Emotional Themes of the Horror Film
What attracts a person to a horror film? Is it an unconscious need to vicariously experience the roles of the characters involved in order to fill some kind of mental void? As a self professed horror film aficionado, these questions have always intrigued me. Many film buffs have put forth their own 
theories on the subject but a singular, definitive answer has yet to be found. It is not my intention to add more to this debate. Instead, I only offer my own thoughts and ideas as a film enthusiast who's a fan of the genre.
The psychological effects of the horror film are like no other. During my repeated viewings of such films I have experienced many different emotions. These feelings have been a constant mix of fear, anger, sympathy and retribution. In his book Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture, Kendall R. Phillips explores this phenomenon in great detail. While reading his work, I was again reminded that the cinema is a powerful force which has given voice to the unconscious fears of the American audience.
In The Thing From Another World, a mysterious alien force has cleverly disguised itself to walk amongst us. When this film debuted, the American public was in the grip of various spy scandals along with the beginnings of both the Cold War and the conflict in Korea. The group dynamic was expertly translated from the screen to the collective consciousness of theater goers. As the characters in the film struggle with issues of trustworthiness, so too did the American public agonize over whether they could put their faith in their neighbor.
The psychological effects of the horror film are like no other. During my repeated viewings of such films I have experienced many different emotions. These feelings have been a constant mix of fear, anger, sympathy and retribution. In his book Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture, Kendall R. Phillips explores this phenomenon in great detail. While reading his work, I was again reminded that the cinema is a powerful force which has given voice to the unconscious fears of the American audience.
In The Thing From Another World, a mysterious alien force has cleverly disguised itself to walk amongst us. When this film debuted, the American public was in the grip of various spy scandals along with the beginnings of both the Cold War and the conflict in Korea. The group dynamic was expertly translated from the screen to the collective consciousness of theater goers. As the characters in the film struggle with issues of trustworthiness, so too did the American public agonize over whether they could put their faith in their neighbor.