When watching scary movies or sad movies

I actually don't like movies for the most part, because the emotional up's and down's really bother me. I never cry, or scream durring movies, I kind of sit motionless. If it is an action/suspense movie, a very emotional movie, or a gorey/painful horror movie, it will look like it isn't effecting me. When in reality, I am seething under the surface. I can't help it, but I just become so emotionally invested with what is going on in the movie. If the actors do something that would cause an emotional response had I done something like it, I will feel it rather strongly. It is a flaw I am not proud of, but it is who I am. I am similar with books. I actually started reading a book at the end of last semester, but I ended up stopping because it became far too suspenseful for me to read. I was actually getting stressed out reading it.

 

I usually don't like to watch neither. Sad and horror movies have an overwhelming way to drain me really fast. That's why I always opt to watch comedy, especially stupid comedy (like the pink panther, snatch etc etc).

 

Emotional films don't get to me at all; but some paranormal horror films like Ju-on get to me. Creeps the hell out of me.

 

The problem with films and the issue of sadness and violence, for me, is how the sadness/violence is portrayed.

It is not enough to assume that all films hold emotional sadness and horror in the same weight. Generic hollywood, "audience rakers" treat violence as a form of entertainment. In that respect I find it repugnant. It is far more disturbing to watch violence that you can stomach then to watch violence that actually makes you uneasy.

In terms of sad films, the machinations of a hollywood script are painfully clear to me, and the use of text book audience manipulation technqiues means that I feel no empathy or remorse in the context of the story in the film. I do feel sad that I am watching a crap film.

However to actually answer your question, I dislike genuine, well made horror films because they do overwhelm my senses. I'll watch them frequently, because i'm "cine-masochist", lol and believe the discomfort is good for me. As for sad films, most of the films I watch are sad and I love it!

 

I completely agree with everything you said here Yield.

So for good movies, yes they affect me very much. Especially the sad ones. Now I come to think of it, yeah I don't even know why I like them so much. I can even feel really crappy for hours after watching one of these. But still..

 

Me and my friend were in the car and we were discussing rape scenes in films (keep reading). We both expressed how thoroughly angry and sick it makes us feel when we watch scenes like this. But we both agreed that it's better to be sickened by watching something like that, then for you to be casually observing it with no emotion what so ever, which would be a reflection on the intention of the filmmakers.

Down with morally vacuous cinema!!!

 

"im unemotional with neither" I was going to pick that option but wouldn't neither imply that you aren't unemotional with either?

 

Yeah I like them, its one of the only ways I feel emotions like those.

 

I love movies... but I'm not moved by them emotionally. I'm more awed by the technical aspects of the plot and visuals. Sound. Lighting. Unless the character is doing something really stupid and embarrassing then I just about die inside. But I'm not going to sit around crying over Steel Magnolias or anything. And I've never been scared by a scary movie. I've been watching horror movies since birth.

 

I think you have a point there. I actually really need to feel something when I'm watching a movie. If not I turn it off half way. Most people I know say that they don't have that at all. If I can't feel emotionally involved in some way, I can't watch it. It's pretty extreme, I just get really bored with it. However, I can for instance enjoy a really silly comedy too, but I'm selective even with those lol.

 

With the amount of time I spend towards films, I better be feeling something! If not an emotional feeling, then something intellectual.

Bored Now mentioned the attraction to films on a technical level. Perfect example, take The Dark Knight. That was the most unemotional, un-engaging film I've seen, where I desperately wanted to feel! From a technical, financial and creative (intellectual weight/price tag ratio) point of view, it is an astounding achievement. However I watched it once in the cinema and I ain't watching it again! It is the most depressingly driest film I've ever seen! Depressing because I desperately wanted to be emotionally engaged by it but I wasn't. I was very dissapointed. Sure, I could appreciate it for it's intellectual value (in the context of a hollywood superhero blockbuster- trying to be more) but I got all of that from Batman Begins and in a far more invigorating way.

 

I'm immune to scary movies these days, the only way a movie could be scary is if I sat in a dark room at night alone in a big house and heard sounds, but that would be scary without the movie as my mind makes up all kinds of scary scenarioes.

I do however get very emotional by watching movies, good ones that is...

 

To put it in an even more elaborate way, it sucked. It also had some movie flaws and cliche/idiotic scenes and the action scenes didn't engage me as you mentioned, I'd give it a 2/6

 

Out of 6? Random, lol?

 

Ahhhhhhhhh, I see!

 

I cry when animals die in films. I don't know why, but I always get that chokey feeling when you're trying to hold back your tears. I don't bawl or anything, but I'm just genuinely upset by violence to animals in movies, no matter how much I try to rationalize that "no animals were really hurt in the process of making this film."

Otherwise, I don't tend to get very emotionally attached to the characters or the plotlines. Mostly because I haven't seen a good movie with a solid plot and characterization in ages.

I hate horror movies. I can't stand the idea of gore. I always associate it with war or real-life violence, and that we're making entertainment out of the concept of other peopls' suffering.