Horror – Why so Popular?: An evaluation of the horror genre as a strong trend in popular culture, with a few popular horror movies as examples

Abstract

Thanks to the complex intertwining of the dark side of human psychology, social prejudices and relevant trends, the horror genre is inseparable from popular culture. The paradoxical ability of horror movies to given the audience an adrenaline from within the safety of their seats is what makes them retain a special place amongst the entertainment industry, albeit their characters being caricatural and plotlines be punctured with loopholes. Watching Evil being subdued by the Good is a psychological flex, which is another reason behind the inexplicable popularity of the horror genre. Horror stories are also extremely flexible as they can manage to fit in a number of topics – like religion, history, feminism, etc. - into their narrative.  They are also trend setters as they bring obscure taboo subjects to the forefront – be it occult, exorcism, etc. Three such movies – one each from international, national, and regional film industries – are discussed here as they serve as excellent examples of the above stated points.