright, embarrassing themselves. A lot of people simply don’t want to lose control, no matter what. The irony is, that horror, is a genre in which each filmmaker has to assert his or her utmost control over the material, and has to perfectly calibrate the storytelling so that we as the audience can lose it. The trick is – extreme control of the screenplay so that the audience can lose control.
What makes the 120 minutes of nail-biting anxiety combined with blood and gore inviting to some people? The answer lies in the brains of horror enthusiasts. Yes, studies have shown that people who enjoy scary movies are more sensitive to dopamine, or the reward hormone. It is the exact reason why some people engage in activities like skydiving and bungee jumping. Experiencing adrenaline-spiking scenarios without actual threat is a fix that many people enjoy, making horror movies so popular.