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Horror is a popular movie genre. Why is it so appealing to many?

A sheet draped over a figure wearing sunglasses, sitting among red cinema seats, creating a humorous ghost-like appearance.
Billy Aboulkheir/Unsplash.com
A sheet draped over a figure wearing sunglasses, sitting among red cinema seats.

A Missouri State University graduate student weighs in on the topic.

Our weekly program, Missouri State Journal, is a collaboration between KSMU Radio and Missouri State University. It's hosted and produced by MSU's Office of Strategic Communication, and it airs each Tuesday morning at 9:45 on KSMU.

It’s officially spooky season, which means cozy sweaters, pumpkins on the porch and maybe a few late-night scares with the lights turned low. Horror movies have been a fall tradition for decades, but what is it about these films that keep us coming back for more, even when we know we’ll be hiding behind a pillow?

Brett Jones, instructor and dramatic writing graduate student at Missouri State University, discusses why we love being scared, the movies that left their mark and what makes horror such a unique genre.

Read the full transcript

Adair Seifert has worked at Missouri State University since 2022. She’s currently the content strategist in the Office of Strategic Communication. She is a content creator and social media manager and has a BS in communication studies from Evangel University.