Have you ever wondered why we love to be scared when watching movies? If they make us feel so uncomfortable and “scared,” why then do we continue to watch? It comes as no surprise that great scary movies are something that many people love. There is something about watching a hair raising show that gets under our skin. For most movie enthusiasts, this topic is not something that is pondered much. However, let’s take a look at why we like to be scared while watching a movie.

For some people it could be that they enjoy snuggling with their significant other. They like the feeling of having that special person protect them. For them, this experience is more than simply watching a thrilling show. But for the rest of us motion-picture fans, there is something else.

All of the best scary movies have a villain. It is sometimes someone or something so hideous that we hate to look. However, we do look, and often enjoy every minute of it. Most horror movie villains are merely repellent. There are not many that move us to the point of truly frightening us. However, there are a few that really get to us. A good example is Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal Lecter is one of the few villains who makes such an impact. Even in captivity, he is deeply unnerving. The first time we see him, he is imprisoned underground in the final cell of a high-security dungeon. He is not behind bars, like the other prisoners. He must be different. He was placed behind unbreakable Plexiglas. It immediately gives the impression that this bad guy is worse than all other bad guys.

Like Hannibal, many of the scariest villains look real. They don’t give the impression of some unbelievable creature. He is simply a human being just like all of the other people we run into every day. Yet he is different. He is evil beyond our imagination. If he could consume a human being, then maybe Joe, my neighbor could as well. After all, he does act a little strange sometimes.

When the movie reaches those few climactic points, our adrenaline rushes. Our hearts beat faster, and we even breathe differently. That rush is something that we love. It is similar to the thrill of a roller coaster ride. We dread it, but we love it , all at the same time.

It is the great scary movies that stay with us long after we watch them. We leave the theater with gasps and laughter as the tension is relieved. So then why do we love them so much. For many people, it is the anticipation of the villain and the thrill when he bursts onto the screen. It grabs our interest and will not let go, not even after the movie ends. This is why we love scary movies. The experience lives on, even after the show ends.