Is Horror Natural?

I once worked with a woman from Romania. She was puzzled at the Western love of horror movies. Coming from a country under the dictator Ceceascu she knew all about REAL horror. She asked me, "Why do people pay money to scare themselves?" It was something I'd never thought of before but have thought a lot of since. I wonder if it doesn't come from millions of years ago when we were small and there were many big creatures that liked to eat us. Somehow we wish to recreate this feeling because it feels normal, we've lived with horror for so long in the wild. It's just a thought. I know I'd never convince her that it is fun to be scared but that is just what our instincts have left us with.