Horror: As Entertainment

Some people think it is fun to feel afraid. I couldn’t find precise numbers on the free internet, but it’s estimated that 10% of feature films are horror movies. When we add in TV or streaming shows and independent films, I suspect that number may be higher.

A lot of what I could find on the free internet uses data that is heading towards 10 years old. Still, the general consensus seems to be that even in the 2020s, horror films are both profitable and popular. 

Anecdotally, in my experience as a public librarian, books with elements of horror remain popular. They are not as often directly asked for as other genres, but they definitely have a devoted readership.

Also, when I browse streaming services for TV shows and movies, it feels like there are more horror options than all the others combined. I’ve not taken the time to count because:

1. I don’t want to know enough for it to be worth my time to count.
2. I don’t want to look at those scary thumbnail images.

Regardless of my personal preferences, many people seem to enjoy horror. 

There are many subgenres of horror. It seems to me that supernatural films are the most frequently promoted, but browsing through results for an internet search asking “most popular types of horror films,” suggests that psychological horror is the most popular. 

I wonder if this is because psychological horror requires more skilled writing and acting, so these movies get made less often, but when they do, they tend to be higher quality and more frequently watched and talked about.

In contrast, supernatural horror has the advantage of relying on the unknown. I wonder if these films are cheaper to produce and easier to write because the horror comes from the uncertainty every human has more than from carefully manipulating human emotions.

With psychological horror, it seems that you would mostly need to stick with reality, but masterfully present it to produce the desired emotions. With supernatural horror, it seems that you could simply suggest an idea that no one can prove or disprove because it relies on what no human can know.

Putting aside my musings, horror is a popular form of entertainment.

All I ask is that you not make me encounter it.