Horror Films Are Good for Body and Mind
Andy Marken October 30, 2024
0 Comments
We're a statistical improbability. And now they want to see who will be the luckiest among the lucky. - Zoey Davis, Escape Room, Columbia Pictures, 2019
With so many elections going on around the world this year - 97 countries - including the ugly one here in the US, we needed some solid/safe escape from the creepiness and grossness of the real world.
We did what any normal/smart person would do we dug into the whole idea of horror films. That included watching a couple of the new ones and revisiting some classics.
Of course, that meant we had the family room and big screen to ourselves because the wife won't have anything to do with blood, guts or gore.
Don't get us wrong, we're not really into violence, religious stuff or messy gore for the sake of gore.
But
Source - 20th Century Fox
Still, the little chestbuster in the first Alien was a helluva' shock to the system but Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) didn't back down from the challenge.
The biggest problem for us is how to categorize a film as a horror movie.
Sure, if Stephen King is listed in the credits, you're pretty sure of what you're watching because he's widely regarded as the master of horror.
Of course, if you bring up Alfred Hitchcock, it's a little tougher because most think of him as a master of suspense, not horror.
Source - Shamley Productions
But we feel classics like Psycho, Frenzy and The Birds are solid horror films because they showed us the dark side of people and showed us threats that people couldn't control. Hitchcock's use of shadows and audio signs and music put you on the edge of your seat because you knew bad stuff was going to happen.
One way to identify a movie as a horror film is that it will have sequels or even become its own sub-genre.
Source - Continental Distributing
For example, directors, actors, writers and crews can thank George Romero for releasing zombies on us again and again and again when The night of the Living Dead was released back in 1968.
We've enjoyed it every time we've watched it, even though we were really p***ed at the end. Ben (Duane Jones) did a fantastic job of trying to protect folks from the zombies only to walk out into the morning light and have some idiot kill him just to be on the safe side.
Really ticked us off!
We're not into much of the franchise stuff but we all know that when one project earns money, more will follow.
Having a creepy villain like Freddy Kruger or Jason is a place to start but what they really need is a damsel in distress or scream queen to put the film over the top.
Source - Compass International Pictures
Jamie Lee Curtis (who probably got her scream from her mother in Psycho) is our favorite, and the one who took the fight to Michael Myers from 1978 - 2022.
Being tough, attractive and driven made for a suspenseful, terror-driven and interesting story that gives people someone to cheer for when they show you that you can stand up to and take fear head-on.
There are a lot more good/great horror filmmakers and, thanks to global streaming media services, we're able to share/experience projects from around the globe.
The films have always been produced and available, said Allan McLennan, CEO of 2GDigital. However, the low-budget projects were often given limited distribution because of their being produced in a specific language.
But with today's advanced AI-enabled localization services, he continued, studios and streamers can quickly, accurately and economically make them available in any language so people everywhere can enjoy/experience them as though they were produced in their home country.
Consistent - Streaming has opened up new opportunities for folks who like to experience feature films so they can be surprised and shocked in whole new ways beyond projects being simply brutal and gruesome.
Sometimes (often) it's difficult for industry executives and experts to accurately define when a film fits in the horror genre.
But with the movie magic, advanced technology and the global reach/exposure we have with a broader spectrum of horror film types, they're becoming more important release valves for folks in every walk of life and every corner of the globe.
Whether it's filled with ghosts, monsters, masked stalkers or deep-down personal fear, filmmakers often find it difficult to pinpoint what terrifies the audience. That's rather important because it helps determine if the film gets greenlighted or not and whether the project will be profitable or another studio/streamer write-down.
The major components of horror films are spine-chilling music, precise tension and suspense and shops like A24, Blumhouse and others have gotten very good at getting the mix right.
To understand the genre better, we turned to film data research expert Stephen Follows.
It turns out he is putting the final touches on his Fellows Horror Report 2 , the most comprehensive study of the genre around.
While he's a nice normal guy, he has spent a lot of time gathering and analyzing data on every horror film ever made. The report, which we aren't promoting, covers everything from development, production and distribution as well as profitability. Fellows noted that horror films are perennial favorites with filmmakers because they are fun to make, can be developed/delivered more quickly on a lower budget and can make money.
Yes, But - Okay, so not everyone likes/appreciates a really good horror film the same way; but streaming services are able to adjust their library offerings for people in countries where interest/demand is highest so they can capture/retain larger audiences.
The final point is obviously most important and that's because folks young/old
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
12/11/2026
RTL Deutschland will bring the NHL to free-to-air TV in Germany starting Nov. 30...
12/11/2026
Clear-Com supported On Air 2026, a 24-hour student-led broadcast connecting 45 u...
12/11/2026
uniqFEED has opened a Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Madrid, Spain. It is already operational, delivering virtual advertising for LaLiga matches. The ROC is ...
12/11/2026
Disney, ESPN and the NBA will present Dunk the Halls, the third real-time animated NBA game using Sony's Beyond Sports data visualization technology, on Chr...
12/11/2026
Van Wagner has launched Van Wagner RELAY, a digital platform for official athlet...
12/11/2026
Deal brings together two of the industry's most established graphics brands and significantly expands Vizrt's footprint in U.S. sports and regional broa...
12/11/2026
Euro TV Production GmbH of Austria has upgraded its outside broadcast vehicle with Lawo technology. The mc 36 Classic console in service since 2019 was replaced...
12/11/2026
Tagboard has launched Spark Resize, an AI-assisted tool now in beta that takes an existing graphic and produces a new version for a different aspect ratio or sc...
Horror Films Are Good for Body and Mind 
