I just heard Jamie Lee Curtis say that horror movies give people the chance to confront something they can't control. (fear? disaster? nightmares? idk)

It sounds good, but it's probably nothing.

The thrill? I dunno. As someone who was scared of them growing up, now doesn't see a point other than suspense that ends up being a jumpscare

It's probably a similar thing to why people jump out of airplanes, or eat Trinidad scorpion peppers or whatnot...or it may just be a level of fantasy satisfaction to see a certain character archetype get what's coming to them - after all, a lot of horror comes down to morality tales, look at who dies: the asshole local sheriff/authority figure, the dumb, horny teenagers you hated in school, the cruel/unethical parent/psychiatrist, etc.

I'm not sure if there is any pleasure but relief when it's over?

It's not about pleasure. I guess It's about the adrenaline. Some people do high risk activities like bungee jumping, swimming among sharks, riding a rollercoster...And watching horror movies gets your heart beating fast too :p

Relaxing.

Beats me, it's all just stress and gore to me. I don't see the appeal. And it seems rather hypocritical to delight in something that would be absolutely devastating if it happened in real life.

I guess people like to be scared. Makes you feel alive.. lol tbh I don't care for horror films much anymore😁

🤷‍♀️ as though real life doesn’t hold enough horrors

There is no pleasure for me in watching a horror film. Quite the opposite in fact.

Emotions. Sometimes it's good to feel your heart racing.