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Fear obsessed: Why do some love to be scared?
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What is the world's fascination with the dark side and the sense of fear? This is a question many have pondered over. The news, media, and some angry parent organizations have wondered this for years. Some just enjoy the rush. Others want a reason to be closer to their significant others and grasp onto them in the moment of fright and shock. There are many outlets for gaining this rush, although each individual goes about it in a different manner.
Everyone loves a good scare. For ages, roller coasters at Coney Island, Six Flags and other amusement parks around the world have provided them, along with endless screams as adrenaline is forced through the bodies of many breathless passengers. Some say it's a rush because they know they are safe and secure within the padded bars of the ride. Others enjoy the speed and unpredictability of what's going to happen next right around the corner, on the other side of the railed curb or over the steep drop. For some, it's the physical feeling they get as they take the first drop, leaving their stomaches at the top. The speed, the rush and the excitement keep them coming back for more... year after endless year.
Another form of excitement is sought out by the new wave movement of extreme sports. Surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, motor cross, skiing and other (now) popular televised sports are an outlet of aggressive energy for many. Many sports channels are showing more of these athletic activities at a growing rate, some even surpassing classic sports such as baseball, basketball, tennis or football. Sports such as roller derby and ice hockey are becoming more popular to fans these days. Racing... motorcycles, dirt bikes, cars and even go-carts is making its mark across the nation. Some are pure racing, while others are daredevil stunt infested. Spectators even get just as much a rush as the participants themselves. A selective few will even tell you they don't don't care who wins or loses, they are just waiting for an explosion or accident. Is this behavior sadistic? Some say so and others think it's all in fun.
Another pure form of fear inducing, heart pounding action is skydiving. It has progressed from simply jumping out of an airplane... to acrobats, stunts and trickeries in the sky at a free falling 120 miles per hour. Now, more than one participant is usually involved. Sometimes up to twenty or more at a time can be seen twirling, spiraling and falling from the sky all at once. There are many ways to feel the fear and excitement that gets the blood flowing. While these people, and even spectators are out risking their lives and sometimes the lives of others, others like to get their own blood flowing by constantly riding the couch in the comfort of their own home. Even if this means watching the flowing blood of helpless victims on the television.
Horror movies have been around for as long (or longer) than the world's fastest roller coasters. The fan base for these film have even surpassed some of the above mentioned sports and other recreational activities. Films such as Nosferatu, King Kong, Dracula, Invaders From Mars and Frankenstein have been around for ages. From the silent and black and white era of film, to the full colored carnage of today's cinematic masterpieces. In the 1960s, Alfred Hitchcock introduced us to his “psycho” of a Motel owner, Norman Bates. He based this film off of the novel by Robert Bloch, which loosely based this character off of the actual serial killer/cannibal, Ed Gein. Later, Herschell Gordon Lewis took the blood and violence to a whole new level with his debut horror gem, Blood Feast. This over gory film stamped Herschell with the nickname “The Godfather of Gore.”
From the era of Psycho and Blood Feast, more and more blood started to flow. The kill scenes became more graphic and the body count always tried to out do everything that came before. Just as the fear inducing sports, this keeps the blood thirsty fans running back for more. Some that mostly shun these types of films will always give them a chance if they are with someone to protect them from the madmen (or even women) on the screen. It is a reason to cuddle closer to a protector. For some, it can even become a turn on factor.
Thrills, chills and crimson spills usually lace these creature features of the late night. Sometimes, the creatures are nothing more than human. Horror films are usually at the top of the box office upon their release and have been for many years. Even those not into the genre know the name Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers or (probably the most infamous), the burned face child murderer, Freddy Krueger. Halloween costumes can be seen worn by many ages, from as young as nine (or even younger) to as aged as thirty or above. This is a genre that will never die as long as the human nature is drawn to fear and excitement.
As disturbing as Freddy's background is (a parent lynched, dream stalking child murderer), his face can be seen on many children walking from door to door on that special night at the end of October. Showing that even fear can be passed down from generation to generation. Most of the children dressed up as Krueger are too technically young to even view the movies of the razored gloved child killer that they are portraying. This should be a sign to the masses that these famous faces of fear, fright and horror will be around for generations to come. Today around the world, conventions, festivals and many other special occasions are held in the name of fear... all year round.
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