This may not look that scary, but in 1896,
the special effects broke ground.
This is Georges Méliès' "Le Manoir du Diable,"
and it's credited as the very first horror movie.
These days, horror films are more popular than ever,
defining an era of cinematic fears and obsessions.
But what lies beneath the surface of these sinister films
is a formula guaranteed to make you squirm.
- There are certain rules that one must abide by
in order to successfully survive a horror movie.
For instance, number one.
It begins with sound.
Filmmakers rely on disturbing soundtracks
to heighten suspense and terror.
You may have heard the waterphone,
a slicing sound that sends shivers down the spine,
(eerie music)
or the theremin,
the defining sound of many 1950s horror movies.
(unsettling music)
Researchers discovered that harsh sounds
used in horror soundtracks
imitate the screams of scared animals.
These nonlinear sounds range from
the distorted notes of a trumpet blown too hard
to a stereo that is cranked up to 11.
Next, we have a technique that's used
in almost every horror movie.
It's when characters feel like they're safe,
but within seconds are suddenly attacked
by the film's monster.
"Hello."
The jump-scare.
Now for a different perspective.
How does this angle make you feel?
(ominous music)
"Come and play with us, Danny."
Low angles are used to invoke fear
in the audience.
How about this one?
Extreme close-ups that only show part of an object
or a character's face are used to create an intense mood.
And this?
Oblique or canted angles, when the camera is tilted,
suggest imbalance or instability.
This is often used as a point-of-view shot.
And then you have the handheld shot, a kind of shaky cam
that makes the viewer feel a little unstable
and out of control.
It also injects a scene with a sense of immediacy
with the audience.
But the biggest trick of all
is what's happening in your brain.
When we get scared, our body goes on high alert,
a biological response to possible danger,
and we snap into survival mode: fight or flight.
But when we watch a scary movie,
your brain knows that we're not actually threatened.
Instead, the dopamine released from your brain
becomes euphoric, which means
"Hey, I'm terrified right now, and I like it."
So, if you are a horror movie fan,
you're actually a sedentary adrenaline junkie.
Go ahead, and put that on your resume.
The more fear, worry and anxiety you feel,
the more you like it.
Finally, there's a sense of catharsis once the movie's over.
People like the feeling of danger and fear during the film
and a sense of accomplishment and survival once it's over.
This is almost over.
So you're probably safe now.
(crackling)
(intense, dramatic music)
(screaming)
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