Horror Movies: An Art Form?

Ever since the advent of celluloid films, horror movies have always held a fascination for viewers. Just why do people pay good money to be scared out of their wits? Apart from its entertainment value, the horror movie satisfies certain primordial needs in man. Through the horror movies, one is able to come to grips with one's personal demons, fear of death and other irrational phobias and in the process achieve a catharsis. Far from being morbid, such movies actually affirm life for the movie-goer, for he is able to emerge from the dark into the light, both literally and figuratively, having explored the world beyond our normal perception as well as the deep recesses of the human soul and say, "It's good to be alive."

Horror movies force us to confront our many fears and phobias, chief among them, our fear of the dark. Even their titles reflect this: Night of the Living Dead, Fright Night, Dracula, Prince of Darkness, Dark Waters. Because movies, by their very nature, must be viewed in the dark, this is an element that is highly exploited and capitalized upon by movie-maker...