‘Dr. Giggles’ Prescribes a Dose of Gross

In “Dr. Giggles,” the demented son of a demented doctor carries on his father’s “work” by sadistically murdering unsuspecting townsfolk. (Rated R)

What possesses kids--or anyone--to see movies like this?

A group of 12- and 13-year-olds (three boys and three girls) say it’s because they like to be scared. The grosser, the better.

Some of their favorite parts:

* “When the kid cuts his way out of his mother’s stomach,” says Nabil, a horror-movie aficionado whose favorite movie is “The Exorcist,” even though (or maybe because) it gave him nightmares.

* “When he stuck the tube in the lady’s mouth and she had been eating ice cream and this little spiked thing chopped up her throat,” says his friend Gordon. “And the ice cream and the blood gushed out,” Nabil reminds him.

* “When she spilled stuff on the floor and electrocuted him,” chimes in Sean.

* When “they walk in and all these dead bodies are sitting there and they took their hearts out,” Sarah says.

Every other week or so, the friends come to their neighborhood theater and spend the afternoon movie-hopping. Sometimes they get kicked out because they haven’t bought a second ticket. But when their favorite usher is there, he lets them see whatever they want.

The usher, a pleasant 17-year-old, ambles over, and the level of discussion rises from share and tell to compare and contrast. He much prefers the horror in “Candyman,” he says, because it had a unique plot.

“Right,” Nabil agrees. “What’s wrong with ‘Mr. Giggles’ is that you know what’s going to happen.” Nabil gives the film only 2 1/2 stars out of four.

By now, these kids have the horror-movie formula down cold. The bad guy ends up dying in a gross or sick way. The third guy that tries to protect the good guys dies. The girl lives and ends up killing the bad guy.

“What did you think?” Nabil asks me.

“I hated it!” I tell him. “I never, ever, see movies like this!”

“So why did you come?” he asks.

“Because it’s my job. Because they pay me to see movies and ask kids what they think. Because I’m trying to understand why kids like movies like this!”

“Cool,” he says. “So what kind of movies do you like? ‘Gone With the Wind’?” Lacking a snappy comeback, I pull rank. “Do your parents know you’re here?” I ask.

“My mom says ‘go ahead and see it.’ Just don’t tell her about it,” Nabil says. “I know it’s all fake anyway.”

The girls say their mother thinks they’re seeing “Mr. Baseball.” That is indeed their next destination.

Meanwhile, the boys head for another R-rated flick, “Under Siege.”

“That one’s not too bad,” Sean assures me. “It’s just violent.”