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As a 30 year old adult, I still love to go to the movies to see scary movies. I like the suspense, the plot, but not the gore of these films. As a child, I was forbidden to see them...they became a "forbidden fruit" in which I was couldn't wait to get older to see them. However, the interest in seeing horror films did not go away. I still watch most that come out in the theatre. As someone afriad to go on roller coaster rides at the amusement park and engage in a lot of other adventures, I like seeing these movies because they are not TOO intense and I can simply look away. Horror/suspense movie-watching is something I am willing engage in for the suspense would not scare me hysterical. Basically, it is a mild form of intensity that I can handle.
Now, it appears that most people who like scary movies are teens or college aged kids. I know that there are some people much older than me who love scray movies...but do people have a general tendancy to "outgrow" these movies when they age? When do people lose their interest in these films? Does what I said make sense on why I enjoy these films? Or am I too old to be enjoying the intensity?
This is coming from a 31-year old who has always loved the typical boogeyman-horror movies. Not so much these days. I don't think people outgrow them; in all honesty these new ones coming out just SUCK. Everything is either torture-porn (Hostel, Saw) or some crappy remake (Halloween, Last House on the Left, Friday the 13th).
To me nowadays, a good horror movie is something that is more like a bad-case scenario of where our society is headed. Movies about past events can have the tendency to frighten me as well.
The film 'Children of Men' was very intense. The scenes of urban warfare scared the crap out of me. 'Idi i Smotri' (Come and See) is a Russian film about partisan fighters during WWII-very disturbing, unsettling film. The scenes of the Nazis razing and destroying a village, murdering the inhabitants and pulling a girl into a truck to gang-rape her is horrifying.
Hands down, the most terrifying film I've ever seen is 'Threads', a British docu-drama about nuclear war and annihilation. It not only goes into the initial havoc when the bomb goes off, but the ensuing devastation that happens environmentally, economically, socially-even 20 years later. And I didn't see this film until I was 30-it absolutely scared the **** out of me.
So, I guess it just depends on what frightens you. Michael Myers and Jason aren't real, but war and social unrest and nuclear annihilation...yikes indeed.
...but do people have a general tendancy to "outgrow" these movies when they age? When do people lose their interest in these films? Does what I said make sense on why I enjoy these films? Or am I too old to be enjoying the intensity?
People outgrow the ones that are about people who are not like them. Just like you outgrow college or high school or teen romantic comedies, you outgrow teens in the woods, teens in the dorm, teens at the lake, teens in the high school, teens in the video game horror stories. I still enjoy adult horror movies and by that I mean that the victims and the "hero" are adults in the working world or the stories are about families (and the teenager doesn't save them). They just happen to make more horror for teens.
I liked Fallen, Candyman, The Sentinel, the Omen, for example, all of which I rewatched recently.
When I was 15 and the Video Nasties were all the rage (1982-1983) we all used to watch all the goriest films.
I`d liked horror films since the age of 8, Frankenstein and Dracula kind of horror.
Over the years I started to appreciate the atmosphere and suspense of decent horror films, gore is no interest to me whatsoever, definitely outgrew blood and guts.
Maybe you do outgrow the horror movies...but I find today's horror movies to be less horror and more gore and shock. Not so much suspense and very, very predictable.
I think we grow out of the simplistic or nonexistant plot with lots of gore, to something a little deeper, with better acting, and higher quality production values that don't rely strictly on the gore. At my age, (early 30s), I don't watch a horror movie just because it's a horror movie. There was a time when I'd go to the theater for every Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm street sequel, even when I knew it would be silly. I won't do that anymore. The bad ones, I watch at home. There have been some recently that were so bad plot wise, that I flipped the channel. Others took too long to develop a silly plot, and/or took to long to get to any action. Either embrace the gore or create a real storyline. And strangely enough, there have been movies that relied on gore and humor that were still pretty good. But those involved with the movie knew that, and it translated very well on screen.
I would have loved The Final Destination in my teenage years. Now, I'll just wait for cable.
As a 30 year old adult, I still love to go to the movies to see scary movies. I like the suspense, the plot, but not the gore of these films. As a child, I was forbidden to see them...they became a "forbidden fruit" in which I was couldn't wait to get older to see them. However, the interest in seeing horror films did not go away. I still watch most that come out in the theatre. As someone afriad to go on roller coaster rides at the amusement park and engage in a lot of other adventures, I like seeing these movies because they are not TOO intense and I can simply look away. Horror/suspense movie-watching is something I am willing engage in for the suspense would not scare me hysterical. Basically, it is a mild form of intensity that I can handle.
Now, it appears that most people who like scary movies are teens or college aged kids. I know that there are some people much older than me who love scray movies...but do people have a general tendancy to "outgrow" these movies when they age? When do people lose their interest in these films? Does what I said make sense on why I enjoy these films? Or am I too old to be enjoying the intensity?
This is a good question actually...cause I was thinking about starting a thread titled: Why do we like horror movies??
And I think it's related to your question of 'do we out grow horror movies' as we age?
Yes and no...a previous poster kind of nailed it by stateing that as we age, our taste matures, and teens getting chased around the forest (after having cheap sex) no longer cuts it.
As we age, I think movies or characters like 'Hannibal' grab our interest...cause it's dealing with adult themes...
Or even 'The Shining'...that was definatly an adult horror themed movie...something couples in a marriage could or can relate to...real possibilities...
Maybe someone could start a thread titled 'Adult horror films'...
Session 9, is another adultish type horror movie...
And here are a few more I think adults above 30 might get into...
1. Event Horizon...
2. The original Amytiville Horror
3. Pet Semetary...
4. The fly 1986
5. The Cube..part 1 and 2..
6. The Howling...
And plenty more...that are kinda aimed at a more mature audience...
This site here gives you like the top 50 scariest films ever...but of course
it's based on someone elses idea of scary...but there are a few classics in there...
I liked - In the Mouth of Madness. Event Horizon. Movies like that.
I do not like Halloween or Friday the 13th or similar movies and do not consider them "Horror" movies.
I stood up late as a kid watching Supernatural Theater and Chiller Theater - that was Horror!
Movies like Black Sabbath back them were creepy and fun to watch at night eating PB&J on crackers and Chocolate Milk! (not a milk fan unless there is something Chocolate to wash down)
Oh yeah... the original Amityville Horror was great. I'd been trying to get someone to watch The Cube for quite some time. After he saw it, he loved it. Sick concept.
I love the old cheesy ones I grew up with, watching them now they are just funny and entertaining, as the 80's were
Some of the newer ones are OK...more like just something to pass the time really. Scary movies rarely scare me, but I do like the adrenaline factor of a good thriller.
I love ghost stories, too, but found most left me wanting more.The only one that actually freaked me out (recently) which I absolutely love, was Guillermo Del Toro's "El Orfanato/ The Orphanage". Really good ghost story imo!!
I liked - In the Mouth of Madness. Event Horizon. Movies like that.
I do not like Halloween or Friday the 13th or similar movies and do not consider them "Horror" movies.
I stood up late as a kid watching Supernatural Theater and Chiller Theater - that was Horror!
Movies like Black Sabbath back them were creepy and fun to watch at night eating PB&J on crackers and Chocolate Milk! (not a milk fan unless there is something Chocolate to wash down)
Oh yeah... the original Amityville Horror was great. I'd been trying to get someone to watch The Cube for quite some time. After he saw it, he loved it. Sick concept.
The Cube 1 and 2 are kind of forgotten 90's classics...but they are good...
The reason the Cube movies work..is because of the diverse personality pool each movie has...and it's done deliberatly...
Different people, different backgrounds, careers, ethnicities, all find themselves mysteriously trapped inside a giant rubics cube..(don't laugh)...
But it's a deadly rubics cube...with traps and other dimensional doorways...
and these people, regardless of their differences, have to learn how to get along and combine their strengths, if they ever hope to escape...
Definatly adult horror movies Cube 1 & 2...Their kinda like The Matrix meets Jerry Springer...
Quote:
Originally Posted by D217
I love scary movies. I'm in my 30's too.
I love the old cheesy ones I grew up with, watching them now they are just funny and entertaining, as the 80's were
Some of the newer ones are OK...more like just something to pass the time really. Scary movies rarely scare me, but I do like the adrenaline factor of a good thriller.
I love ghost stories, too, but found most left me wanting more.The only one that actually freaked me out (recently) which I absolutely love, was Guillermo Del Toro's "El Orfanato/ The Orphanage". Really good ghost story imo!!
I haven't seen a good ghost thriller in years...
I guess 'the ring' could be considered a ghost story...or 'white noise'...
But I'm talking a traditional haunted house type of ghost story or flick...
I miss those...
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and Chocolate Milk! (not a milk fan unless there is something Chocolate to wash down)
