PopHorror Let's Get Scared
“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.” — Stephen King
Ever since I was in grade school and found the Universal monster books in the school library, I was immediately drawn to horror. The first horror movie I saw as a kid was The Exorcist (1973 – read our retro review here). Eventually, I discovered A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984), which led me to Friday The 13th (1980). What is it that draws me to horror? Why am I so in love with the horror genre? Why do I keep going back to the movie theater to see horror movies like some junkie? The answer may surprise you.
Childhood Fears
One of the earliest memories I have involves fear. I was seven- or eight-years-old. We were visiting cousins and gathered around the table, eating dinner. One of my cousins sat across from me. He turned away, but when he suddenly turned back again, he was wearing a monster’s mask, something a kid would wear at Halloween. I was so scared that I got up from the table and ran away, crying. For some reason, that memory is permanently lodged in my brain.
Social Anxiety, Depression, And Asperger’s Syndrome
Fear has always been a huge part of my life. I suffer from social anxiety and depression as a result of having Asperger’s Syndrome. You could say that I’m a person who is scared of his own shadow. So, how does a nervous wreck like me fall in love with horror movies?
Finding Inspiration To Face My Fears
Horror movies give me a break from reality. They also give me the inspiration to face my own fears. One of my favorite scenes from any Friday The 13th movie has always been the final chase scene. The final girl goes one on one with the masked murderer, Jason Voorhees. I’ve always been inspired by the final girl’s courage to face and kill Jason… well, until he comes back in the next movie. When I have to face my fears, I feel like I’m going head to head with Jason himself. The final girl gives me courage and encourages me to never give up.
The Safety Of Horror Movies
The great thing about horror movies is that they allow you to experience fear in a safe atmosphere. When a horror movie is over, I can resume life in the real world. Watching them is like a release valve. I can experience something fearful yet not be consumed by it. How many times have you seen a horror film at the theater and then walked out after it was over, breathing a sigh of relief?
Closing Thoughts
There’s more to horror movies than just blood, violence, and gore. Siskel and Ebert often villainized horror fans as sickos. Most horror fans love them for more than just the blood and gore. The labeling of horror fans as unbalanced is absolutely ridiculous. We are not morbidly disturbed. Horror films keep us sane in a reality that is spinning out of control. In some cases like mine, horror movies can even give us inspiration to face our fears.
What do you love about horror movies? Let us know in the comments below!
