Why do people watch films?

Different types of people want different things from films. One of the main reasons is escapism, watching films to escape from reality, relax and to divert themselves from their stress-filled lives. This is the most common reason, though most of us don’t even realise it. We watch films to treat ourselves to things that wouldn’t be possible in real life, an alternate reality to see what life would be like if people could fly or unimaginable things became possible.

Many psychological factors affect what we watch; most of us watch comedy films as a way to boost happiness. A lot of people watch films when they are bored, this is because it requires minimum effort but entertains us just as much as something that requires all our attention and hard-work. It’s easy and the reward is enjoyable. Watching films evokes a variety of emotions, watching a thriller would create tension as opposed to watching a comedy which will evoke laughter.

Some people watch films because they relate to the characters and the storylines, as opposed to carrying out the actions and the drama themselves, they see it as themselves with a more exciting twist. This makes it easier for people to follow and draws them in.
Some people even said that they watch films to see what the writer/director is trying to tell people through different effects and dialogue. Some use films as a method of inspiration for their own projects or to dissect actors/actresses actions.
A lot of people watch movies when they are procrastination, they begin to put off their work or duties and sit down and watch a film. Again, this is because it requires very little effort. Depending on the type of film, they can be watched from any point through the film. If a film is story-driven, it can’t be watched from half-way through but if a film is only loosely following a plot (such as a comedy) it is easy to jump straight into and enjoy.

Susan Burgraff a psychology professor investigated into why people watch horror films and she came to two theories which are the relief theory and the continuous reward theory. The relief theory explains why we take part in things that cause unpleasant feelings.
The stimulation of the unpleasant feeling strengthens the feeling of relief once the fear is gone. This links into relating to the characters, we see the protagonist of a story as a friend and we feel relief when we see them succeed.
There is a transfer of excitation (which is created by the excitement of the ongoing plot), the fear creates arousal which is then converted to positive arousal at the end of the film, these factors contribute towards the ‘snuggle effect’.

The snuggle theory gives people a chance to show their gender roles. i.e. women are emotional and men appear to be more brave. This is one of the main reasons young adults go on dates to watch horror films. Another aspect is conformity, being with others who are feeling similar emotions lets us feel as if we are a part of a group.
The majority of people who I had asked about why they watch films say it is either used as a means of escaping reality (as opposed to video games or reading a book) and stress or they use it to bring out many emotions.
A major reason for watching films is to socialise with friends. An extremely common plan for a night out between friends and it also creates opportunity for conversation and discussion between people.

This leads me to reviews; reviews are a big cause for watching films. They influence people to watch the latest films or even classics, as reviews are more accessible (all over the internet) now, more and more people are reading them and going to watch films. Reviews are even placed on advertising campaigns for the latest major hits to create further hype.
There is no definitive answer as to why people watch films, but there are many different factors that affect it; from relations with characters to thought-provoking and evoking a variety of emotions.