“Studios know: ‘Horror sells’”

Earlier this week, the LA Times ran this article speculating why the horror genre is so timely just now:

If horror films reflect the anxieties of a culture, then it makes perfect sense that so many nefarious characters are emerging from the darkness: The collapse of the housing market, the menacing approach of a potential economic depression, an ongoing war and international unrest — they’re the stuff of nightmares.

A ton of horror movies in 2009 including:

The Unborn

My Bloody Valentine 3D

Friday the 13th

The Last House on the Left

Drag Me to Hell

Jennifer’s Body

H2: Halloween 2

Saw VI

The Wolf Man

It’s intriguing how movie audiences respond to uncertain times — evidently they want to laugh as well as be scared as this comment from the Times’ article suggests:

“Horror is the genre that makes you feel something, like comedy makes you laugh,” said Andrew Form, a partner in Michael Bay’s company Platinum Dunes, which produced the new “Friday the 13th.” “It elicits an immediate response. You sit down in the seat and you just know that your hand’s probably going to be over your eyes and you’re going to be waiting for those jumps. For 90 minutes, you’re guaranteed to feel something.”

What about you? Do you like horror movies? Why do you think they’re so popular now? And a final question: 20 years ago, the horror genre’s audience was almost exclusively male; now the audience split is 50–50 men and women. What do you think is going on with that trend?

Comment Archive