The month of October brings crisp air, colorful leaves, and…vampires? It seems that every year around this time people become obsessed with the supernatural. Various TV channels make it easy for us to get our horror fix by showing various horror films, such as Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street. The channel ABC Family even dedicates their schedule to the Halloween season with their program "Thirteen Nights of Halloween." It appears that the supernatural rules our lives for the month of October. But, why stop there? These days, it seems that every month we are reminded by the existence of the supernatural. The media is constantly producing TV shows and movies within the horror genre. Why is this? Apparently, as humans, we love being scared.
The media realizes we have an obsession with the supernatural, so they create texts with which we can indulge. For example, The CW is enjoying the success of their hit show Vampire Diaries. They are also responsible for The Secret Circle and Supernatural. All shows revolve around paranormal elements.
Another show captivating audiences is American Horror Story, which airs on FX. It takes the supernatural to another level as it shocks audiences and causes multiple questions to be asked. Some being, what on earth is going on in that house? What lives in the basement? And, what is up with the maid? With the success of these paranormal shows, it is clear that people love being frightened. We even attend the theater to see the latest installment of Paranormal Activity and Saw. In these movies, the characters experience pain and severe fright; however, we can't get enough. So why is this?
Well, I went to the Internet to find an answer for this question. One explanation I found really interesting was "Why We Crave Horror Movies" by Stephen King. King, the master of the horror genre, proposes an interesting concept. He writes, "The mythic horror movie…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 . . . and it all happens, fittingly enough, in the dark." He suggests that every person has a dark side; He refers to this dark side as "the gators." We suppress these "gators," but every now and then, they need to be fed. The horror genre helps us feed our dark side so we don't become the villains in society. Interesting concept, right?
Anyway, be safe this Halloween. It's a fun time, but make sure to stay clear from all of the Michael Myers of the world. And, "keep those gators fed" (King).
Citation: King, Stephen. "Why We Crave Horror Movies."
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