Horror: Cinema's Stepchild

Horror has even gone comedic

Horror films many times go under the radar as box office bruisers. Particularly in the summer-time there is nothing better when visiting a cool, comfy place (your local cinema) and screaming your head off - as a tension and stress reliever there is nothing better.  Being scared is an adrenaline rush.
Given this, moviegoers' appetite for horror is unrelenting and is second only to the high-impact, action, superhero, or sci-fi blockbusters (many of which teeter on the horror genre cusp).

Horror vs. supernatural, the distinction is very blurry.  Horror's function is to scare through the use of anticipation.  Waiting for the inevitable, frightening, sometimes unspeakable acts of violence toward the innocent and vulnerable.  The supernatural, a sub-set of the horror movie, delves into the more unreal but still frightening - vampires, zombies, aliens, mutant animals are all part of the supernatural.

This summer, the 'Bite', 'Conjuring 2', 'The Purge:Election Year', 'Lights Out', and 'Don't Breathe' will gross over $500 million - not too shabby for films with a total production budget of $42 million.

Horror pays, and it pays big at the box office for both distributors and exhibitors. Never underestimate the entertainment value of the horror film.  Many moviegoers love to be frightened, shocked, scared, and awed. They like to fantasize and are mesmerized by other-worldly beings.
Horror has even gone comedic, a-la films like 'Scary Movie', a slasher spoof, that tears out the heart of the 'serious' horror film.

Go see a good horror film you'll be surprised how entertaining it will be. The horror film is the stepchild for the movie industry but nonetheless draws in big crowds and has become the second highest grossing movie genre.