Why We Crave Horror Movies

Stephen King’s essay on, “Why We Crave Horror Movies,” very interesting and explains the dreadful justification he personally offers for developing movies and novels associated with terror and fear. The title should have been "Why I Crave Horror Movies!!" because he is speaking from his point of view and is based on his opinions. He starts off by saying "I THINK WE ARE ALL MENTALLY ILL", this statement alone sets the tone for the essay. It isn't based on any facts at all. He didn't offer statistics, survey results, nor was there any concrete information to support his claims.

He continually illustrates the benefit of feeding into mental illness and attempts to convince the reader that everyone should acknowledge his viewpoint on the acceptance insanity as a normal human condition. His suggestion that he specifically targets young minds and hearts with his drastic accounts of death, murder and chaos borders on criminal. Comparing horror to a “fairy-tale” and a means of relief runs against the average person’s beliefs and value system. Horror movies offer suspense, which is why mean people enjoy a good horror movie. And the degree of analogies presented! Jack the Ripper vs picking your nose are hardly in the same category. Nor would picking your nose prevent anyone from being invited to the best parties. How demonic is Jack the Ripper?

Personally, the final straw was his statement pertaining to those that desire and practice as a way of life the ability to resist the thoughts and actions of anger and negative emotion. Has he had a child or a loved-one act out their insanity and ended up in prison or worse? I think not or he could not in good conscience assert the conclusions included in the essay. Why not just call it entertainment and leave it at that. Stephen King has a very strong introduction because it immediately grasped the attention of the reader, but the conclusion was a bit confusing. It was a convincing essay; however, perhaps as a seemingly insane individual he is trying to convince himself that he has virtue. His fascination for horror is very clear. Writing books and movies based on horror seems to provide some relief for someone like him. Committing himself to an asylum for a reasonable period oftime just might change his opinions on insanity. Ha!