Horror Movies!

November 3^rd Edition

We are now leaving the “spooky/scary” part of the calendar and we are entering the Thanksgiving/Christmas period. Funny how that works isn’t it? Our cultural rhythms have tended to go that way these past several decades. The “scary/spooky” part carried much less weight many years ago. However, these days, we seem to be enamored with Halloween shenanigans. Maybe the Halloween and Freddie Kruger type movie series played a part, or maybe Stephen King novels captured our imagination- who knows?  What we do know is that we are now full-on into the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. So, let the fun begin!

But before that, let me speculate on why we are so enamored with the horror genres. I mean, why do people want to expose themselves to horror, fear and nightmares? I think that it is a matter of control. Remember my theorem that control is the antidote to anxiety? Horror movies, ironically, might fit right into that.

In a movie theater, we can simulate terror cinematically, and often realistically and even effectively. But in the end, it is just a movie. In fact, years ago, an effective movie trailer subtext was “it’s only just a movie…” So, we get to experience thrills and horror and fear from the comfort of a theater seat. We have control over the environment, except to the extent we choose to get lost in the movie. But again, in the end, we know that we will walk out of that theater intact, and not the meal of some monster, or the victim of brain seeking zombies. We have control of the ending.

So, my friends, for those of you who enjoy such movies, by all means, enjoy the vicarious anxiety and dread, because in the end, you can go home and be in control of your own situation!

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving/Christmas!