Scary movies remind you you’re alive – Grand Island Independent

If you dont enjoy a stress-filled horror or suspense movie, then this isnt a column for you.

Even though I say stress-filled, I like scary movies, or at least I say I do. Waiting, and dreading, a scare every now and then can cause many ulcers to appear.

I believe Im slightly annoying to watch a scary movie with because I fall back on one of my coping mechanisms, nervous talking with a stale sense of humor. So, naturally, watching a horror film in the dark triggers that safety device. I realize that most people dont enjoy hearing someone talk during movie scenes, which I support and totally understand, but it seems that drawing attention to pointless background happenings helps me deal with the tense setting.

Also, when I get frightened, I either scream or have a miniature seizure in my seat. I first found out I yell when my friend and I were the only two people in the movie theater for Ouija. I had already mentally braced myself for any scares in the actual movie, but I did not foresee the previews being scary as well. It makes sense, but I was not prepared for a crow to hit a window. I screamed and regretted all life decisions that led me to that point in my life.

I have found the scariest movies are the ones about situations that could potentially happen. Watching a movie with a disease outbreak is totally not OK. Remember learning about the bubonic plague? Picture that on a worldwide scale, and there you go. Alien invasions? Possible but still intriguing to see. Floating around in space? Watch Gravity and your dreams of being an astronaut will quickly go down the drain.

One movie that demonstrated my point of terrifying events happening in the real world was The Roommate. The plot is essentially about a girls roommate becoming more and more obsessed with her. It got to the point where the roommate hurt people just to put the focus back on her.

This was a really good movie until I realized I would be in college in a little over a year with a roommate of my own. With my luck, I would be the one stuck with the actual psychopath. Living with a bad roommate happens frequently, although Im sure most of them dont become serial killers.

With my occasional dabbling in the horror genre, I have discovered I prefer the psychologically damaging movies more than straight-up gore. There is a line in every movie, and that line stands between the necessary amount of gore and so much blood and guts that its unbelievable it came from only one person.

The Shining is a good example of an excellent psychological film. Not only did I finally understand some cultural references that originated from the movie, but I also had my first encounter with Stephen King, an amazing thriller writer.

Alfred Hitchcock was a terrific director who did one of my all-time favorite movies, Psycho. Psycho is more of a suspense movie than anything else, especially compared to movies made in this century. Some of the effects are laughable measured against the CGI and special effects nowadays, but it has a very good storyline and an even better villain.

Overall, I would prefer a good action or comedy, but occasionally a horror movie is just what I need to make sure my heart is still working. Its a nice genre pool to periodically stick your toe in but never fully immerse yourself in case you start to drown.

Jenna Czaplewski is a junior at Grand Island Central Catholic.

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Scary movies remind you you're alive - Grand Island Independent