Spook-Onomics

From spooky thrillers to haunted houses and zombies, the business of ‘fright’ and ‘fear’ is getting more profitable in showbiz. The main reason is low production costs, a dedicated fan base and slasher franchise. It’s a safe box office bet packed in a ‘scary box.’ The Exorcist (1974), Terrifier 2 (2022), Junoon (1992), Tumbbad (2018), Halloween (1978, 2018), Friday the 13th (1980), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) terrified people and made BIG business. But are today’s horror movies pushing audiences too far — or have we simply learned to market fear better?

Fearsome Awesome

In 1974, The Exorcist hit Indian theatres to long queues, scandalised parents, and reports of viewers fainting mid-show. Globally, ambulances were stationed outside cinema halls, barf bags were handed out, and moviegoers reportedly left with panic attacks, vomiting, and even a miscarriage. It wasn’t just fear; it was a physical experience. Nearly five decades later, Terrifier 2 made headlines for similar reasons. One viewer tweeted: “My friend passed out and the theater called an ambulance… I heard a guy puking hard and loud in the bathroom.” At several screenings, paramedics were called. What is it about certain horror films that bypass the brain and go straight to the body?

Science Of Fear

Horror movies have a dedicated fanbase. The mass vomiting headlines could be an exaggeration, but the bodily impact of fear is clinically understood. “Scary visuals and sounds activate fear centres, releasing adrenaline and cortisol, causing rapid heartbeat and fast breathing,” says clinical psychologist Dr. Shwetambara Sabharwal. “A strong scare can spike your heart rate by 40%. At the same time, dopamine and endorphins create a strange sense of pleasure… Immersive horror tricks the brain into thinking the threat is real, making the reaction stronger.”

Sabharwal notes that horror stimulates the same parts of the brain as real danger. In extreme cases, she says, hyperventilation can lead to nausea, tingling, or even blackouts. People with higher trait anxiety or neuroticism are more sensitive to fear. Those with a history of trauma are vulnerable.

Real-Life Experiences

Rahul Desai, a film critic, says his first memories of watching a scary film was Junoon. “It wasn’t the blood or transformation that stayed, but the fear that seeped into thoughts for days.” Many cannot sleep at night after watching a horror film. I know a lot of people who choose not to watch horror because they don’t want to be triggered,” he said.

American philosopher, Noel Carroll, author of The Philosophy of Horror, or Paradoxes of the Heart, has been vocal about the blurred line between actual viewer distress and “marketing manipulation.” He dismisses the sensationalism around horror-induced sickness: “There is no empirical, statistical evidence of significant wide-scale fainting or vomiting in response to horror movies. The alleged evidence is at best anecdotal… Some have even suggested it is disseminated by the movie industry as a way of convincing horror fans that their products are so effective.”

Carroll argues that horror’s appeal lies in its paradox: people actively seek out discomfort in safe, controlled ways. “Emotions are by nature exciting… Riding a roller coaster allows you to experience fear of falling without real danger. The same is true of horror films.”

Ghosts To Grief

In recent years, horror has moved beyond ghosts and gore, leaning into themes of emotional devastation, loss, and family dysfunction. Think Hereditary, Midsommar, The Babadook, or India’s Bhoothakalam and Tumbbad. “Psychological horror activates the brain’s default mode network, which processes personal and emotional experiences,” explains Sabharwal.

Audiences often see reflections of their own fears, memories, or trauma in these stories. For Gen Z, the appeal is deeply personal. “Gen Z connects deeply with horror that reflects real-life struggles,” Sabharwal notes. A 2023 Pew report showed over 70% experienced anxiety or depression in the past year. They’re more drawn to stories about trauma, mental health, and isolation than to simple jump scares or gore.

The ‘scary movie’ conversation often turns to ethics and responsibility. “It depends on intention and execution,” says Sabharwal. “Shock has long been a tool in horror, but when used without regard for audience wellbeing, it can cross ethical lines… Films like The Exorcist, Irreversible, and Raw have become infamous for pushing these limits.”

Carroll takes a more philosophical view. “Are horror films manipulative? Doesn’t manipulating people involve moving people in ways they would not choose on their own? Don’t audiences flock to horror films to be horrified? Are horror films any more manipulative than melodramas that make you cry?”

Lingering Fear

Even without jump scares, some films are remembered for their impact. Psycho’s iconic shower scene, scored to screeching violins, turned everyday acts like bathing into moments of dread. The Blair Witch Project allegedly led to vomiting in aisles, while 127 Hours caused panic attacks and fainting during festival screenings.

More recently, Titane left 13 people fainting at a Sydney premiere. These stories; part shock, part myth, form the backbone of horror's reputation.

Horror allows us to revisit that primal instinct — from a safe distance. “It allows people to confront fears like death, grief, or isolation in a safe, controlled environment, a concept called vicarious exposure,” says Sabharwal.

Terrifying Timepass

Some iconic horror movies are The Exorcist (1974), Terrifier 2 (2022), Junoon (1992), Tumbbad (2018), Halloween (1978, 2018), Friday the 13th (1980), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974).