Freud developed the theory that if someone has a "forbidden idea" then it may strive to the surface. However, at the same time the person's ego will be trying to prevent that act from happening which allows the idea to be discussed and surface as a symptom. When this happens a device called the "reaction formation" automatically, unconsciously takes action. It makes the person do the total opposite of what they want to do. For an example, cuddling a child and then snapping at them will make the parent want to "make it all better" by "loving them to death." In most cases of this happening the person is able to manage the feelings and carry on, but sometimes they are not able to repress and the emotions are always trying to find a way to resurface.
Phsycopathic killers in horror movies are linked to this theory very strongly as childhood memories may lead a character to repressing these feelings which turn them into a killer. For example, the beginning of "Halloween" sees a young boy who witnesses his sister's sexual relationship and stabbs here in the chest. The way it realates back to the theory is that he missunderstood the situation and thought he was producing the same effect with the knife. As a result of this he spends many years locked away in mental aslyums being studied by phychiatrists. After being releaced he kills a number of people all who are sexually active either just had sex or just about to. His main target was the virginal "final girl" who manages to survive and yet after having been shot multiple times and falling out of a bedroom window, the killer still seems to survive.
To sum up, at the beginning of the movie he witnesses his sister's sexual activaty which turns him into a killer which takes us through the movie.
Below you can see the beginning sequence of "Halloween" (1978) and how we are put in the killers eyes for quite some time in an extended point of view shot. (please excuse opening titles)
Freud thought we all have to repress some of our most primitive desires and emotions in order to take our place in society. So infant rages etc are repressed (we cannot recall our early childhood). Does horror allow us to experience these things again, in a safe context?
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