"Number one is that it just scares people! Your hair is standing up on your arms, or at least that there's a few moments when you're jumping. That's what makes it a good horror movie"

Gina Philips highlights the essential visceral reaction that characterizes effective horror films: the capacity to instill fear so palpable it elicits a real physiological response. The success of a horror movie hinges on this fundamental experience, eliciting fear that is immediate, almost instinctual. Philips points to the hair standing up on one's arms, the body’s natural response to fear or anticipation, underscoring the power of horror to tap directly into primal emotional reactions. Such sensations suggest that the film has crossed the boundary from mere entertainment into an immersive psychological experience.

She also acknowledges the role of the traditional jump scare, those heart-pounding moments when viewers are physically jolted by the sudden appearance of something frightening. These moments, often fleeting yet memorable, encapsulate the communal thrill of watching horror, sharing a collective gasp, laughter, or scream. The expectation and delivery of such moments build tension and release it, creating a cycle of suspense and surprise central to the genre’s appeal.

However, beyond the mechanics of fright, Philips implies that a “good” horror movie is distinguished not just by how often it startles, but by how deeply it unsettles. Fear is both the means and the end; the memorable films are those that linger after the credits roll, their fearful moments etched in memory. The “few moments when you’re jumping” become talking points and shared stories, evidence that the film affected viewers on a personal level.

The enduring appeal of horror, then, lies in its ability to provoke an authentic, sometimes uncontrollable reaction. The more successfully a movie can manipulate that base emotion, the tingle of dread, the spike of adrenaline, the better it fulfills its purpose. Philips’s words encapsulate the primal joy and communal excitement of a genre whose hallmark isn’t just storytelling, but the physical, emotional experience it evokes.