It is a blockbuster of a movie in its first few days in theatres. Some critics suggest that it deserves the kind of acclaim earned by The Silence of the Lambs, in which Anthony Hopkins won a Best Actor Oscar, Jodie Foster won Best Actress, Jonathan Demme won for Best Director, and another Oscar was won for Best Adapted Screenplay. Whether It ends up being recognized with prestigious statues remains to be seen, but audiences are eating it up. This is a second go at making a movie about Stephen King’s horror classic It. The first was far less terrifying than this one. Whether you like this new version or not depends on how you are wired for truly scary horror flicks.
There is a Science to How you Feel about Horror Movies
Research has been done that shows how we experience stress may determine whether we gravitate to or stay away from scary movies. People who seek sensations enjoy the way the body reacts to the stress of a frightening movie. The heart rate increases, and the body seems to vibrate with pent-up energy. While some people feel that these sensations are rejuvenating, others don’t like that it feels like having an out-of-control panic attack. Here are more conclusions drawn from research:
- People who are highly sensitive are typically overstimulated in their environment and feel more empathy than others. As a result, they may have an uncomfortably intense physiological reaction to horror movies.
- Childhood memories are often associated with scary movies. For instance, when parents expose children to scary shows or experiences in a safe and fun way, people associate the horror genre with feel-good memories.
- Some people enjoy the shared experience of watching horror. There is a real bonding in a social setting, when you experience intense stress together.
Do you Love or Hate Horror?
Is It a movie you’ll be going to see? You’ll have a lot of company, as far as individuals who can hardly wait to see a good flick in the horror genre. Even a movie as scary as It can represent the best about movies.
