Daria Munzhurova

Mr.Hilgeman

Writing- Concept essay

5/27/19

Why horror movies can be beneficial?

“The mythic horror movie, like the sick joke, has a dirty job to do. It deliberately appeals

to all that is worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest

fantasies realized”(Stephen King). Horror movies are made with the purpose to scare the

viewers.When most people think of horror movies they think of monsters, haunted houses,

murders and it can also be a stress reliever and a way of controlling a person's dark thoughts

and feelings.

At first people think horror movies are just made to scare but the idea of horror movie is

more of a method of releasing emotions. Imagine a guy taking his girlfriend out for a date to a

horror movie. What is his purpose? Well maybe he wants girlfriend to get scared and hug him

during the gore and blood scenes. What about the guy who is just a couple seats away from

them? He came to see the movie with a whole purpose to see people get murdered.”It may be

that horror movies provide psychic relief on this level because this invitation to lapse into

simplicity, irrationality and even outright madness is extended so rarely.”(Stephen King)It is

clear that horror movies appeal to people in different ways.

Horror movies bring a pleasurable factor to some because they don’t have to experience

the thing that the character is going through.”We know before we enter the movie theater that we

will feel unpleasurable fear during the movie or the story, but we also know that we will feel

pleasure (even during that fear!) because we know we won't have to do anything about
it”(Psychology Today). Haidt, McCauley, and Rozin (1994), researching disgust, showed

college students to three documentary videos depicting real-life horrors. They put a live clip of

monkeys and cows getting murdered and 90 percent of the students couldn't watch till the end.

But people still pay for those horror movie tickets which depict scenes even more horrifying and

still finish watching the movie. “The answer that McCauley came up with was that the fictional

nature of horror films affords viewers a sense of control by placing psychological distance

between them and the violent acts they have witnessed”(Psychology Today). With further

explanation watching horror movies that we know it is not real to a certain extent which makes

us less vulnerable to the situation. While actually watching and seeing a real gruesome murder,

knowing this is actually happening makes us incredibly repulsed by the situation. To conclude

there is a visible differences between watching real life disasters and directed horror movies.

Horror movie grant an adrenaline boost.

The body feels adrenalized when scared is because it makes a person more alert and

calms the person down when the danger is eliminated. “The immediate surge of adrenaline

makes you more alert, enhances your reaction time, and sends blood to the major organs and

muscles.“(Murrel) Adrenaline stimulates the release of dopamine in our nervous system. That is

to say, it contributes to the release of a substance that causes a feeling of wellbeing. Once

everything has happened and the risk has been eliminated, the sensation of pleasure and peace

can be quite noticeable. The effects of adrenaline in the body can create addiction for many

people. “Putting your body at the limit is enjoyable and a lot of people need that feeling, just as

they need the relaxation that comes afterwards”(Heshmat)

Negative sides of adrenaline are low blood pressure, anxiety, allergic reaction,skin

itching,headache, dizziness etc. The adrenaline from the horror movies effects are less negative
because you’re not in an actual dangerous situation but just a simulation of it. That makes the

after effects are more enjoyable. The rise of the adrenaline can also help if a person has a lack of

adrenaline. Instead of experiencing dangerous situations, he can fill that lack with horror movies.

In conclusion some people might watch horror movies for a pleasurable adrenaline boost.

In conclusion horror movies can actually be beneficial for a person's health,mind and

body. Some studies show that horror movies can burn calories and improve the immune system.

Horror movies “boost your immune system for short term by increasing the blood circulation and

white blood cells”. According to Dr. Richard Mackenzie, senior lecturer and specialist in cell

metabolism and physiology at the University of Westminster “...As the pulse quickens and blood

pumps around the body faster. It is this release of fast acting adrenaline, produced during short

bursts of intense stress which is known to lower the appetite.” Usually people think of horror

movies they think of monsters, haunted houses, murders. However, it can also be a stress

reliever and a way of controlling a person's dark thoughts and feelings.