How to Watch Scary Movies With Someone Who Is Completely Nuts
Watching a horror movie with a scared cat can be a big bummer for both parties, but it doesn’t have to be. These tips will make all this horror more understandable for your frightened friends and family.
Watch at home
Horror is a lot of fun in the theater, but it’s probably too much for someone who doesn’t like it. Do not drag them into a huge dark room where the sound is buzzing and there is no way out. Watch your scary movies in a comfortable place at home and leave the room if necessary. That way, they can do something else instead of just sitting in the theater lobby or worse, dragging you home.
Watch throughout the day
Light helps a lot when someone is scared. I know you want to turn off the lights to cheer up – so do I. – but this is too much for your significant other. Turn on these lights all the way to make them feel safe. Better yet, watch scary movies during the day surrounded by natural light. They will not only feel safe, but they will also have time to forget about their fears before the time comes to act.
Give them something to snuggle and hide
Give the asshole something to hold on to when things get tough, and something to hide behind so he can easily block his line of sight. You can wrap them up in a blanket, give them a pillow or pillow, or just let them grab onto you and hide in your chest.
The bigger, the better
There is power in numbers. Gathering friends or family together will make all fearful people feel safer and more comfortable. They will feel that nothing can happen to them because there are so many of you. Throw a horror movie party and everyone is on board.
Invite them to read the synopsis
One day I was about to watch a horror movie with my girlfriend when I saw her staring at her phone. “What are you doing?” I asked and she said, “I am reading the movie summary.” When I asked her why she wanted to spoil it for herself, she replied that knowing the turns and the big moments would make her less intimidating because she could mentally prepare for them. In the end, spoilers can be beneficial.
Provide good jumpy snacks
A bowl of crispy, salty snack will help calm the nerves of any moviegoer. Chips, peanuts, pretzels, crackers, vegetables, and gravy are all good if they are crunchy. Gives new meaning to the term “comfort food”.
Increase the brightness of your TV
It is usually required that the brightness of the screen is well balanced. You want black to be black so that darker scenes can be viewed as intended. But this makes scary films even more terrifying for those who do not like them. So turn up the brightness rather than the backlight to make everything on the screen a little more visible, even in very dark scenes. More visibility means less fear.
Keep your volume low
People think that horror movies are scary because of the imagery, but in fact, this is only a small part of it all. The real power of horror movies lies in the sound. From deep, disturbing tones to loud, dramatic intimidating chords to eerie, heartbreaking music, the sound design of horror makes everything so intense. If you reduce all of this to the point where it is barely audible, the fears will lose most of their power.
Resist the urge to mess with them
I love to scare well — whether I’m scared or scared someone else — but movie time is not time. If you ever want that person to try to watch a scary movie with you again, you will resist the urge to mess with them. This means that one should neither be surprised, nor hide, nor lie when someone asks if something is real. My girlfriend has officially banned me from performing Black Philip’s lines in The Witch, and I’d better stick to that rule if I ever want her to be brave again.
Finish with a palate cleanser
Last but not least, don’t spend your day right after the movie. Watch something else to get your mind off the ghosts and freaks. I recommend a few cartoons, sitcoms, or maybe even a silly YouTube video. My favorite palate cleanser – these are special features of the movie! Watching things go backstage reminds your fellow viewers that what they just saw was fake and that everyone is just having fun.