Psychology Behind Scary Movies
Are you really scared of watching a scary movie, does it impact your mind for long? People opt for different choices in movies to get entertained, some love romantic stories, some are fond of action and science-fiction films, even some are most likely crazy for horror and thrilling movies. Lets’ find out what is the mysterious psychology behind viewers of horror and scary movies, and how these movies affect our mind, thoughts even do they really good for health.
Health research few years back in 2012 done by University of Westminster (United Kingdom) found that watching a scary movie can actually burn your calories up to 113 calories, it is an overall average estimate for about a 90-minute movie, which is the equivalent amount of calorie ratio in a chocolate bar. A study done by health experts on people while watching scary movie, monitored and recorded-heart beat rate, body inhaling oxygen level, and exhaling carbon dioxide percentage. So if you skip your health regime a day or your busy schedule enables you to attend a gym, even if you feel lazy on weekends must watch a scary movie to keep yourself healthy and fit.
Apart from calorie burning scary movies affect our mind too, and put psychological impression for long. Some people find horror and scary movies really terrifying and for some they are just the source of fun entertainment. It depends individual to individual. Glenn Spark, a PhD professor of Communication at Purdue University said, if you are watching a scary movie with positive emotions so when you will recall that movie, it will be as like fun and great enjoyed moment with your dear-near ones. Moreover, if your experience was negative and you got frightened them at the moment of recalling you might can go through scary emotions and negative traits.
For some unwanted dangers are sparks of grisly accidents and might can lead to hypersensitivity behavior, but some literally enjoy gory violence and look forward with more curiosity. Visual effects, surround sound, screaming and shouting in the room can affect your heart, brain and emotions and might tag your feels with environment like you are in crazy roller coaster. Some can find horror movies frightening can fall with side effects like anxiety, bad nightmares, restlessness, lack of sleep and even hypertension.
Now we are going to share a synopsis about top ten scariest and horror movies of Hollywood and if you are of those who are really scared of these kind movies, either watch them with loved dear ones or in daytime, if do not have these two options, then don’t go for it more or less if you are not comfortable for uneven screaming and mysterious actions.
Hollywood’s Top Ten Scary Movies Of All Time
1. The Shining (1980)
Is a psychological-horror movie of Hollywood, was released in the year 1980. The film is adapted from a novel with the same name, “The Shining” written by novelist Stephen King in 1977. Moreover, the actual movie plot is slightly different from the novel. This British-American movie is produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, screenplay by Diane Johnson and Stanley Kubrick. The film’s storyline is plotted around three main characters, a man, his wife, and their son. The lead role of a man is played by Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance who is a writer and was previously working as a teacher at a small preparatory school.
His sexual hunger, drug addiction, alcoholism and explosive temper cost his job and social circle. Jack Torrance is married to Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall) and both had a son Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd). He gave up his drug and alcohol addiction by promising Wendy, when he was addicted and in his unconscious behavior, breaks his son’s arm. Jack Torrance got his new job as winter caretaker of an isolated Overlook Hotel in a mountain of Colorado so he and his family decided to shift over there for an off season care-taking.
In the movie his son Danny is possessed sensitive psychic ability of telepathy, and is able to see and feel disturbing figures in the hotel. This special and extraordinary power known as, “The Shining”, which shows him about past and future. He sees mysterious things and discovers that the hotel haunted and those crazy spirits are affecting Jack’s behavior, driving him as insane. The movie was nominated for Razzie Awards (1981) for worst Actress and Worst Director, award for Best Supporting Actor by Saturn Award, even was nominated in the same event (Saturn Award) for Best Director, Best Horror Film, Best Music.
2: The Orphan (2009)
Is an American psychological-horror feature film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey, Screenplay by David Leslie Johnson. The movie was released in 2009 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The Imdb rating of the movie is 7 out of 10, which is quite impressing. The storyline is about an adopted 9 year old girl, whose behavior was less mysterious, was adopted by a couple.
The female role in the movie as mother is played by Vera Farmiga as Kate Coleman and father character is played by Peter Sarsgaard as John Coleman, they both were coping with the grief of their third unborn child, and Kate was specially recovering from the stress and habit of alcoholism. So at last, the couple decided to adopt a Russian girl named Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), their son Daniel (Jimmy Ennett) was quite unfriendly with Esther and their daughter Max (Aryana Engine Ber) who played the role of deaf girls, grab her with warm hold. Later, Kate found Easter quite suspicious and manipulative, even mature above her age.
At the end Kate and John came to know about Esther’s past, but a call done since Dr. Värava (Karel Roden), the director of the Saarne Institute, he reveals that Esther is actually a woman of 33 years old named Leena Klammer, what she pretends she is not so and suffering from a hormone disorder named “hypopituitarism”, here she stunted with a sick mind of sexual appetite, to seduce father and have a sexual relationship. End of the movie is quite frightening Esther or Leena kills John and Kate find him dead after reaching home, she messes and struggles with Esther and find a way to hide herself and Max near the frozen pond. Near the pond Kate and Esther fights with each other and at last, Kate kicked her face and send her body back to the pond and saves herself and Max. The movie was not only nominated by Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards ( 2009) for Best Actress (Isabelle Fuhrman), was even nominated by Fangoria Chainsaw Awards (2010) under same category as Best Actress (Isabelle Fuhrman), award for Best Actress (Isabelle Fuhrman) (2009) by Fright Meter Awards was nominated under same category in same event, but by different actress too Best Actress (Vera Farmiga), the movie was again nominated under same awarded event as Best Screenplay by David Leslie Johnson.
3: The Conjuring (2013)
Is an American horror movie released in the year 2013, the movie is plotted on supernatural suspense, directed by James Wan, produced by Tony DeRosa-Grund, Peter Safran, Rob Cowan, written by: Chad Hayes and Carey Hays. The movies start with a family who shifts to an old isolated farmhouse in Rhode island and how the things go mysterious inside. At last, they called up paranormal investigators to survey and examine the house and help them do get out of such strange activities, and need to save the family by exorcism.
The role is played by Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren, Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren as paranormal investigators, parents as Lily Taylor as Carlyn Perron, Ron Livingston as Roger Perron and their 5 daughters, Andrea Person (Shanley Caswell), Nancy Perron (Hayley McFarland), Christine Persson (Joey King), Cindy Persson (Mckenzie Foy), April Persson (Kyla Deaver). The investigations found that house is haunted by witches and so that’s why targeting the Perron family. The whole plot of the movie is about devil spirits in the farmhouse where a woman sacrificed her seven-day child to the devil and, who so ever lived in the farmhouse will suffer from haunted things and was forced by the spirit of that lady to force for same. The movie won many awards and was nominated too. Movie Awarded for:
Empire Awards: Best Horror
Saturn Awards: Best Horror Film
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards: Best Wide Release Film, Best Supporting Actress (Lili Taylor), Best Horror Movie, Best Director (James Wan), Best Cinematography (John R. Leonetti), Fright Meter Awards for Best Ensemble Cast, many others. The movie was nominated under many categories Best Science-Fiction/Horror Movie, Best Actress in Lead Role, Best Special Effects, Best Editing, Best Make-Up, etc.
4: The Omen (1976)
Is a British-American, supernatural horror movie, directed by Richard Donner, produced by Harvey Bernhard, written by David Seltzer. The movie is about mysterious and ominous deaths. The overall casting is about adopting a child who was an Antichrist, and the parents are not awarded for this. The lead character is the child’s father after the adoption is played by Gregory Pack as Robert Thorn and as mother Lee Remick as Katherine Thron. Plotting is about that Robert Thorn in hospital with his wife Katherine Thron, who is pregnant and at the time of delivery she gave birth to baby boy, who died after moments because of some complications, at last Robert Thorn decides to replace this gap with an adoption of a baby boy so he secretly adopts an orphan with the help of Father Spiletto (Martin Benson), didn’t reveal this truth of secret adoption to his wife.
The couple name the child Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens). Later, Robert is appointed as U.S Ambassador of the United Kingdom and Father Brennan, a Catholic Priest warns Robert about Damien’s mysterious truth. At least by taking the help of Keith Jennings (David Warner) in finding the truth about Damien’s origin and the movies ends with Robert and his wife Katherine’s funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. And Damien is in the legal custody of Robert’s brother, who is the President of the United States, and Damien’s smile was simply showing what’s next he will do with none of regret and grudge. The film received many awards and nominations in various categories, from acting to music and in technical achievements and much more.
The Imdb rating is 7 out of 10 which is quite impressive. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and nominated for Best Original Song, “Ave Satani” in the same event. Movie awarded by Grammy for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture. BAFTA nominated Billie Whitelaw for Best Supporting Actress, she was also awarded for Best Actress in Evening Standard British Film Award, Best Actor category was filled by Gregory Peck by Saturn Award, in the same event movie was nominated for Best Horror Film. British Society of Cinematographers awarded Gilbert Taylor, for Best Cinematography. Golden Globe Awards, nominated Harvey Stephens for Best Acting Debut-Male. David Seltzer’s original screenplay was nominated by the Writers Guide of America for Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen. Best Motion Picture nomination by Edgar Allan Poe Award.
5: The Ring (2002)
Is American psychological horror movies about supernatural powers, actually the remake of Japanese horror-drama movie “Ring”, which was actually based on the novel, “Ring” written by novelist Koji Suzuki. The movie grossed over $249 million, got positive reviews and was even praised by millions of fans worldwide. His movie was followed by two sequels, The Ring Two (2005) and Rings (2016).
The movie plot is about a mysterious video tape who is responsible for killing of four teenagers and one who watches that video, receives a phone call telling them they will die within one week. Naomi Watts as Rachel Keller played role of young journalists and reveals about mysterious video and shut door dark side of it. She watches that haunted video and even his son, so at last she races with time to save herself and her son live. Rachel and her divorced husband Noah Clay discover the unknown secret of the video tape and together breaks the rule of “death in seven days”, the mysterious curse ends.
The film ranked no. 20 on the Cable Channel Braco’s list among 100 Scariest Movie Moments and was ranked 6th in the list of the “Top 20 Horror Films of the Decade” by Bloody Disgusting. The movie was nominated and awarded for many, The Imdb ranking about the film is 7.1 out of 10 which is really a good score for this horror-drama. The movie was awarded by Teen Choice Award (2003) for Best Horror Movie, MTV Movie Awards (2003) nominated Daveigh Chase as Best Villain, even Saturn Awards (2002) awarded film under category Best Movie Horror, Best Actress as Naomi Watts and Best Movie.
6: The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
Is an American horror movie about psychological thriller, released in the year 1991. the was adapted from a novel by the same name, “The Silence Of The Lambs” written by Thomas Harris in 1988. The film is directed by Jonathan Demme, produced by Kenneth Utt, Edward Saxon and Ron Bozman, Screenplay by Ted Tally. The movie grossed over grossed $272.7 million worldwide and was almost box office hit.
Rating of the movies is surprisingly at a highest graph of about 95% rotten tomatoes and 84% in Metacritic rating, 8.4 scoring out of 10. In the movie the lead role is played by Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, a young FBI agent at Quantico, Virgina. The storyline is cast in very suspicious form, to help a woman who is already missing and was on the list of a psychopathic serial killer who actually kills over-weight women and skins them to make “Women suit” for himself, he is really sick minded personality named as Jame Gumb or “Buffalo Bill”, the character of psych-serial killer is played by Ted Levine. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) of the Bureau’s Behavioral Science Unit assigns Clarice Starling to investigate and interview Hannibal Lecter, who used to be a psychiatrist and can help him and Clarice in finding the serial killer.
The Movie was awarded under five categories of Academy Awards for Best Picture: Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt, Ronald M. Bozman, Best Director: Johnathan Demme, Best Actress: Jodie Foster, Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins and Best Adapted Screenplay: Ted Tally. Even won awards by Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress: Jodie Foster, awarded by British Academy film Awards under Best Actor: Anthony Hopkins and Best Actress: Jodie Foster.
7: Blair Witch Project (1999)
Is an American horror movie, directed by Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez, written by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez and produced by Gregg hale and Robin Cowie. The is amount three filmmakers, students Heather Donahue, Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard, who planned out for a shoot for a documentary film. The total count of the movie grossing success is over $248 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful independent movies of all time.
The plot explains about the mysterious disappearing of three students who visited Burkittsville mountains for making of Blair Witch documentary and interviews local population to know about the legend of the Blair Witch. People living locally, they come to know about the unrevealed truth about a man RustinParr, a hermit who used to kidnap children, he one kidnapped & children and brought them to his house in the woods, where he use to tortured and murdered the all.
Till few days, all the students discover and tries to find out the evidence about Blair Witch and at the extreme they feel about darkness and screaming of murdered children. The sixth morning Joshua Leonard is found disappeared, and their recording equipments were found, one year later, with a footage what we actually the footage of the movie. The movies were nominated by Global film Critics Award under the category Best Screenplay by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, awarded by Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award for Best Film and many more. The average rating of the movie is 6.4 out of 10 (IMDB) 86% popularity by rotten tomatoes and 81% by Metacritic.
8: The Others (2001)
Film was released in the year 2001 basically a Spanish-American horror film about supernatural elements and psychological story. The picture is directed by Alejandro Amenábar, produced by Fernando Borvairs, Jose Luis Cuerda and Sumin Park, written by Alejandro Amenábar. The gross budget of the movie was estimated about $17million and grossing at box office $209.9 million worldwide. The IMDB rating is 7.6 out of 10 and got impressive popularity among the fans and followers is 83% worldwide.
The lead role of the female character is played by Nicole Kidman at Grace Stewart. Grace Stewart is quite religious kind of women who is also a devoted mother of two young children lived in a remote countryside house at the British Crown Dependency of Jersey. Both her children were suffering from uncommon disease termed as “photo-sensitivity” and are not comfortable when exposed to sunlight, so Grace keep her children (one boy and one girl) Anna, daughter (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas, son (James Bently) inside the home and hire three servants, the day when they three entered home, strange things started happening and Grace wanders about her house, might be haunted.
At the end after ending up of all mysterious events at the house, grace and her children lived happily and firms that, “this is our house, and nobody can make us leave”. She feels that God has granted her and her family with his blessings and a second chance to live life. The movie won eight Goya Awards, in various categories- Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Production Supervision, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound. Saturn Awards for Best Director, Best Writing, Best Performance by a Young Actor, Best Horror Film, best Actress, Best Supporting Actress. Kidman was also nominated for Golden Globe Award for best Actress in Drama and BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Original Screenplay, London Film Critics for Best Actress of the Year, many other nominations and awards.
Also Read: Top 10 Highly Popular Game of Thrones Characters That You Can’t Ignore
9: Insidious (2011-2013)
It is actually a series of American supernatural horror films in three parts. Insidious first was released in the year 2011, directed by James Wan, produced by Jason Blum, Steven Schnider, Oren Peli, written by: Leigh Whannell. The overall storyline is about a family, who shifted in their new home and couple found things going mysterious after entering his son Dalton in coma-stage, who becomes a vessel for ghost in an astral dimension and that just want control over his body for more freaky disasters.
The couple then calls upon paranormal investigators Elise Reiner (Lin Shaye), Specs (Leigh Whannell), and Tucker (Angus Sampson). The lead role in female is played by Rose Byrne as Renai, the lead male character is played by Patrick Wilson as Josh, and their three children, 2 sons Dalton (Ty Simpkins) and Foster (Andrew Astor) and infant daughter Cali. The movie gross over above the movie budget, at box office movie earned $97 million worldwide. In the year 2011 movie released and awarded by Fright Meter Award under two categories, Best Horror Film and Best Supporting Actress.
Even got nominated for various subjects in same event function Best Director, Best Actress, Best Screenplay. Insidious was also nominated, Saturn Awards (2011) for Best Supporting Actress. Got nominated for 2011 Scream Awards for Best Horror Film, Best Horror Actor, Best Horror Actress. Later the movie’s sequel and pre sequel were released as Insidious: Chapter2 (2013), and Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015). the series have grossed $ 357 million worldwide. It is quite confusing when we are not of the actual plot because each of the parts is inherited with various stories and characters. The latest project of Insidious movies is almost planned to be released in the year 2017.
10: Saw (2004)
This is a psychological horror movie of Hollywood, directed by James Wan, produced by Gregg Hoffman, Mark Burg and Oren Koules, screenplay by Leigh Whannell, it is quite a low budget movie but grossed over $100 million worldwide.
This movie is shot 18 day shoot. Plotted on two men, who wake up suddenly in dirt washroom and are chained to pipes and between them both is a serial killer with a gun in hand and a tape-recorder. The both men in chained found a tape in their pockets and played, the taper is recorded with task that, both of them has to unchain themselves and then has to each other by 6:00, and if they are unable their wife and daughter will die. The movie is actually really horrifying and built in with panic terror. The film won 10 awards for various under numerous categories and got one nomination.