by Amber Gaye

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 07, 2009

In the developed west, and especially here in America, we lead incredibly safe lives. In fact, many of us lead lives of hopeless routine. We get up, go to work, come home, prepare dinner, watch television, go to bed: repeat. Then one night, something unexpected happens, we sit in the dark and watch as zombies attack. We watch as the shambling dead destroy cities and bring an entire nation to its knees, and we enjoy it. Why?

Until recently, there were two main schools of thought on this phenomenon. One theory suggests that we really don't like to see all this death and destruction, but instead enjoy the relief when it is all over. This Relief Theory implies that we are willing to subject ourselves to unpleasant situations in order to feel happy when it ends.

Proponents of this theory state that horror movie enthusiasts mistake the relief they feel upon the movies ending with actual enjoyment of the viewing experience. In other words, no matter what we might say, we really didn't enjoy watching the film, but rather found our pleasure in leaving the theater.

I see a slight problem with this theory. If we find our pleasure in leaving the theater, rather than in watching the movie, why would we stay? I know that I found great pleasure in leaving Who Framed Roger Rabbit well before the movie's end; yet I stayed seated for the entire length of Shaun of the Dead.

The other standard school of thought as to why horror movies are so popular is the Continuous Reward Theory. This theory states that the pleasure of viewing horror films is social. A real man can sit through a two hour gore fest without flinching, and if his arm is around a girl to offer protection, he's a hero. Much like the Roman Circus, the horror movie provides every man with the experience of a life and death conflict, without the need for real danger. I agree with all that the Continuous Reward Theory has to say, but it is incomplete; where's the fun?

Thoughout human history pranksters have know that terror is fun. How many of us have been scared witless, run screaming for our lives, like a pig-tailed five year old, only to laugh about it a week, or even an hour later? This brings us to a relatively new piece of research. In a joint study conducted by the University of California, Berkley and the University of Florida the researchers found that "the most pleasant moments of a particular event, may also be the most fearful." Put another way, being scared is just plain fun! Why else would people flock by the thousands to thrill rides at amusement parks, or demand even more Freddie and Jason?

Previous theories viewed the human psyche as unable to experience more than one emotion at a time. Therefore, pleasure and pain, horror and happiness, could not possible occur at the same time. Obviously these scientists never viewed Shaun of the Dead or Slither. There is an entire sub-genre of horror films that focus on laughing in the face of terror.

Seriously, what could be funnier than capturing flesh eating zombies to use on game shows? I think we feel empowered when we can laugh at danger, gore, and death. For, if we can laugh at death, then life isn't quite so scary. "Now, how's that for a slice of fried gold?"

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