February 4, 2007
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Hey guys. How’s the internet treating ya?
There is a truly baffling concept that I see prevalently accepted among, well, everyone but me. Sometimes I can see another person’s side to something and think, “Well, I see how you can think that,” but this has really blown my mind over and over again. This is what has never made sense to me, and never will: watching scary movies. I first need to clarify the difference of the word scary when it is put before the word movie than how it is meant everywhere else. When before the word movie, scary does not refer to being scared of injury (heights, flying), of others being hurt (Mom, I’m going hunting!), or the sensation of being startled (Boo!). Rather, most scary movies appeal to the sensation of being scared of a freakish reality being painted right before you eyes, sometimes spiritual, sometimes not. To me, watching these movies is intolerable. My mind simply cannot escape the reality the movie is presenting and understand that it is not real, but rather it completely accepts whatever is put right before it as true and existent in the very room I am in.
I am so freaked out by scary movies that I have only seen one, and no one else I know even thinks it qualifies as a scary movie. They think it was a joke, a crappy movie that couldn’t scare a cat. The movie was Signs, and I saw it in a nearly empty theatre. I couldn’t even watch. I just put my head down and listened to the soundtrack, that still had just as every bit the same effect as did watching the screen. I had never seen a movie like it before and I was so freaked out by it I slept on the floor in my parent’s bedroom for weeks. Since watching Signs I concluded that scary movies are something that people just have to get used to, and it would take a few more until I could tolerate them. However, without having tried to see another scary movie, I have learned that this is not at all the case. Somehow, someway, my brain actually cannot tolerate the fear that comes from watching these movies. As I watch them I accept them as completely true, and do not even realize the people around me are my friends. And to me, fear is a negative thing. This is what I do not understand. If fear is negative, and these movies induce fear, why would anyone want to go see them? Once I was on the computer browsing around on the internet while some other people in the room were watching The Butterfly Effect. By simply hearing some garbled dialogue and the soundtrack I jumped out of my seat more than the people who were actually watching the movie. “Um, you okay over there Phil??” The truth is, simply hearing the climax of the music made my entire body resonate with fear and took control of my ability to remain relaxed. Watching scary movies to me is simply illogical, and I cannot do it. The friend who knows me the best told me, “Phil, if you saw The Excorcist, you’d die. You’d literally die.” I believe him.
The interesting point of the matter is that I think I am special in that I can never persuade myself out of being afraid during the movie by telling myself that it is only a movie. I’ve tried that and it doesn’t work. But then again, isn’t the only point of it all? To believe that the movie is true? If you watch a movie and realize that it’s just made up, you aren’t really experiencing the movie. However, if you do accept the movie as true, and it’s a scary movie, then you are scared. Why would someone try to induce this end? Why would someone see an awful, terrible, repulsive preview of a story that they would personally never want to experience, and then go to see the movie to enter into the state in which they think it’s real and in turn become scared. Why?!? I don’t understand!
The problem with reading the dictionary is that there are too many characters and no plot development.
Never be brusque with strangers, for at the end of the day each person recalls their day in summation to think it good or bad, and the moment you enter their presence you become a part of their day.
Great ideas are often only great until they are tried.
It’s too cold for school tomorrow. Take that global warming!
Farewell everyone.
Comments (10)
Ah, a quote to go with your background, I see.
I don’t revel in being pointlessly startled by movies, though my composure has developed a fairly thick skin. I love movies like Signs and The Sixth Sense, though, because of the ideas. There is a certain realm of philosophical reflection that can only be explored, I think, through contemplating slightly disturbing or terrifying things. I’m guessing you’ve never seen The Sixth Sense, but if you did see it, you’d understand what I mean…although there are a few cheap scare tactics and blatant attempts to disturb viewers, some of the subject matter couldn’t be adressed better in any other context.
In short, I think scary movies have a place in the world. The place for most scary movies, though, is the same place that’s for generic screamo music; and that place is gehenna, I think.
while I agree with you on the point that i don’t like “horror” movies, things like the exorcists or movies exhonerating some horrible serial killer in some way trying to glorify and glamorize their awful life style, “scary” movies, like signs or war of the worlds, can be interesting. they bring across crazy alien ideas and are exciting. (but still include a happy ending, which of course is the most important thing ) and I have to ask, do you watch reality tv? (i know the answer…but for the sake of asking..) the reason people are so interested in horror movies is because they have been desensitized to reality. a serial killer or ghost causing painful deaths and blood and such is just as fake to them as something like the oc or real world. they know it is fake, and therefore enjoy it. i don’t understand the logic in this, especially when you consider that the highest rating horror movies are based on true stories (and then eagerated) except movies like the ring or the grudge, which are based on asian tales, which in asia are considered true so i would include them as based ont rue stories. i think it is important to know that tv is fake (obviously, since real life should stay separated from mindless vegetative entertainment) but it is scary to me that people have become so idiodic that they no longer know that murder should be scary and should make you feel bad and icky inside.
well excellent post phil. have a good cold day off!!
well that pretty much sums up why scary movies are dumb.
thank you for that. took the words right out of my mouth. =]
hope you enjoyed your day off.
Simone =]
Hmmm…yeah…my imagination does on a daily basis what it takes years for those horror movie writers/producers/directors to churn out. I concur!
Have you ever discussed scary movies with Kendra? She is, as she put it, “Highly susceptible to the horror genre.” Something to discuss at the next book club meeting. After the book, that is.
I know really, global warming is going to take us by storm (literally as in water), but then we get school canceled because it was snowing a little (in Georgia), where it never snows.
All we need is a nice new blizzard of ’93.
“The problem with reading the dictionary is that there are too many characters and no plot development.”
awesome.
I’m not a fan, i did like signs, but i have never been a “scary-movie” fan. ever.
Like, “Let’s go see SAW III!!! It looks like a good movie!” and then everyone in pressured agreement, “yeah your right!”
No, your not.
its not, its stupid, its fake, and like your point, even if i were to get sucked into something not real (such as a fictional movie) then why would i waste my life, and probly worsen it, getting indulged in something terrifying and sick?
there isn’t a positive answer. There isn’t one that makes sense. I believe there could be something more to use our time with, more than some images recorded on a camera, some music orchestrated by some musicians, more than friends getting together and then being silent to watch something they probably don’t want to fill their minds with.
thanks for the post, i love to think and loved the post, well what i read at least, i still need to read it in full.
Hey! random props! It’s crazy… I can’t watch scary movies either EVER…. My friends all laugh at me but I just can’t sit through them and if I do…. I can’t sleep for weeks!
You found me. Imagine my suprise when I went to my daily xanga check to discover that I did in fact recieve a new comment and it was from someone I actually know. A lovely treat.
Signs terrifies me, as you already know given our converstation yesterday. But out of everything in this post, I found myself agreeing most with the fear that comes with the soundtrack. Signs did an excellent job of scaring the everliving out of people simply with the song choices. One of the scariest parts of that movie to me is the opening credits where it’s just the names and the song. I can’t take it.
And yet, I always watch it when it’s on TNT or some cable channel. Never fails. I suppose I’m just a tad Mentel. Oh look, I made a joke based on my name. How witty.
Think Signs was scary?
Go see Jacob’s Ladder.
Think Signs was scary?
Go see Jacob’s Ladder.