Film

Origin scare stories: How screen horror writers get under your skin

From home intruders to creepy crawlies, five top Irish fright-flick creators tell us what gives them the jitters

Directors of horror films tap into our primal fears to scare us silly. Picture: Getty

Fear is a very personal thing, and what horrifies one person to their very core might delight another. Some people keep tarantulas as pets, while others recoil in terror at the sight of a spider scuttling across the floor. Hordes of thrillseekers spend hours queueing in theme parks for the most extreme roller-coasters, giddy with excitement at the thought of the loop-the-loops to come, while the mere thought of standing atop a ladder is enough ...