Unveiling Our Atavistic Fears - The Thrill of Horror Films! 🎬💪
Top ten prevalent anxieties and terrors instilled in spectators through horror flicks:
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- USA, 1975
- Horror, Thriller
- Duration: 2 hours 4 minutes
- IMDb: 8.1
Are sharks truly the alarming water predators they're portrayed as in movies? Statistically, the answer is a resounding no. With only a few dozen attacks each year, humans actually instigate half of these incidents! Regrettably, only around ten swimmers lose their life from these."jaws"-taking events - even deer and hippos, innocent creatures, claim more victims. Despite these statistics, people continue to overestimate the danger posed by these underwater behemoths.
Steven Spielberg's genre-defining film "Jaws" plays a significant role in nurturing such fears. In the movie, a sheriff in a picturesque coastal town unravels a horrifying truth: a monstrous great white shark is behind the gruesome attacks on swimmers. Accompanied by an alarmed chase, the shark is depicted as relentless, leaving an indelible imprint on pop culture.
*UK, USA, 1976* Horror, Thriller* Duration: 1 hour 51 minutes* IMDb: 7.5
Ever since the 1960s, cinema has featured children as frightening entities, fueling societal concerns over parenthood and child-rearing. In "The Village of the Damned" and "Rosemary's Baby," hair-raising blonde children and an unborn child, respectively, emerge as formidable antagonists. The crescendo of dark tales culminates with "The Omen," in which an innocent young boy is portrayed as the Antichrist. Having added terror to the innocent facade of children, films like these set the stage for scary children to become a mainstay in horror.
- USA, 2018
- Horror, Drama
- Duration: 2 hours 7 minutes
- IMDb: 7.3
While it's certainly not advisable to stick one's body parts out of a car window, there is no global statistic on such injuries. Medical dictionaries, however, do contain the term "traffic elbow." The severity of these injuries ranges from minor bruises to debilitating fractures.
The 2018 film "Hereditary" reminds us of the gravity of disregarding traffic safety rules. Although this movie lacks jump scares, it manages to weave an eerie web through each family member's problems, unveiling deep-seated secrets that leave viewers with a chilling experience.
*United Kingdom, France, 2005* Horror, Thriller* Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes* IMDb: 7.2
An estimated 12.5% of the population suffers from claustrophobia, an intense fear of confined spaces. Imagine the horror of exploring tight passages, a complete darkness enveloping you, and uncertainty looming large. Now, delve into the pitch-black darkness of caverns and ravines with "The Descent." In this chilling film, six friends bicker their way through caves, only to confront an unexpected collapse that leaves them stranded.
Apart from the ample jump scares, the horror lies in the oppressive sensation of the surrounding space - narrow passages, complete darkness, and searing uncertainty. Even if you haven't experienced claustrophobia before, "The Descent" might compel you to reconsider caving tours.
*United States, 1941* Horror, Fantasy* Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes* IMDb: 7.2
Wolves are indeed formidable creatures. However, the probability of recording a fatality due to wolf attacks is indeed slim - only twenty-six deaths worldwide have been reported since 2002, with one-fourth of these deaths resulting not from bites but from rabies infection. Nonetheless, popular culture plays a significant role in fueling our fear of these animals. The classic "The Wolf Man" is a prime example, as are various other horror films that feature werewolves and the dread of bloodthirsty wolves descending upon humans.
*USA, Canada.* Horror, thriller, detective.* Duration: 3 hours 12 minutes.* IMDb: 6.8.
"Coulrophobia," the fear of clowns, has gained legitimacy, but it remains an unofficial disease. The roots of this fear arise from the so-called "uncanny valley" effect - painted faces have an eerie quality, and clowns' grotesque expressions exacerbate this feeling. Add the unpredictable nature and disregard for social norms exhibited by clowns, and you have the perfect recipe for stirring fear.
Of course, we cannot forget the successful (terrifying) clown character, Pennywise, featured in the film "It" based on Stephen King's renowned novel. Once you've heard the chilling words, "You'll float too," it's hard to erase the thought of being eaten alive.
- USA, Canada, 2003.
- Horror, thriller.
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.
- IMDb: 6.2.
In the thrilling "Final Destination 2," a massive accident involving a logging truck introduces the fear of these formidable vehicles. Since the inception of the "Final Destination" franchise, the intent seems to have been to stir up our fears - the first film taught us to fear airplanes, the third, tanning beds, and the most recent part, ice cubes.
"Final Destination 2" has left an indelible impression, making many drivers cautious when approaching logging trucks. However, viewers can rest assured knowing that, in reality, logs don't act like pancakes when they fall from the truck - they roll along the road instead. Nevertheless, the sheer danger remains.
"Final Destination: Bloodlines" - a welcome return to the franchise's roots that showcases the carnage hidden within snowy mountain resorts.
It's an open secret that ski resorts offer numerous opportunities to sustain injuries or, in the worst-case scenario, lose one's life. Aside from common risks like falling or colliding with another skier, there's the added danger of consuming tainted pastries. But after "Frozen," it became apparent that the most terrifying aspect isn't descending the mountain but ascending it.
*USA, 1977.* Horror, Sci-Fi.* Duration: 1 hour 31 minutes.* IMDb: 5.7.
The fear of spiders, or "arachnophobia," is prevalent, as evidenced by the 1990 film "Arachnophobia." Although most spiders are harmless, the internet is littered with lists of venomous species. Ironically, fewer than ten death cases resulting from spider bites are recorded each year (reindeer still present a greater danger).
Popular culture, including films like "Kingdom of the Spiders," serves only to nurture this fear. In this film, residents of a small town find themselves besieged by tarantulas, which display deceptive intelligence due to pesticide use. As the spiders run rampant, they attack irrationally, killing their victims with venom and swaths of webs.
*USA, 2014.* Horror, Thriller, Detective.* Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes.* IMDb: 5.5.
Childhood fears can be the most menacing, and nothing beats the dread evoked by dolls. The "uncanny valley" effect is to blame - dolls are given human facial features, making them far from comforting sight. Horror films have taken advantage of this fear, often depicting dolls as conduits for evil. Ponder the classic "Child's Play" series, in which an ominous doll named Chucky assumes the form of a slasher villain, or "M3GAN," a dancing robot with artificial intelligence.
James Wan successful immortalized the fear of dolls by integrating Annaбеll into the "Conjuring" universe. With Annabelle spawning its own trilogy, it's Annaбеll's disquieting smile that has haunted many a sleepless night. Fascinating fact: Annabelle is not just a figment of imagination - a supposedly cursed doll occupies a spot in the Warrens' museum.
- The horror genre in entertainment often explores children as antagonists, as seen in films like "The Village of the Damned" and "Rosemary's Baby," raising concerns about parenthood and child-rearing.
- In the world of movies and TV entertainment, suspenseful thrillers such as "The Descent" capitalize on people's fear of confined spaces and unknown dangers, particularly in films like "The Descent," which focuses on the horror of being stranded in a series of narrow, pitch-black caves.
