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Scary Movies Scares

Horror films are more graphic than ever. Why do we watch, and what do scary movies do to us?

Halloween is night, and along with the parade of adorable elves and fairies knocking on your door come some more disturbing phenomena: scary haunted houses, wild parties and, perhaps most jarringly, a new onslaught of ghastly horror films.

Scary movies are nothing new, but films like those in the Saw and Hostel series have offered something different: They focus less on the suspense of the chase and more on the suffering of the victim, leading some to dub them "torture porn." They feature levels of gore and violence once reserved for cult films. And despite the extreme gore, they're attracting big crowds at your local cinema.

If you're not a horror movie fan, you may be puzzled about why people put themselves through the ordeal of watching such movies. "No doubt, there's something really powerful that brings people to watch these things, because it's not logical. "Most people like to experience pleasant emotions."

These impacts are felt by adults as well as children, by the well-adjusted as well as the disturbed. They may linger well after the house lights go up -- sometimes for years. And they may be anything but pleasurable.

What is horror anyway?

The first is tension – created through mystery, suspense, terror or shock. This is pretty straight forward elements of horror, the craft and technique of film making.

The second factor is relevance. In order for a horror film to be seen, it has to be relevant to potential viewers. This relevance can take the form of universal relevance – capturing the universal fear of things like death and the unknown. Audiences can find subgroup relevance – groups like teenagers which many horror films are about. Lastly, there’s personal relevance – either in a way that identifies with the protagonist or in a way that condemns the antagonists or victims to their ultimate fate.

The last factor, which may be the most counter intuitive is unrealism. Despite the graphic nature of recent horror films, we all know at some level that what we are watching is not real. Movies are edited from multiple camera angles with soundtracks and sometimes horror is tempered and made palatable with black humor – a sly wink that what you’re seeing on screen isn’t real. This also explains why we all remember that scary movie we saw when we were way too young but looks hokey now. Children have a harder time separating reality and fiction especially when its on a movie screen

Movies that bring high levels of tension, are relevant in universal, cultural and personal ways while maintaining an air of unrealism will have greater horror appeal.

Are you a fan of watching horror movies? Or are you the one who canno’t look at those scary films? Yes or not try watching those kinds of film and experience the terror that you will feel from within.

Poem

Leaving without your Love

You are my shield inside the storm

And in your arms I am at home.

Every emotion that's uncharted

Gives me joy from where we started.

If only I could turn back the time

When all the words we say will rhyme.

I just can't get you out of my mind

I can only smile when you were mine.

We play the games that people play

We made mistakes along the way.

Sometimes I feel you needed me

Because I need you too so desperately.

Now I wake up in the dark

But the silence brings me back.

I'll be all alone for the first time

And it doesn't seem to be a dream.

Then I feel the pain inside my heart

Cause I'm leaving without your love

Are you enough to stop me from falling apart?

Cause I'm leaving without your love.

My Tongue Twister

Grace grab a grape at the grand granary and gave to her granny as a gratitude for her glory.