16. Fantasy and Escapism
Watching a horror film is like falling asleep and disappearing into dreamland. It is a place where anything can happen - an army of undead flesh-eaters can come at you, vengeful ghosts can wreak havoc, maniacs with chainsaws can come flying at you - the sky is the limit. I guess that people like to watch horror films in part because they are pure fantasy and escapism of the most extreme kind. They enable you to experience your worst fears and nightmares in a safe and controlled way. It explores the what ifs? You can watch Dawn of the Dead and lose yourself in your imagination. What if there was a plague of zombies? What would I do to stay alive? All these thoughts go running through your head but you know it is just fantasy. For the ability to lose yourself in another world - horror is the greatest genre.