The director with the scariest movies, according to science
Throughout the history of cinema, horror films have always carved a distinct niche, mesmerising and terrifying audiences in equal measure. The allure of a good horror flick lies not just in its ability to evoke fear but also in the challenge it presents to filmmakers – to create something that genuinely unsettles viewers. But how does one truly measure the scare factor of a movie?
Enter the Science of Scare Project. Founded in 2020, this unique experiment aimed to categorically identify the most terrifying movies by monitoring physiological responses. Each year, a carefully curated list of the most frightening English language films is presented to a 250-strong panel. The real twist? These test subjects are equipped with heart rate monitors, with their pulse carefully tracked throughout the screenings. This meticulous method was designed to provide a more objective measure of what truly scares us beyond simple subjective opinions.
This year, the project took a more comprehensive approach, introducing the ‘Science of Scare Score’. Previously, the heart rate was the sole determinant of a film’s fear factor. However, feedback from horror aficionados highlighted the limitation of this approach, arguing it favoured jump-scare-heavy films over the more sinister slow burns. Thus, a new scoring system was born, combining both heart rate and heart rate variance (HRV) to deliver a more nuanced understanding of the terror a film induces.
By this new multifaceted metric, several films have proven their might in the world of horror, but one director’s oeuvre consistently emerges as particularly pulse-raising: James Wan. This director, originating from Malaysia and later basing himself in Australia, has carved a formidable reputation for crafting stories that do more than startle – they resonate with deep-rooted fears and ooze with style.
Wan’s breakthrough came with the 2004 film Saw, which reshaped modern horror and kickstarted an entire Western sub-genre: the torture film. However, pigeonholing Wan to just one sub-genre would be a grave injustice. He expanded his horror repertoire with series like Insidious and The Conjuring, delving into the unsettling worlds of the supernatural and the paranormal.
What sets Wan apart is not just his ability to orchestrate scares but also his commitment to storytelling within the horror framework. His characters are nuanced, the plots intriguing, and the atmospheres palpable. There’s a reason why The Conjuring birthed its own cinematic universe. In other words, Wan’s films are not mere collections of jump scares; they are quality cinematic experiences that blend spooky stories with all the sincerity of a drama.
Wan’s distinction in the horror genre is not just anecdotal. With four of his films featuring prominently in the rankings, he’s a force to be reckoned with, consistently unsettling viewers and sending heart rates soaring. While other directors, like Scott Derrickson, have also been recognised by the project for their contributions to the genre, Wan’s films consistently evoke intense physiological reactions, affirming his mastery of horror. That’s a scientific fact.
