MovieChat Forums > The Grudge (2004) Discussion > How to not be so scurred of this damn mo...

How to not be so scurred of this damn movie?!

posted 9 years ago by summer_wine7
35 replies | jump to latest

I'm a huge fan of the horror genre. Though some movies make me jump or creep me out, nothing really scares me and as soon as the credits roll I am usually over it (unless it was also a sad story, in which case I usually think about it for a little longer but not much). I've seen the very vast majority of horror movies that would be listed as scariest and don't have an issue with any of them.

The Grudge however is different. I saw it in 2004 when I was 17 - I saw it three times actually - and it scared the absolute *beep* out of me to the point of leaving the light on when I went to sleep and barely sleeping at all as I covered my ears the whole night. I was terrified. I didn't know why. I just couldn't shake the images and creeps it gave me.

Three years later I watched The Grudge 2, with my dad, TWICE in a row - he suggested I watch every single scene (no looking away!) which I did and cracked jokes about it to help me get over it. It didn't help. It may have made it worse.

Fast forward another 3 years and I watched The Grudge again with my then boyfriend... I knew exactly what was gonna happen... I screamed every time... I could hardly sleep that night.

I keep wanting to rewatch it because I can't stand that it scares me this much. But rewatching doesn't seem to fix it.

Does anyone have any tips as to how to get over this ridiculous fear/fixation (i.e. recurring dreams, can't stand the rattling sound, keep going back to think if I should rewatch it)? I just want to be able to watch this movie, be like 'lolz good scare' and go to bed unafraid and get normal sleep. I can't stand that it scares me.

Also I know where I am posting and fully expect trolls and insults... but it's a leap of faith maybe another person who had a similar fear browsed over here too.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] crowdedbody 8 years ago

You never grew out of the adolescent bravado, did you? It's ok, we're adults here.

[–] chilone 9 years ago

I wasn't "scurred" at all :)

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

[–] kurt7825 9 years ago

watch The Grudge 3. its awesome

[–] h-oates 9 years ago

First remember its only a Movie.Sarah Michelle Geller is acting in other things now,she is not dead and the cast probably had fun making this film.I would see the making of it if you can,the cameras are in their faces.Films like this are just fun.It is not reality.Do not keep watching it. It can help fears but not with movies.Bill Pullman is alive and he is not dead in Japan or the President.That is how to beat the fear,see the reality.

[–] summer_wine7 8 years ago

I wish I could put it in that perspective - I only watched it because I'm such a Sarah Michelle Gellar fan! So I know it's not real, but for some reason I just can't wrap my head around it being as fake as all the other horror movies - maybe that's the problem and I should watch behind the scenes footage!

[–] Marianne4388 8 years ago

I'm exactly the same way with this movie! It scared me so much I had to change bedroom in my house, because the one I slept in had a attic! I also had to have the lights on for so long after seeing it! No movie have ever scared me like this one. I think it's because she just pops up everywhere and they never get rid of her.

I did get over it by thinking like I do with all really scary movies, basically that just because you see it in a movie, doesn't mean it will come after you. Sounds stupid, but it works lol. I still can't see it, but that's fine!

And I won't be seeing Lights out
anytime soon either. I know my limitations and I know I'll be so scared haha!

[–] summer_wine7 8 years ago

Lights Out is amazing :) it didn't scare me nearly as much! Probably because the ghost in Lights Out has a clear cause that isn't as random as "walking into the wrong house at the wrong time".

[–] Angel_Of_My_Heart 8 years ago

Stop watching The Grudge movies, honestly if they scare you that much why keep torturing yourself. Clearly for you it doesn't matter how many times you watch them they scare you everytime so I would suggest never watch them again.

[–] KingCobra686 8 years ago

This is probably one of the first real horror movies that I ever saw, so it was very intense when I first watched it up in my room alone. It probably wouldnt be that bad if I first watched it now, now that I've seen so many other horror movies, but the fact that this was one of my first horror movie experiences really burned itself into me. I can sympathize with the irrational fear of this movie that you seem to be facing.

Possible ideas for conquering it?

1) Watch it over and over. This movie has a lot of jumpscares. Jumpscares depend a lot on the element of surprise. If you can predict them, it takes a lot of that power away. I dont know how many times you would have to watch this to dull it out, but eventually you would reach that point. Maybe you could have it playing in the background while you do other stuff?

2) Root for the villain. Someone already kind of mentioned it in one of the other posts on this thread. If you put yourself in the villain's shoes, it "humanizes" things and makes it a lot less scary. Why is the ghost hanging out in the attic? Pretend you are the ghost hiding out in the attic and you are annoyed that people keep poking around your house and you want to attack this person peeking into the attic so that maybe they will give up and leave you alone.

3) Find ways to make jokes about scenes. The Scary Movie series spoofed this movie in at least one of their movies. If you havent watched that yet, it might help. Even if you have watched it, try to come up with more "jokes" like that about scenes you are watching from this movie. The movie will be a lot less scary if you associate it with jokes instead of scares.

Good luck

[–] greytree 8 years ago

What might help is if you watch the making of the movie either the original japanese version or the american one. Can't remember which one it was but in the making of it you see the actress who plays the scary girl and after seeing her around all the film crew doing takes and messing around you realise it is just a movie :). Think there are bloopers too