Cannonball with Wesley Morris A Horror Movie Halloween Special: The Dread Under the Bed
Oct 23, 2025
Wesley Morris chats with Eric Hynes, a film curator at the Jacob Burns Film Center, about the haunting power of dread in horror cinema. They explore iconic scenes that evoke a lingering sense of anxiety, from 'Rosemary's Baby' to 'Uncut Gems.' The duo discusses childhood traumas linked to films like 'Poltergeist' and the intricacies of tension in movies like 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.' They ponder whether modern films capture today's cultural dread and Eric reveals his top three dread-inducing films—definitely worth a watch!
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Dread Defined As Core Horror Feeling
- Dread is the anticipation that something terrible will happen and how long you must wait to find out.
- Wesley Morris says dread, not gore, is the core emotion he seeks in horror films.
Suspense Versus Dread
- Suspense shows you the threat and stretches time before it happens while dread leaves the threat unknown and existential.
- Eric Hynes distinguishes suspense (Hitchcock) from dread as different viewer experiences.
Childhood Films Shaped Lasting Fears
- Eric Hynes recounts childhood exposures to Poltergeist and Temple of Doom that left lasting fears.
- He slept with his body covered by sheets for years because images felt real and vulnerable.
