Evolution of Scary Movies

HOLLYWOOD, Oct. 27, 2006 — -- Just the other night at Mann's Chinese 6 Theater, a 25-year-old writer-director debuted his first feature film, "Automaton Transfusion," a $30,000 zombie movie with a high-body count filmed in only nine days in Florida.

Steven Miller's horror flick was shot almost around the clock to meet the budget. Among the actors are his friends, even his father, who happens to be a funeral director. It doesn't get much more low budget than this -- but immediately after, Miller was fielding offers from major studios, who can't get enough of the scary movies that are incredibly popular with young moviegoers right now.

"I think it's adrenaline," Miller said. "Most people love that adrenaline rush and scary movies really do that for you."

Well, not really most people. Horror movies tend to attract fans young enough to imagine any sort of horrible death, except their own.

So far this year, the horror genre has grossed more than $650 million at the box office. That's only about 8 percent of the total box office, but what's really scary is the amount of money these movies can potentially make.

Watch "World News" Sunday for Brian Rooney's broadcast report on the resurgence of horror movies.

The original "Saw" cost less than $2 million to make and grossed $55 million. For "Saw II," producers splurged on a $4 million budget and raked in $87 million.

"Saw III" premieres this weekend, promising another potential box-office bloodbath.

Going back to the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," released in 1974, and moving through the years of "Friday the 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street," horror movies have now entered a third wave of popularity.