Horror Movies Based on Phobias

By RodneyHatfieldJr for Movies

A huge fear is discovering a new phobia(except for some of you weirdos, it might be exciting). I have anxiety and you think that would make me avoid horror movies, but they don’t. I have a lot of fears and phobias but know movies are not real. I never really experience anxiety watching these types of films. They can’t get me through a TV screen or in a movie theater. But movies that use Inforsound will kick up an attack. I think they should outlaw the practice for two reasons. First, it causes physical responses unknown to the person. They can cause health problems. Second, it isn’t the story, effects, or atmosphere that is causing dread, it is a low hum that only animals can hear. So it is misleading. I have tested this on some of the so-called scariest movies with the sound off. No sound no feelings. With the sound, panic attacks that last way longer than the movie. This is why some Paranormal Activity films are so popular. They used Inforsound. Turn it off and watch it. They are rather boring.

End of rant. Let's get back the subject at hand. You can name anything it seems, and you can find someone who is afraid of it. Be it spiders, snakes, needles, clowns, or sex toys. People have fears about these things. So the idea of watching a movie involving these phobias is beyond fear. Instead of the spider sitting happily in the corner of the room on a web eating pesky bugs, they will be attacking or at the very least be menacing. So we are going to go over some of these phobias and list some of the best movie examples to send people into a breakdown. You might say some of these films are not horror films. Well, tell that to the person with the phobia. I will give you 100 to 1 odds they will disagree with you.  I am going to go down the list of most common phobias and list the best film to exacerbate that fear.


Acrophobia (fear of heights)

The Walk 2015


rollingstone

A French guy walking a wire between the Twin Towers. The Walk becomes an acrophobic's worst nightmare.  Never understood why someone would want to walk a wire, but as they say; whatever floats your boat. Just don't hurt anyone.

Warning: The visual-effects gave me a headache. The crew should take that as a compliment.


Aerophobia (fear of flying)

Alive 1993


ytimg

Few things are as terrifying as the idea of being trapped in a dying airplane, and very few films have captured this fear this well. Based on actual events of the 1972 Andes flight disaster, Alive deals with horrors like exposure, starvation, and cannibalism, but the opening plane crash is something you recall every time you head to the airport.

And the Biography “I had to Survive" by Doctor Canessa (he was the one who cared and makes snacks from dead soccer players) is worth a read.


Arachnophobia (fear of spiders)

Arachnophobia 1990


blogspot

Even though movie history has a huge library of B-movies about attacking spiders, this on-the-nose horror-comedy outdoes the competition when it comes to spider-based chills.


Aquaphobia (fear of water), Selachophobia (fear of sharks)

Jaws 1975


kaiju.wdfiles

We get a 2 for 1 special here. And of course, it had to be Jaws. The one movie that was responsible for lowered beach attendance for years after it’s release. Plus making personal pools a common household item by the 1980s.

The movie has water, death, and sharks. It’s a trifecta of fear.


Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces)

Buried 2010


theflawedguru

True here have been quite a few claustrophobic movies but few have been as committed to the premise of Buried. The entire movie is about a man trapped in a coffin.

This is a movie that starts at a high speed and doesn’t stop until the fiery crash of an ending.


Coulrophobia (fear of clowns)

Killer Klowns from Outer Space 1988


blogspot

A cult classic, yes. Quite silly, of course. But the clown effects are so good that it's an instant nightmare for anyone who dislikes those laughing, baggy clothed, red-nosed closet serial killers.


Cynophobia (fear of dogs)

Cujo 1983


 blogspot

Watching a loyal, lovable dog go bad is horrible.  Cujo is a dark, sweaty, intense thriller that owes just as much to claustrophobia as it does to cynophobia.

I really hate this film. Not because I suffer from the phobia, but because Cujo dies(really any animals). If he somehow survived by medicine or something, then it would be up there with my favorite King movies. It really is a well-acted, suspenseful, and a great story. But I refuse to watch it.  Poor puppy.


Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes)

Anaconda 1997


horrornews

Ever wondered what it would be like if a film crew was being stalked by a mega-snake on the Amazon?  Here you go. It some nice crazy snake mayhem with just enough laughs to keep things going.  



Ornithophobia (fear of birds)

The Birds 1963


m.media

Boasting some revolutionary special effects, and an amusingly morbid sense of humor, this movie will keep you indoors for days.

I will admit when the maple trees across the street are full of Grackling and cowbirds with all of them calling and chirping, I walk a little faster to the car. I’m not ashamed. I blame Hitchcock. 


Xenophobia (fear of things foreign or strange)

Alien 1979


20thcenturystudios

The alien works on two xenophobic levels: not only can the mysterious, vicious monster seemingly not be killed, but it also looks different every time we see it. Between each design, and dark spaceship hallways; it will disturb anyone who fears anything outside the norm.

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