Do Scary/Horror Movies Further Perpetuate Superstitions?

Of course they do.

Horror movies need for us to believe to some extent to be truly successful. It is in their best interest to try to make us do so. Their primary goal is to scare, to evoke fear, and to do that effectively, superstitions and beliefs about supernatural entities must hold a significant sway.

The Evolution of Horror Movies

Horror cinema has a long and storied history. Of course, it goes back much further than the modern era. However, the advent of special effects in the 1950s brought a new level of realism and believability to the genre. Prior to this, many monsters and supernatural beings were often depicted as pathetic, almost comical representations. Consider the iconic-green skinned alien from the 1950s film Invaders from Mars. While once considered a nascent attempt at creating fear, modern horror films include bloodcurdling creatures with advanced weaponry and sophisticated abilities (think about the creature in the 2017 film Lauren Beck). These visual effects not only enhance the film’s atmosphere but also help to make the scenarios more terrifying and more believable.

Today, with the use of cutting-edge technology, the invisible has become very real and almost tangible, making it easier for horror to elicit genuine fear from the viewers.

The Influence on Superstitions

There is a symbiotic relationship between supernatural beliefs and horror films. Movies feed off our superstitions while simultaneously reinforcing them. Horror films capitalize on our inclination to believe in the unknown and the supernatural. Through well-crafted narratives, they explore and sometimes even promote certain beliefs, which in turn can make these beliefs seem more plausible to the average viewer. This reinforcement is evident in films that use elements from real-world superstitions, such as the dark cults in The Exorcist or the vengeful spirits in The Grudge. These movies effectively tap into existing fears and superstitions, often in exaggerated and processed forms, which further cements these beliefs in our collective subconscious.

The Individual Response to Superstitions in Horror

Not everyone is equally affected by superstitions in horror movies. The susceptibility to these beliefs varies from individual to individual. A person who is naturally superstitious or inclined to believe in the supernatural will likely be more influenced by films that play on these fears. For example, someone who believes in haunted houses or ghosts is more likely to be scared despite knowing that it is just a movie.
On the other hand, someone who is skeptical and rational is less likely to be swayed by such narratives, no matter how well they are crafted. For these individuals, the supernatural remains firmly in the realm of fiction, despite the advanced special effects.

It is important to recognize that whether a movie perpetuates superstitions or not depends on the individual's predisposition to believe in the supernatural. While horror films can certainly create a powerful emotional and mental response, their effectiveness is ultimately limited by the viewer's own beliefs and experiences.

Conclusion

Scary/horror movies have always had the potential to further perpetuate superstitions, but their impact is not universal. Special effects have made these films more believable and thus more terrifying, providing the perfect platform to explore and reinforce supernatural beliefs. However, the actual impact of these films is subjective and depends on the individual viewer. Horror, both in cinema and in real life, exists at the intersection of myth, fear, and belief, and it is this very nature that makes it so compelling.