20 years ago I hated scary movies and the horror genre pretty much in general. The only supernatural type stuff I could watch was vampires. Then I got outvoted on a trip to the movies and was forced to sit through Scream. Although there is a heap of silliness in that movie (and its sequels) it helped me realize I was being a scaredy cat for no real good reason. It helped me move onto watching other horror films. I won’t claim to be a big fan but I can at least get through them without hugging a cushion. You too can learn how to watch a scary movie …
1 Remember It’s Just a Movie
When thinking about how to watch a scary movie, the real trick is to remember just that - that it’s only a movie! Even if the film is depicting horrific events that did actually happen in real life, what you need to remember is that at the end of the day all of the actors get to go home. A great tip to remind yourself that it’s only a movie is to try to think of all the different films that the actors have been in. It will make it seem much less real.
Frequently asked questions
2 Don’t Watch Alone!
If you know you’re going to be super scared, then never, ever watch a horror movie alone! Have a few friends round, heat up some popcorn and treat the experience like a fun hang out. You’ll be surprised just how much less scary a horror film becomes when there are people there watching with you. The experience goes from one of fear to one of fun, with everybody bursting into laughter after they have screamed!
3 Be Comfortable
Make sure that you’ve got all of your home comforts around you, from your cell phone to pillows to a nice blanket to hide under. The more secure you feel while watching, the less on edge you are going to be when the scary stuff starts to go down. And make sure to have the remote control nearby, just in case it all gets to be too much. Remember you can switch it off in two seconds!
4 Leave the Light on
The tendency when watching a scary movie is to turn the lights off so that your environment matches the environment on screen, but if you don’t feel comfortable being so immersed in to the tension then it’s perfectly fine to keep a lamp on, or even the big main light if you are feeling really scared. Anything that is going to help you get through should be fine with all of your friends!
5 Look up the Plot Beforehand
If you have been roped in to watching the horror movie by a group of friends, then it might be good idea to search online for the plot of the story so that you aren’t on edge for the entire film. Knowing what is going to happen can help you to prepare for the jump scares, and even though it will probably still be scary when it happens, you’ll at least have some prior warning.
6 Grab Some Comfort Food
Whether its popcorn or potato chips or milk duds, make sure you have your favorite comfort foods on hand for when the action starts to take a scary turn. You’ll be able to distract yourself with yummy goodness when it all starts to get a bit too much for your sensitive mind!
7 Have Another Film on Standby
Always have a second choice movie on standby for if the horror film becomes too much to take. Make sure that your standby movie is something completely different that will bring you out of your horror afflicted mind-set. You can’t go wrong with a good chick flick or comedy!
How do you deal with scary movies? Are you an avid viewer or an avoider?
