Subnatial Killers In Halloween And Wes Craven's A Nightmare On Elm Street

My grandma once told me, “If you stay up too late at night, the boogeyman will get you”. I never believed her but I knew I wouldn’t want to see the Boogeyman if he actually existed. Most people would actually want to watch these horrible beings. In this case, they would want to view a horror movie such as “Friday the 13” or “Nightmare on Elm Street”. It is part of our Human Condition to be attracted to the films and asking for more. Stephen King’s claims in “Why we crave horror” asserts us that humans crave horror to face our fears, to re-establish our feelings of normalcy, and to experience a peculiar sort of fun.

Myers believes serial killers have captured the public’s attention and imagination for many reasons. One of these undoubtedly is the fact that until serial killers are apprehended, they represent a time before the current generation, unknown, mysterious, and full of terror. The predators are secretive and sly, able to attack and strike fear into the hearts of a community, and this reason I why Myers believes that “the Other in its most threatening form” is such a captivating

Stephen King wrote the short story “Why We Crave Horror Films” explaining why our mind gets so excited during horror movies. He continues to make the statement “the horror film has become the modern public lynching” (paragraph 6) showing that no matter what generation a person is in the excitement of gore will always exist. King proves this statement discussing emotions and psychiatric points in his work.

Stephen King never clearly states the thesis of this essay however there is enough information provided that we can infer one. We need to keep our inner lyncher at bay by feeding ourselves with small portions of demonic, bloody, violence, found in horror movies. King writes “It deliberately appeals to all the worst in us. It is morbidity unchained, our most base instincts let free, our nastiest fantasies realized...” (Why We Crave Horror Movies, paragraph 12) and by doing so he’s implying that horror movies are like a temporary fix for our violent craves.

Do you enjoy watching murder, the paranormal, and any other morbid scene which makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, your palms sweat, and your adrenaline surge? Why people enjoy watching murder, tragedy, and carnage in their spare time has been a mysterious phenomenon. If these gruesomely horrific scenes would not be enjoyable in real life, why is watching a recreation of it so riveting? Stephen King, a world-renowned horror novelist, wrote “Why We Crave Horror Movies” to give insight as to why horror movies, although gruesome and morbid, captivate audiences. King also aims to persuade readers to continue to watch horror movies, arguing that they are a crucial part of keeping sanity. King delves into this psychological aspect of humans and believes that the desire to watch horror films is a normal tendency of humankind. “Why We Crave Horror Movies” includes appeals to emotion, logic, and author credibility in order to convince readers of the positive, normal desire to watch horror films, why it is important to watch them, and why the reader should believe what the author is saying. King utilizes the rhetorical devices—pathos, logos, and ethos—in an effective way through the use of metaphor, logic, humor, and emotion to persuade readers that watching horror films is normal.

On average, you will walk past a murderer ~12 times in your life. The question is, however, who are the killers and who are the innocents? It couldn’t be you, obviously. Since you know that you aren’t guilty, you feel reassured you are within the social norm. This feeling of normality is what makes us feel safe, and one of the reasons why Stephen King’s theory for why we crave horror is correct. King accurately claims that humans watch horror as a way face our fears, re-establish our sense of normality, and to have fun.

Unfortunately, it’s not unusual in this day and time to turn on the news and hear a warning about a new serial killer roaming our streets. It’s horrifying and hard to understand what could possibly make a person commit such heinous crimes. What is wrong with this person that drives him or her to commit such an act? The truth is that people have searched for the answer to that question for eons. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be many definitive answers to those questions.

Most young children despise horror movies and dread waking up in the middle of the night due to daunting nightmares controlling their sleep. But somewhere in transitioning from a child to a young adult, many begin to acquire a love for horror movies. In “Why We Crave Horror Movies”, Stephen King proposes the idea that watching such gruesome violence keeps our inner demons in check while providing a “psychic relief” (2). Kings’ claim that watching violence prevents violence is simply false; in reality, horror movies desensitize us to the effects of violence and normalize the many acts of violence we see in our world today.

In the sick minds of those who murder again and again, rape, pain and death are twisted into a passion to kill. Otherwise known as an ordinary individual, serial killers turn to violence and death in search of power over others, and to explore their fatal addiction to their immoral thrills. Even though these horrific crimes of a serial killer repulse most individuals, there is still a strange fascination when it comes to these deadly killers. I chose the movie The Lovely Bones to profile a serial killer.

For many years society has read, heard, and studied about fictitious monsters as well as real world monsters. While not all people may view Vampires and Serial killers in the same manner; we have come to the understanding that either of these two feared creatures can be compared and contrasted. Most people find it difficult to compare vampires and a serial killer. Although they have many differences such as appearance, the way they kill their victims, and the history behind the first viewing/interaction with a vampires and serial killer, they also have similarities between the both of them such as both creatures cause death, mental state, and the fear that they cause to people.

When one becomes fascinated with murder, they may be drawn in by a certain rush or thrilling experience. This experience is similar to that of a “whodunit”, a novel, play, or movie in which the murderer is not revealed until the very end (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). In both circumstances, individuals are captivated by tension and uncertainty. Along with this, Scott Bonn, a criminology professor at Drew University states that “The euphoric effect of true crime on human emotions is similar to that of roller coasters…and allows individuals to experience fear and horror in a controlled environment” (Bonn, 2016). A prime example of this includes the infamous murders committed by Jack the Ripper. In 1888, five women were brutally murdered by a man who went by the name of ‘Jack the Ripper’. During the time of these killings, serial murder became a new phenomenon that was highly publicized (Top 10 Unsolved Crimes, n.d.). Additionally, Professor Bonn’s theory on the science behind human interest for murder states

Throughout cinema, there has always been space in our hearts for the gore and intrigue that come from horror films. Though they come with different plots, there remains “the monster”, the character that brings along disgust, horror, suspense, and even sympathy. In Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), our monster is Norman Bates, the boy next door. This was one of the first times in American cinema that the killer was brought home, paving the way for the future of horror movies. According to Robin Wood in “An Introduction to the America Horror Film” (183-208), Bates follows the formula of the Monster being a human psychotic. This is conveyed through his normal façade portrayed with his introduction, the audience’s ambivalence, the use of

The Scream film series has, without a doubt, earned a unique spot as one of Hollywood’s best horror movie franchise. The success of the franchise has led to a television series adaptation titled, Scream: The TV Series. Although the franchise and the television series have similarities, these two platforms also have undeniable differences. In each film of the franchise and season of the show, there is always a serial killer on the loose targeting innocent people. The franchise and the television series have both given audiences interesting psychological aspects of horror. These psychological aspects are shown through the motives of each killer. However, when it comes down to full on entertainment, these two platforms succeed in bringing gruesome

Year after year, millions of tickets are sold for movies like “Saw”, “Orphan,” or “Halloween.” The consumption of horror movies is a worldwide phenomenon and one that leaves most psychologists baffled. Many hold the belief that “people like to experience pleasant emotions,” so it is not entirely logical why so many choose to suffer through the violence and aggression displayed in most thrillers, which very rarely evoke “pleasant” emotions. For most people, the attraction to scary movies comes from the intense emotions and impact felt, the ability to face one’s fears, and to cure curiosity on things otherwise disturbing or forbidden.

Their motives are just to kill people. Serial killers are like a lion because they both have no value for other’s lives. Some serial killers have deeper motives such as in The Silence of the Lambs where Hannibal enjoyed killing people. The last type of antagonist is a ghost. Ghosts are the best antagonist to have in a horror movie. These are also terrifying because the protagonist a lot of the time has no idea what is going on until it is too late. In movies such as The Conjuring and Paranormal Activity the ghost is trying to overwhelm the victim mentally and physically. Ghosts bring out an inner fear of us that almost everyone feels. Unlike a government or a serial killer, no one can overthrow or run away from a ghost. The main types of antagonists in horror movies are serial killers, governments, and ghosts; however, ghosts are the best type because of their