Well, I'm not exactly sure how to begin this. Recently I've come into contact with some short animated films that were under the classification of horror. After watching them, I was honestly thoroughly disturbed. And probably not for the reason that you would first think.
In any case, this is me, about to rant, so if you're not interested feel free to move on. xD
I think my biggest qualms with horror films (and I'm talking pure horror here, not horror plus tragedy, or horror plus comedy.) is that they have no point. Or if they have a point, it is to bring more darkness into the world, which, frankly, pisses me off. The world has no need for darker things in it. It has plenty as is.
I've asked around lately to see what people thought the point of horror films are, and mostly I got the basic answer of, "The point is to scare people." However this is a very superficial answer, and really doesn't satisfy the question of why horror films are created.Why would you want to scare someone? And why would that person want to be scared?
There are multiple reasons why you would want to scare another person. Maybe they scared you, so you want to get back at them. Maybe it's part of enjoying that sense of brief superiority you get when that person is suddenly in your control for a few moments. I honestly don't know.
The question of why people want to be scared is equally puzzling. Fear is motivating, makes us fast, allows us to escape things that are dangerous, but why would we want that fear to come from another person? It could honestly come from some masochistic pleasure, in a sense. The centers for pleasure and for pain are very similar to each other, and it's not as far reaching as some might think to jump to this conclusion. For the most part though, all I can see is that this liking to be afraid, or wanting to make other's afraid, comes from a very animistic nature of human kind.
This question of why do we make horror films is now expanded, after looking more closely at the basic conclusion of, "We make horror films to scare people." If our desire to scare people really does comes from a more basic nature of human kind, then horror films are made for no noble or good purpose.
We all know that humans have a evil nature. Chiam Potok once said that "Man is born in completely darkness, expect for a small spark, and that spark is God." If we do not expand that spark, our nature's desires will take over and obliterate that small spark of goodness we have. I honestly think that true horror films come from this dark nature of human kind.
Now, it was also mentioned to me by another friend that horror films could be useful, so as to show those who look at the world through rose colored glasses that there is a lot of pain and suffering in the world. I personally disagree completely. If we are going to show people the horror's of the world, we should do so gently. Not only that, but horror is basically a unrealistic interpretation of the world around us. It's enlarged, made to look huge and ominous, when the world really isn't like that. The world is dark, but not pitch black. Evil, but not completely. If we do not give people a balanced look, they will have an incredibly skewed view of the world and people around them. If we desire to teach those who don't know about the world something, we should use tragedy, and then comedy. Just as this class has done. Otherwise we will crush the person's soul with darkness.
Now, my dislike of horror films does not come from a startled, or immature response. I have seen plenty of horrific things, as well as read about numerous books on many a horrific subject. (A few summers ago I decided to read all of the books on the controversial book list.You should ask me about that sometime, it was an interesting summer.) My response does come from a sensitive nature. I do not like to see human beings in pain. Nor do I like watching as people hurt other people, particularly for things such as sadistic pleasure. If we are all created in the image of God, or even if you don't believe that, if we are all created similarly, then there is something very wrong about hurting each other. It should fall under the category of unnatural and inhuman. And yet there is nothing more human than hurting each other. We have been hurting each other since the beginning of time.
This, I think, answer in some ways why horror films are made. And if this is even mildly the case, I have no interest in seeing another horror film ever again. It should be noted that horror can be a very useful tool. Pans Labyrinth and The Orphanage both have horror in them. However, the primary difference between those films and a true horror is that both of those films are not pure horror. They are horror, plus something else. In this case, horror plus tragedy. I am not saying that horror isn't part of our day to day life, or that it cannot be used in films. I am saying that I think pure horror films are pointless, and their only use would be to fuel the evil or animistic nature of human kind.
We should be trying to cultivate better minds, to help people expand their thoughts, not crush them under instincts. As C.S Lewis once said, "Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker." He was speaking about children's media, but this quote applies equally to this subject.
All in all, whether or not a person chose to attend horror films is their own choice. I do take issue with them being shown in a setting where a person doesn't have a choice except to watch them. (Such as a classroom setting.) Over all, is it my opinion, that there is no merit in a pure horror film. It is a very strong opinion, and I would honestly love to hear more opinions about the subject, (feel free to leave comments) but that really is how I feel about this.
Also, I found this link, I thought it was interesting.
http://shil1978.hubpages.com/hub/Do-people-enjoy-watching-other-people-die
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