Taking the challenge

"It's only a movie."

"The scariest thing you've ever seen."

"Whatever you do, don't watch this alone."

These phrases, along with many others, have been used for decades to bring people out in throngs to see horror movies. And yet, even without the hyperbole, people would still go in droves. Why? Because there's just something about being scared that gives people a bit of a thrill. Sure, for a genre that has been alternated from political commentary to simply trying to gross the audience out, it can't ever claim huge blockbusters. And yet, for every Iron Man, there are three or four horror movies that can at least make their budget, if not above and beyond.

Still, given the amount of exaggeration that tends to follow promotion of any movie (pitching The House Bunny as the "funniest movie of the summer"? Did you not see Indiana Jones? Or does unintentional comedy not count?), it just seems like people would take the phrases with a grain of salt, and view them as intended. And most people do. However, a horror fan in Bangalore decided to test one a film, and rented an entire theater to watch it alone.

That's right. For the low low price of $1160, the man was able to rent out the entire theater and watch the movie without other theater-goers shrieking around him, tossing popcorn at the screen, or making out in the back rows. He also had a doctor on call, but was left disappointed that it only took "10 minutes to settle down".

Obviously, this man hasn't seen the vast majority of "horror" movies produced in America in recent years. Not only is $1160 more than they deserve to make in any weekend, but most of them seem to be pushing more towards discomfort and cheesy "boo jumps" instead of actual horror.

But hey, this could give Eli Roth a new idea for any upcoming projects he might have. If only we could determine why we never see him and Uwe Boll together.