There's something instinctual about the way most of us react when horror movies put animals at the center of the terror. For me, it's desperation—keep that precious animal safe! They didn't do anything wrong! Maybe it's a cheat, but put a pet in something, and I'm immediately invested.Maybe animals in horror work so well because we've all experienced that eerie moment when our dog suddenly barks at an empty corner or a cat stares at something unseen. Maybe it's because animals occupy a unique space in our psychological landscape, in that they're innocent, but have agency, and also have the potential to be dangerous themselves.The upcoming horror film Good Boy, which premiered at SXSW 2025 to rave reviews, understands this. Director Ben Leonberg's feature debut tells its haunted story entirely from the perspective of Indy, a loyal pet who can see supernatural threats that his human owner, Todd, cannot.It’s no secret that I loved this movie and even had the pleasure of meeting Indy the dog and his owners at SXSW this year. Seeing the film get much-deserved buzz is exciting as a horror film fan.Why Do Horror Movies with Animals Have Such a Unique Effect on Us?Research in horror psychology suggests that our enjoyment of scary content requires what scientists call a "protective frame," or the knowledge that we're safe, that what we're seeing isn't real, and that we have control over the situation. Animals complicate this in interesting ways. Animals carry emotional baggage that's harder to compartmentalize. We...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today