Why people watch horror films

To over come fears = people watch horror films in order to face there fears. I.e. they might watch a vampire film because they have a phobia of vampires which they want to overcome, and by watching a film on them this is how they do that.

Socialising = just like any film, people enjoy watching films together as part of socialising and being with their friends.

Adrenaline rush = horror films, scare people which releases endorphins like adrenaline, as humans we like the way this makes us feel and so by watching horror films this can happen more often.

Exploration of a taboo subject = in horror films, themes and issues that are "wrong" e.g. murder, rape, torture are explored, and in normal life situations they are not, so people watch them because they normally don't get a chance and in horror films they are "acceptable" in some kind of way. Toolbox Murders and Saw are examples of the exploration of a taboo subject.

Intrigue = after seeing an advert for a horror film, or a trailer, this usually intrigues people to watch the film, this is especially the case with horror films as people enjoy being scared.

Escapism = as horror films are not real and are usually highly exaggerated, it gives people the opportunity to escape from there real lives and experience something very different. Stardust is an example of a film that can be used for escapism.