The Psychological Thrill of Watching Horror Movies: English Essay

This essay delves into the author's personal experience and psychological response to watching horror movies. It explores the thrill derived from the anticipation and suspense inherent in the genre, examining the physical reactions such as increased heart rate and rapid eye movements that accompany the experience. The author identifies as having a high sensation-seeking personality and enjoys the immersive experience, often preferring to watch movies alone to maximize the thrill. The essay also mentions specific horror films like "The Fog," "Fright Night," "The Guest," "Saw," "Conjuring," and "Grindhouse," highlighting the diverse range of movies that have captivated the author. It emphasizes the enduring appeal of the genre and the satisfaction derived from the meticulous and savage crafting of the movies, which caters to the author's quest for the thrill.

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Running head: ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS
English Language and Linguistics
Name of student:
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Author note:

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS
Life has so much to offer, and there are so many things in life that make one thrilled
and excited. Such feelings of being keyed up are solely personal, and the activities or jobs
that become a source of excitement and thrill vary form one person to another. If I am to
answer the question of what makes me thrilled or excited, I would right away answer that
watching horror movies at night all by myself is possibly the best activity that engrosses me
into a world of excitement and thrill. The enlivening thrill of watching a scary movie alone
can never be compared to any other emotion.
As the women on-screen clad in night gown slowly walks down the hallway, engulfed
in semidarkness, my heart begins to race. One never knows when a crazy masked murderer
would emerge from the darkness and scare the audience to death. The anticipation is what
draws me towards watching such movies whenever there is a possibility to do so. I simply
cannot get enough of this habit as I wait in anxiety for the next slasher flick to come up on
television. I might know that the consecutive events that are unfolding are purely fictitious.
However, the signals that my brain sends to the body is enough to simulate physical reactions
that comes as a response to the thrill. The eye movements are rapid and the heart rate
increases, and when a sudden fright is encountered, the physical response is rapidly
intensified. I would consider myself to have higher sensation-seeking personality attributes.
The style of the respective genre might have evolved over the years. However, the
elements are to remain the same. A gradual buildup to an action scene that is highly grisly
might be too terrifying to watch. I am not able to look away. Though some people might
opine that scary movies are to be best watched at the movie theatre, I admit that such movies
are to be best enjoyed in the comfort of own space without any distraction. The essence of
thill is maximum in such environment. Most of the films masterfully exploit the anxieties I
develop, and it is appealing to me when a brutal hand moves across the screen or when a

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS
character suddenly moves his head round-about. The movies are meticulous and savage in
their crafting and satisfying my quest for the thrill.
Some of the horror movies that have grabbed my eyeballs are The Fog, Fright Night,
The Guest, Saw, Conjuring and Grindhouse to name a few. The list is non-exhaustive and
never-ending, and I would mention that the I even do not remember the names of all the
movies that I have watched over the last few years. While some have been watched countless
times, others are worth only to be watched once. The ones that I have watched more than
once are classics in their own respect and decidedly mature films that imbibe the concept that
the scary things of all are the invisible presence prowling in the dark.