Over the past several hundred years, horror and monster themes have become very popular in every medium available. At any given time it is not uncommon to find three or four horror movies playing at the same theatre. Arguably starting with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, there has been no shortage whatsoever since this explosion of a new genre. This raises the question of why are we so in love with scaring ourselves? What part of the unknown is desirable to the point where horror dominates the movie screen and books all around the world?
One very likely explanation of this phenomena is that through horror and monsters people are able to face their fears head on. Like mentioned before, many people are scared of the unknown and stories like Frankenstein …show more content…
But with true stories or more realistic horror films, it is the fact that it could happen to you that gets to people. Around here especially, the topic of Gary Ridgway hits homes and strikes fear into many people. The idea that someone could get away with killing citizens we lived side by side with for so long is terrifying. Yet we continue to watch documentaries and read books analysing every detail of the killings. I myself am very intrigued about this and other serial killers of the sort. Although it’s a particularly dark subject I’m not alone with the interest that I show. Ever since the first glorified serial killer, Jack The Ripper, the public has been obsessed with these individuals. The question of if we should continue to make movies and to teach about these subjects is often asked. We all need to know what has happened in the past in order to learn from and become more enlightened as a whole in the future. But when it’s used as purely entertainment then it’s not morally right or respectful to any party. We don’t feel fulfilled until we know the killer was brought to justice or killed, very similar to how we react to the monsters who only live in the
One very likely explanation of this phenomena is that through horror and monsters people are able to face their fears head on. Like mentioned before, many people are scared of the unknown and stories like Frankenstein …show more content…
But with true stories or more realistic horror films, it is the fact that it could happen to you that gets to people. Around here especially, the topic of Gary Ridgway hits homes and strikes fear into many people. The idea that someone could get away with killing citizens we lived side by side with for so long is terrifying. Yet we continue to watch documentaries and read books analysing every detail of the killings. I myself am very intrigued about this and other serial killers of the sort. Although it’s a particularly dark subject I’m not alone with the interest that I show. Ever since the first glorified serial killer, Jack The Ripper, the public has been obsessed with these individuals. The question of if we should continue to make movies and to teach about these subjects is often asked. We all need to know what has happened in the past in order to learn from and become more enlightened as a whole in the future. But when it’s used as purely entertainment then it’s not morally right or respectful to any party. We don’t feel fulfilled until we know the killer was brought to justice or killed, very similar to how we react to the monsters who only live in the