There are multiple criticisms of horror films that analyze why the genre's viewership enjoys them as much they do. The horror film industry has had a major breakthrough and it's evolution in terms of audience has progressed dramatically.
The psychoanalytic theory states how horror movies provide a release for feelings that have been suppressed or what society may oppress the viewership from experiencing. Film critic Robin Wood states that the monster Frankenstein is "identified with repressed homosexuality." He theorizes that horror films provide an outlet for violent transgression that is pleasurable because it reminds the audience of nostalgic childhood which didn't deem gore as taboo. Scholars argue, "other psychoanalytic theories saw horror in the opposite light: as a safe and cathartic way to deal with darker feelings." Overall, these opinions rely on the idea that the fear does not particularly lie in what the evil in the film represents, but it is what is inspired by the terror that becomes a curious topic of discussion. The article thus states, "One feature of Philosopher Noel Carroll’s theory is that it captures the paradoxical nature of horror’s allure: the very oddity that makes monsters repulsive is precisely what makes them attractive."
One other hypothesis lies in the gender theory. It begins to explain how horror films present a unique experience for male viewers. A professor at the University of California, Carol J. Clover, argued that "this was one of the few film genres that regularly asked male audiences to identify with a triumphant female protagonist. It gave teenage boys license to indulge a gender-bending fantasy that was, she wrote, 'unapproved for adult males.'" The horror film industry has been modern in it's use of character archetypes in the regard that typically, strong female leads are involved in central conflicts and plot development in the story.
Horror films have become a staple in American culture and there are numerous different perspectives on what keeps national audiences so drawn to them. The horror film industry's appeal can only be theorized, and all contain elements that make up the bigger picture: as adults we forget how enjoyable being scared can be, so in turn, these movies provide a way to bring back the fun. By buying in on these insights, horror films will continue to maintain a stable viewership that keeps coming back for more.
Zinoman, J. (2011, July 16). The Critique of Pure Horror. Retrieved February 13, 2015, from
www.nytimes.com website: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/opinion/sunday/
17gray.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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