Mina Tajbakhsh (11) sat with her eyes glued to the computer screen before her. Her one hand sat curled onto her knee and the other covered her mouth. Goosebumps spread up her arms and persperation collected on her forehead. Her room was practically pitch black except for the beams of light coming from her monitor as she watched the terrifying finale of Charlie Kaufman‘s 2020 horror film “I‘m Thinking of Ending Things.”
Once the film was over Tajbakhsh sat in silence as Netflix prompted her to watch yet another title in their Library. She reflected on the rollercoaster of a movie she had just viewed, asking herself how it made her feel.
“The paranoia and anxiety [the main character] faced was moving to me,” Tajbakhsh said. “As a person who struggles with both of those things, seeing them portrayed on screen in such a way made [the character] so much more relatable. The themes of existential dread in the movie resonated with questions I was having about my existence at the time. Taking in all the raw emotions the movie brought forth in me was a really moving experience for me.”
After this experience, Tajbakhsh began to watch more horror films seeking this same feeling. These films became devices she could use to cope with the anxieties and familial issues she faced in her life. Tajbakhsh, attributes one film, Ari Aster’s 2018 film “Hereditary,” to helping her in her journey towards self realization.
“Recently, I’ve rewatched ‘Hereditary’ not just to relate to it, but to also understand the characters’ dynamics more to dive deeper into its themes,” Tajbakhsh said. “The way the family members create all these metaphorical walls following the daughter’s death and the grudges each of the family members has against each other is realistic. The dark familial pain was something I felt most other films did not tackle, but was something I resonated strongly with. It helped me look at the trauma I faced within my own life and feel less alone in that struggle.”
Kat Daniels (11) also watches horror films to combat the internal battles she faces daily. For her, these movies have helped her release the built-up frustration and irritation that she faces as a person who struggles with strong emotions.
“Throughout my life, I‘ve had a lot of issues with anger,” Daniels said. “Growing up, I never had an outlet for all of my built-up rage. It would further the anger even more and I would grow frustrated that I couldn‘t find a way to release it. But when I started watching horror movies, I found those feelings I experienced would subside.”
According to Daniels, there is a great misconception when it comes to the violence found in horror and how it affects viewers. As someone who consumes horror media heavily, she says that people who think it perpetuates violent actions do not understand how it affects its viewers, especially people with anger issues.
“It’s interesting because I often hear people speak of how the gore and violence in horror movies inspires further violence, but I‘ve found it to be a way to release suppressed anger,” Daniels said. “For me, when I do feel that fear after seeing something gory, it makes me feel less aggressive. I almost feel as if it is a way to let go of that frustrated energy as you see all these horrific things taking place on the screen. Nowadays I use the antagonists of horror to act as a reminder of how important it is not to let my emotions get the better of me.”
Tajbakhsh agrees that horror has a special therapeutic quality that can‘t really be replicated in other movie genres. The intense feelings make her feel more connected to the story and help her understand the how the fears she fight every day are not as trivial as she may think.
“I get attached to certain characters in all movies, not just in horror,” Tajbakhsh said. “But there‘s something about horror movies that just makes everything hit harder. [The movies] show the raw emotions and fear that the characters are going through with a visceral and powerful energy that I think is important for seeking internal self-reflection.”
Daniels has felt that since her first introduction to the genre. It has strongly impacted all facets of her life. Its ability to calm her down and let her reflect on her emotions has directly impacted her high school experience.
“It‘s because of horror that I‘ve branched out to the types of fashion, culture, and topics that now are integral parts of my identity,” Daniels said. “Horror takes the parts of life you‘re to scared to acknowledge and makes them beautiful pieces of art. That feeling of beauty in darker emotions is really what defines my fashion today. My wardrobe is literally only black and red but I love finding creative ways to piece together outfits in different styles. I try to take inspiration from horror when doing my makeup and picking out what I want to wear each day. I enjoy having my outfits force people to look at a different view on fashion.”