Why Fear Feels So Good: Hitchcock and the Psychology of Horror
This Halloween season Professor Matthew Stoddard provides his insight into why Horror Cinema and specifically Alfred Hitchcock resonates with those looking for a good scare
With Halloween just around the corner, the frantic preparation of costumes, carving crookedly smiling pumpkins, and watching reruns of horror classics are all making their way into the homes of students at UTM. Horror media has evolved from silent black and white shorts to loud, jump scare-filled films that spark terror, which begs the question, “Why do people enjoy watching horror movies at all?”
Physiological Effects of Horror Films
According to storagetwo.com, fear releases hormones like Adrenaline to prepare our bodies to fight or flee in dangerous situations. It forces our five senses to be heightened, breathing to quicken and muscles to tighten in efforts to detect threats and come up with viable solutions. Then there’s Dopamine, another hormone involved with the feeling of pleasure, unleashed during a fearful response to reward the body for responding to danger. The Dopamine high that carries a sense of excitement is likely the reason people enjoy scaring themselves so much with horror movies or even haunted houses. Professor Matthew Stoddard of the Visual Studies Department at UTM suggests that horror films “aim to evoke recognition,” further stating that the iconography (visual symbolism), forms and structures of horror films engage with a sort of social dimension containing social fears, anxieties and wishes. Consequently, this shows the societal impact on human beings and how they relate to horror cinema.
Alfred Hitchcock on Horror Films
This deeper fascination with fear and social dimensions was emulated by horror director Alfred Hitchcock, who created around sixty feature films over six decades becoming a sort of revolutionary role model for good horror films. Hitchcock created iconic horror movies still viewed today, such as Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963), Vertigo (1958), etc. Hitchcock was considered the ‘Master of Suspense’ and truly stood out from other directors from the early 30s to mid 60s in the ways that his editorial techniques changed filmmaking. When asked about this Professor Stoddard, thoughtfully stated, “What didn’t make him stand out?” describing the way his films seamlessly melded opposing qualities like breezy, dead serious or even brash and subtle into one compound of media. He also emphasized his unique camera capturing various angles and perspectives as in Strangers on a Train, which includes a shot where “a key piece of action is reflected in the lens of a pair of glasses,” verifying that it was not just visually appealing but also serving as a function for the film’s core themes. Unlike the cheap thrills of jump scares that appear at the whims of most modern horror movies, Hitchcock infused the quality of suspense into his style, whether through slow building, eerie music, film shots from overhead, or framing the protagonist and antagonist in similar ways; he made sure to constantly add interest in the stories that followed.
Modern Directors vs Hitchcock
When asked whether any modern filmmakers resembled the art of Alfred Hitchcock’s work, Professor Stoddard stated that he has yet to see directors merging the cinematic with the dramatic in the same way Hitchcock did. Still, he referenced a few directors that came close, like Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Paul Thomas Anderson, who meshes those elements but with varying subject matter, and Jane Schoenbrun, a young filmmaker, encapsulating the unique ability Hitchcock possessed with horror cinema at his time. Lastly, as a sort of homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s craft, when asked which feature film stuck out to him the most, Professor Stoddard said Psycho (1960), again emphasizing the opposing qualities embedded in many of his films. He ended with “It is of course very bold visually (and aurally), but at the same time the subtle nuances of each moment feel bottomless,” referencing Hitchcock’s on the surface elements and inner depth that construct distinguishable and engrossing motion pictures for all.
Overall, the appeal of horror lies not only in our body’s physical reaction to fear and excitement but also in how these films mirror shared anxieties and social realities. Hitchcock’s work captures that balance perfectly, blending emotion and technique in ways that continue to shape horror cinema today. Whether it’s the thrill, the fear, or the fun, enjoy it all, and maybe steer clear of any suspicious showers. Happy Halloween!
