What gives horror movies year-round staying power.
Written by Jalen Hobson
Recently I was watching the Thanksgiving horror film aptly named “Thanksgiving” when I began to wonder why there are so many holiday-themed horror films. From less-than-savory films like “Thankskilling” to classics such as “Black Christmas,” the number of these films is worth noticing. Eventually, my initial question evolved to the following: what is it about horror films in general that allows them to be released at seemingly any point of the year without thematic justification?
To answer the first question, one must look at the idea of a high-concept film. A high-concept film is simply an idea that is unique and inspired. When these types of films were first being made, they certainly fit the bill of high-concept as this subgenre was in its infancy. With it being a subgenre, these holiday-themed horror films can be seen as more of an uninspired gimmick that is churned out to get butts in seats.
Our gift for this past Christmas was a remake of the 1922 horror film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.” Other than the fact that the movie was released on Christmas Day, there aren’t any Christmas elements attached to this film. Besides the notion that recycling older properties acts as a substitute for high-concept today, what makes horror films so popular that they’re allowed to constantly bombard us at the theater? What gives horror films such staying power regardless of the time of year or what else may be popular at the time?
To begin to answer these questions, it is important to first examine what makes people seek out horror films in the first place. The first thing that came to this writer’s mind was the idea of the “adrenaline junkie.” This term refers to someone who seeks experiences that give them the rush provided by adrenaline. Watching horror films would be a low-risk experience for those who seek the stimulation that they provide. But how exactly do these films provide that stimulation?
We can all agree that a big contributing factor in making something scary is suspense. The introduction of the threat shouldn’t reveal everything all at once. We’re usually given a small preview to whet our appetites before consuming the main dish. The building anticipation causes a physiological response while our minds begin to conjure an image of just how terrifying the main threat will be. It is important to note, however, that this can backfire if the threat that the film has been building towards fails to deliver.
What also contributes to the building anticipation is sound. Sound is important in all films, even more so for horror. We’re all familiar with the infamous jump scare. In a quiet setting, we can get either small diegetic sounds (sounds that the characters can actually hear) like a creaking floorboard or non-diegetic ones like the building music score that goes silent before the resolution of the buildup. Things like these can build suspense and stimulate the viewer.
With the above taken into account, people who go to the movies want an immersive experience. In the dark theater with scary sounds and anticipation bubbling for the antagonistic force, horror films are usually pretty good at providing that immersion. With that and the millions of people craving that stimulation in mind, it doesn’t take a genius to see the demand for this genre and decide to cash in regardless of the time of year. The themes surrounding the film like the ones mentioned earlier are a marketing strategy used to get more people in theaters and more money in piggy banks (I mean the box office).