What do you know about Stephen King? If you don't know anything about him, take a minute to look him up so that you have some context for his essay.

2. In his opening, Stephen King states that the "real" terror began on October 4, 1957. First, what is the "real" terror for King? Second, what happens to create "real terror" for him in the theater?
4. According to Stephen King, what is the "danse macabre"? Where in the essay does he provide a definition? What is the definition?
6. According to King, what makes The Day the Earth Stood Still a science fiction movie, rather than a horror movie? Why does he consider Earth vs. the Flying Saucers a horror movie rather than a science fiction movie? NOTE: The trailer for Earth vs. the Flying Saucers appears below.
8. What does King mean when he talks about national "phobic pressure points"? Why is Invasion of the Body Snatchers a good example of a film that exposes a national "phobic pressure point"?
10. Provide 2 -3 examples of recent movies that you think also expose national phobic pressure points.
12. On page 22, King says that terror "often arises from a pervasive sense of disestablishment, that things are in the unmaking." What historical examples does he provide to illustrate his meaning? What additional historical examples can be provided today?
14. What, according to King, is useful about horror? In what ways does it provide a cathartic experience for the audience? Do you agree that horror is often cathartic?