A lively and reliable narrative account of the horror genre, featuring new and revised material throughout
The Horror Film: An Introduction surveys the history, development, and social impact of the genre. Covering American horror cinema from its earliest period to the present, this reader-friendly volume explores the many ways horror movies have been received by filmmakers, critics, and general audiences throughout the decades. Concise, easily accessible chapters describe historical instances of the genre's social reception based on primary research, analyze landmark films such as Frankenstein, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and more.
Incorporating recent scholarship on the genre, the second edition of The Horror Film contains new discussion and context for Hollywood horror films in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as notable developments in the genre such as "torture porn," found-footage horror, remakes and reboots of past horror films, zombies, and the "elevated horror" debate. This edition explores the rise of new filmmakers such as Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and Jordan Peele, surveys horror films made by women and African American filmmakers, and investigates contemporary issues in the production and consumption of horror films.
Combining historical narrative with close readings of significant works, The Horror Film:
- Covers major works in the genre such as Cat People, Halloween, and Bram Stoker's Dracula
- Examines important antecedents including gothic literature and the Grand Guignol Theater
- Offers thorough analyses of the style, context, and themes of specific horror milestones
- Provides examples of close analysis that can be applied to a wide range of other horror films
- Discusses important representative titles across the genre's evolution, including more recent films such as 2017's Get Out
The Horror Film: An Introduction, Second Edition, is an ideal textbook for undergraduate surveys of the horror genre and other courses in American film history, and an invaluable resource for scholars, lecturers, and general readers with an interest in the subject.
A concise and comprehensive survey of the horror genre, now in its second edition
What exactly is a horror film? What are the typical settings, characters, and narrative problems that structure and define the genre? What are the psychological functions of horror? How has the form evolved over time? What are its social functions? How is the reception of cinematic horror shaped by historical circumstances?
The Horror Film: An Introduction is a lively and reliable survey of the history, development, impact, and interpretation of the genre. Combining historical narrative with close readings of representative titles such as Frankenstein, Halloween, and Bram Stoker's Dracula, this volume explores American horror cinema from its earliest period to the present. Reader-friendly chapters analyze the style, context, and themes of specific horror films while highlighting the different ways horror movies have been received by filmmakers, critics, and general audiences.
This updated second edition offers new context for Hollywood horror films in the 1980s and 1990s, discusses the rise of modern filmmakers including Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and Jordan Peele, surveys horror films made by women and African American filmmakers, and highlights developments in the genre such as "torture porn," found-footage horror, zombies, remakes of past hits, the "elevated horror" debate, and more.
Providing examples of close analysis that can be applied to a wide range of other films in the genre, The Horror Film: An Introduction is an excellent text for undergraduate surveys of the horror genre, other courses in American film history, and a must-read for general readers with an interest in cinematic horror.
