ClareEckert

That seems to be the age-old question. Some people love the thrill of watching a horror movie, while others choose to cover their eyes the entire time. Why do some of us love horror movies, while others hate them?

A common scientific interpretation
of why people enjoy horror movies is be- cause, after watching one, your brain feels as though it has accomplished escaping a scary situation even though you were never in any real danger. Because of this, watching scary movies can actually build your confidence. Secondly, people also enjoy watching horror movies because they stimulate us, both mentally and physically. Feeling frightened can trigger a person to release adrenaline and feel surging energy. People also may enjoy watching horror movies because horror movies allow them to satisfy their curios- ity regarding the dark side of the human psyche.

On the other hand, some people hate horror movies because they are extremely empathetic and do not enjoy watching others suffer, whether the suffering is
real or not. People also often do not like horror movies because they do not enjoy the stimulation they derive from watching horror movies, the opposite reaction from that of horror movie lovers. Now it is time to see how the members of the Marian community feel about horror mov- ies. Do they love them or do they hate them?

Junior Hayden Blaney absolutely loves horror movies because of their suspense factor. She said she also loves horror movies because of the adrenaline rush she experiences while watching them. Her favorite part of horror movies is the jump scares because “while you know they’re coming, you can’t be sure when.”

Freshman Molly Kizer said she doesn’t enjoy scary movies because she doesn’t like scary things in general. She does not like jump scares, clowns, or basically anything that can be categorized as scary. She can appreciate a mild scary movie, but not a super scary ones. Kizer would rather watch a comedy movie than a horror movie.

Social Studies teacher Mr. Chris Dziadus said he enjoys scary movies because he has always liked scary stuff and gore. He also likes horror movies because when he wants to take a break from reality, they keep him entertained and take his mind off things. Dziadus said people enjoy scary movies because most people like to be scared.

Nearly 25% of students say that they like horror movies once in a while, depending on who they are watching it with, while another 25% of students said they like horror movies because they love to scream and scare others while they watch. And though the majority was split on why they like horror movies, they are unanimous in their liking of them. Based on these findings, it is safe to say that the Marian community possesses its fair share of horror movie buffs.

And for those of you who do enjoy horror movies, here are some popular suggestions from Marian girls: “Scream,” “Smile,” and “The Conjuring” series. Happy watching…or not watching.