Can a person actually die watching a horror film? The recent report of a man dying in Tamil Nadu while watching The Conjuring 2, and medical research seem to suggest so. Even theatres are on alert when such films are screened
Recently , a 65-year-old man died in a cinema hall while watching The Conjuring 2 in Tamil Nadu. He complained of chest pain as the film reached its climax, and later passed away at a nearby hospital. Adding to the suspense, reports later surfaced that his body , and the driver who was transporting it, have both gone missing. Two days after this incident, a 21-year old died of a heart attack in MP after watching a regional language horror movie clip.Several other incidents have been reported of people either falling ill or `behaving strangely' after watching a horror film. A video clip doing the rounds online shows a woman in a cinema hall behaving like she is possessed while watching The Conjuring 2.
Reports and stories of deaths and strange behaviour after watching horror films have been around for a long time, and the question it triggers is can a horror movie can actually kill you? Medical research seems to suggest that horror films can be blood-curdling, quite literally. There are stories of ambulances stationed outside some theatres during the screening of The Exorcist back in the 70s. Many cinema halls in the country put their staff on extra alert during the screening of horror films, especially the night shows.
HORROR MOVIES CAN LITERALLY CURDLE YOUR BLOOD
Several deaths in cinema halls screen ing horror movies in many coun tries over the years have been at tributed to fear. If medical reports are to be believed, `death by hor ror movie' is not impossible.
Some research papers on the ef fect of horror movies say that these films literally are blood curdling, which could lead to cardiac arrest. According to re search published in a British peer-reviewed medical journal last year, horror films boost the production of a blood-clotting protein known as Factor VIII. Dr Banne Nemeth from the Leiden Uni versity Medical Centre was quot ed as saying, “We found watch ing horror, or `blood-curdling', movies was associated with an increase in blood coagulant factor VIII.“
Studies show that those with weakened hearts could be negatively affected by watching horror films. An other study published recently says that horror movies cause viewers to lose sleep and have an increased heart rate.
ARE CINEMAS EQUIPPED TO HANDLE HORROR FILM EMERGENCIES?
Cinema hall management teams say that they have arrange ments to provide first-aid, and an ambulance can be called in case of an emergency . One story says that in the 1970s, during the screening of The Exorcist in Chanakya, Delhi, two ambulances used to be stationed outside the cinema hall. Are such measures taken even now during the screening of horror movies? Yogesh Raizada, corporate head of a multiplex chain, says, “I haven't heard of any such measures, but I can't say whether this story is true or not. It's possible because during those days, calling an ambulance was a task now you can just ring them and in 10 minutes, it's here. But we have not had any emergency cases in cinema halls during the screening of horror movies. Just for the night shows, the staff is asked to stay a little alert in case someone needs help.“
So what is this `little alertness' for?
A video surfaced recently on some portals showing a woman apparently getting `possessed' while watching a horror film. The staff at cinema halls in Mumbai tell us that such extreme cases have never been seen in the city, but they don't rule out a possibility and stay alert. Manoj Desai, Executive Director of a multiplex, “Many people like horror films. But there are some who like the idea of watching these films, but they get scared. All over the world, you'll see viewers walking out of theatres unable to bear the scary scenes.“
PEOPLE FAINT, THROW UP, WALK OUT: USHERS
An usher at a cinema hall told us, “I kind of respect people who are brave enough to stay through the whole movie, because whenever there is a horror movie that's actually scary, plenty of people just walk out. Not many this time, but during the screening of The Conjuring in 2013, we saw the maximum walkouts.“
And what happens when people come out of the theatre? A staff member at a single screen hall says, “It's the most common consequence some or the other person will walk out of a horror film screening feeling disturbed. But sometimes they also say strange things like `I felt like someone was standing behind my seat'. There have even been times when people came out calling the ushers to see if the seats are okay because they are `bending' towards one side.“
Another usher says, “People start screaming when someone screams in the movie. If the film is really scary, women usually leave and don't return, while men walk out and go back again after a few minutes.“ Says another usher at a multiplex, “Sometimes, horror shows feel like comedy shows some people talk a lot and some even laugh during the scariest of scenes. It could be a defence mechanism, but it disturbs others. Different people react differently some close their eyes, some scream and some go to restrooms to seek privacy and then break down.“
According to reports, during the screening of The Exorcist, theatre owners had to keep smelling salts to wake those who fainted during the movie. A member of the staff at a cinema hall says, “I have seen people coming out of the hall running towards the seating area, and they just collapse and start crying. If they are accompanied by someone, we don't intervene, just offer water, but if they are alone, we have to help them calm down.“ Some say that in a few rare instances, they've also had to accompany people to the parking lot.
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