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- Title
Horror and Hedonic Ambivalence.
- Authors
STROHL, MATTHEW
- Abstract
The author discusses the idea that audiences enjoy horror films because of the painful nature of their emotional responses to the films. The author discusses the idea of hedonic ambivalence, or the phenomenon of taking pleasure in something painful, including the difference in weak ambivalence and strong ambivalence. The author draws on the theory of ancient philosopher Aristotle in defining pleasure and pain in discussing the paradox of pain and pleasure associated with horror films. The author also draws on the ideas of other philosophers including Noël Carroll, Berys Gaut, and Alex Neill and discusses the idea of the Folk Theory about pleasure.
- Subjects
HORROR films; MOTION picture audiences; MOTION pictures &; philosophy; AMBIVALENCE; PAIN &; psychology; PLEASURE; ARISTOTLE, 384-322 B.C.; PSYCHOLOGY
- Publication
Journal of Aesthetics & Art Criticism, 2012, Vol 70, Issue 2, p203
- ISSN
0021-8529
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1540-6245.2012.01512.x