Return of the Repressed

Definition:
'the process whereby repressed elements, preserved in the unconscious, tend to reappear, in consciousness or in behavior, in the shape of secondary and more or less unrecognisable "derivatives of the unconscious."'

http://www.answers.com/topic/return-of-the-repressed#ixzz1GO5E5MFn

This was the theory by Sigmund Freud, left, and it explains that audiences who watch horror movies, may become to feel like the victim themselves, if they have a past that they can particuarly relate to through watching the movie. For example, if a murderer in a horror movie murders the victims father, and the someone watching the movie has a particuarly difficult relationship with their father, or he is indeed dead, this movie may affect them more due to their experiences. This is because, Freud believed, that the unconscious mind is constantly trying to bring these experiences up without us knowing, in order for us to deal with them. The horror film then acts as a way for the unconscious mind to bring this past experience up without the person knowing.
This is useful for film production companies as it means there is more of a reaction from the audience.