To ask why people enjoy watching horrors?

[KindOfAnAdult]

OK, this isn't a judging /criticising question, but reading a thread just now has got me thinking.

I'm such a scaredy cat and I don't want to be. Things irl make me scared easily, especially noises (bangs, fireworks, cars backfiring etc) but I thought maybe watching some scary films could desensitise me to the 'jump' factor.

Tried one and could not cope haha. Id love to enjoy the thrill of the fear rather than feel like I'm going to die from the fright of it!

So, how does one /enjoy/ scary films? Or is it just built in and I'm destined to be forever a wimp.

I have no idea why I love them, I just do! My DH hates them, so I have to wait until I'm alone to watch them.

Irl I totally freak at anything remotely scary.
Loud noises, unknown situations.
However I love horror for the pure escapism of ghost stories and the supernatural. Makes me feel all cosy at home somehow.

I have never watched an 18. Most 15’s scare me.

I don’t get the thrill. At all

I enjoy the thrill I suppose. It's an adrenaline rush of sorts. Luckily my dh also loves horror films.

It’s cathartic. People like to experience strong emotions in safety. See also: roller coasters.

I love horror films, but hate 'cheap' jump scares. I don't know why I like them - maybe almost an element of schadenfreude, as in, glad it's not happening to me? BUT that can't be quite right, otherwise I would enjoy tragedies and slasher films as well, and I don't necessarily.

Maybe I'm just thick as mince, and horror films are one genre that I can reliably follow

I can't handle horror films! They either make me jump out of my skin or are disturbing.
The anticipation of the jump is almost the worst bit! 😂

I usde to love them when I lived with my parents. Not the gory ones where horrific things happen, just scary.
Now I'm the adult of the house and sometimes dp has to work away overnight. I'm also pretty sure our house is haunted so I don't watch them anymore.
I'm not scared of anything accept ghosts 😂

As Spied said, cosiness is definitely a factor. Also I find there's something almost celebratory about a decent horror.

Which one did you watch, OP?

I like the adrenaline of feeling scared but being in a safe place.
That said, most of the horror movies I’ve ever watched I don’t find scary 😕

I don't think there are many truly scary films out there... For me anyway. Some of the films on that thread had me . But then felt jealous that I can't feel that fear

Blood, guts, ripping off heads... All good. Scary they ain't. Australian horrors are the best as they've broken the taboo of using children (not in a blood and guts kind of way) it gets right into your head worrying about these kids/babies.

I'd agree about the need for escapism. Sometimes I watch really sad stuff which I know will make me cry, because I "enjoy" the emotional release. Having said that, I'm not so fond of horror myself, if only because it's sometimes predictable and boring. I gave up on Scream after half an hour.

I love scary/creepy films because they're amusing. I've never been actually scared because they're FAKE. It's just for fun. I appreciate how the filmmakers use music and lighting to create atmosphere, anticipation, etc. I'll be honest, I've never understood how an adult can't get to grips that the movies are just fiction. It's all pretend.

To add, I find the blood and guts movies largely unwatchable. They are just absurd.

I like non gory psychological thrillers. It's the comfort of going back to safe, mundane everyday life afterwards that's so comforting.

gave up on Scream after half an hour

I'm pretty sure that's more like a comedy.

I’d love to understand it. I get nightmares even from non scary things so have to be careful what I watch and being scared makes me panicky and nauseous.

I accidentally saw a few minutes of Hostel and haven’t forgotten it, it was horrifying. I get that that’s the idea But it was so upsetting.

There’s enough horror, pain, fear, tragedy in the world without inviting fake versions into my home or my head.

Sometimes, when you’ve lived through real horrors, there’s something therapeutic about watching bizarre events (or even re-enactments) and knowing it is fake, it will be resolved and come to an end. Unlike real life!

Many are not scary - you kind of become used to (or numb to) them after you've seen a few.

Those that are scary, for me it's more like a lure. I am drawn to them and cannot stop watching even though they are making me uncomfortable and I know they will keep me awake.

That said, the scariest film I ever saw was Watership Down. I also cannot stop myself turning the channel to watch it if it's on, despite knowing I will dream General Woundwort is hiding under my bed

I can't watch really sick stuff but mildly disturbing drama distracts me from my chronic illness which is good. Black Mirror is just the right amount of dark humour.

I used to love them and watched loads when I was younger but now I get creeped out if I have to get up for the kids.
I remember watching Conjuring once and then ds called me at night. When I went to him, he started laughing at something over my shoulder. I’m sure it was absolutely nothing, but at the time I was really creeped out.
Can’t bear to watch them anymore.
And I still refuse to look in mirrors at night.

Scream is MEANT to be predictable... right up until it isn't

Thanks all, I can understand it, and I really want to watch, but 1. I panic when things make me jump, and 2. If they arent just the jumpy ones then I'm thinking about it and scaring myself at night

I can't remember what the one I watched was called, I'll try and Google. It wasnt a recent one. Was something to do with a lake I think and ended up being the ghost of a girl who was buried behind a wall (8 may have had a bottle of wine and also been playing on my phone to distract me whilst watching, hence not remembering much )

Stir of echoes it was.

Probably not even remotely scary but I'm not a brave person