ABSTRACT
Cynthia Freeland argues in The Naked and the Undead (2000: 273-74) that horror films have appeal because:
As Freeland’s summary suggests, the appeals of horror are complex.
Despite horror films being aesthetically designed to create a distinctive set of disturbing effects and responses in the audience, large numbers of people obviously do gain pleasure and entertainment from viewing a very
wide range of horror cinema for many different reasons. Theoretical and critical attempts to explain that appeal are equally multi-faceted, and it
can therefore be difficult to identify a straightforward explanation for the appeal of horror.
