Another silly poll

[howeird]

I'm watching the SciFi HD channel, which Comcast finally got around to putt8ing on my channel line-up, and most of the ads for films are horror genre. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I don't get the thing about enjoying being scared spitless. Hence this very tangential poll.

[Poll #1196357]

Comments

[herufeanor.livejournal.com]

I rated my interest in horror movies a 2 instead of a 1, simply because I enjoy some campy horror, because it's just funny, not actually scary. I am, like you, somewhat mystified why you would intentionally go out and watch something whose sole purpose is to inspire a negative emotion, which we are typically programmed at a very deep level to try and avoid. The same honestly holds true for movies that are overly depressing or disturbing, though not to the same extent, because those emotions are often used as a way to lead into something more fulfilling.

Of course, if we can understand masochism, based around enjoying a sensation whose entire PURPOSE is to make us avoid the things that cause it, then I suppose understanding the enjoyment of fear shouldn't be so hard, right?

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

I don't watch horror to be scared. But then, the horror movies I like aren't (to me) scary, but rather a dark subset of fantasy, from Frankenstein (1931) through to the Hammers and isolated outbreaks since. I don't do the whole slasher thing.

I assume that adrenaline has something to do with the appeal of being scared by something fictitious. Some people like to be excited, and fear can be a form of excitement.

[howeird]

fear can be a form of excitement
Excellent point. Maybe the calm after the storm is part of the attraction.

[unseelie23.livejournal.com]

I like horror, but I don't care much for gore so that excludes most horror movies these days. The horror movies I tend to like don't actually tend to be that scary and certainly don't scare me... I lean more towards troubling or disturbing.

Also horror doesn't necessarily equal "scary"... ex. The Killing Fields (which, to be fair was NOT horror) was at times horrific, but not scary per se.

[howeird]

Gore may not be your favorite kind of horror film, but they did give hime a Nobel prize for one. ;-)

[satyrblade.livejournal.com]

Because your poll is lacking a critical factor - namely, the quality of the movies in question - I just went with the assumption of GOOD genre films. Sadly, the majority of the films released under any of those three genres flat-out suck.

[howeird]

How dare you mention "quality" on my LJ? :-)

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

I can't figure out why the network is called Sci Fi when most of their programing is movies about people being attacked by giant critters: bugs, birds, squirrels, amazon women, mummies, funky Shriners.

Why, WHy WHY

[howeird]

The same reason the Arts & Entertainment channel mostly plays WWII fuckyoumentaries. :-(

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

I definitely make a distinction between Horror and Slasher. I suppose my Horror is most other peoples' Suspense. But I think of Suspense as never having anything but human involvement.

Halloween was the last Slasher movie I enjoyed at all.

And yeah, it's the roller coaster effect! I'd ride them all day long if I wasn't so tall (can't fit my legs in anymore).

[howeird]

IMHO horror is anything aimed at horrifying the viewer. Slasher movies are a subset, as are zombie movies and The Trouble With Tribbles. :-)

You can still ride Top Gun, can't you?