The Horror Film (Rutgers Depth of Field Series)

In this volume, Stephen Prince has collected essays reviewing the history of the horror film and the psychological reasons for its persistent appeal, as well as discussions of the developmental responses of young adult viewers and children to the genre. The book focuses on recent postmodern examples such as The Blair Witch Project. In a daring move, the volume also examines Holocaust films in relation to horror. Part One features essays on the silent and classical Hollywood eras. Part Two covers the postWorld War II era and discusses the historical, aesthetic, and psychological characteristics of contemporary horror films. In contrast to horror during the classical Hollywood period, contemporary horror features more graphic and prolonged visualizations of disturbing and horrific imagery, as well as other distinguishing characteristics. Princes introduction provides an overview of the genre, contextualizing the readings that follow. Stephen Prince is professor of communications at Virginia Tech. He has written many film books, including Classical Film Violence: Designing and Regulating Brutality in Hollywood Cinema, 19301968, and has edited Screening Violence, also in the Depth of Field Series. Shadow-souls And Strange Adventures: Horror And The Supernatural In European Silent Film / Casper Tybjerg -- Before Sound: Universal, Silent Cinema And The Last Of The Horror-spectaculars / Ian Conrich -- Children Of The Night / Carlos Clarens -- The Horrors Of War / David J. Skal -- Postmodern Elements Of The Contemporary Horror Film / Isabel Pinedo -- Dread, Taboo, And The Thing: Toward A Social Theory Of The Horror Film / Stephen Prince -- Toward An Aesthetics Of Cinematic Horror / Steven Jay Schneider -- Scraping Bottom: Splatter And The Herschell Gordon Lewis Oeuvre / Jonathan Crane -- Mondo Horror: Carnivalizing The Taboo / Mikita Brottman -- Horror And Art Dread / Cynthia Freeland -- Horror And The Holocaust: Genre Elements In Schindler's List And Psycho / Caroline J.s. Picart And David A. Frank -- Developmental Differences In Responses To Horror / Joanne Cantor And Mary Beth Oliver -- The Appeal Of Horror And Suspense / Mary Beth Oliver And Meghan Sanders. Edited And With An Introduction By Stephen Prince. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In this volume, Stephen Prince has collected essays reviewing the history of the horror film and the psychological reasons for its persistent appeal, as well as discussions of the developmental responses of young adult viewers and children to the genre. The book focuses on recent postmodern examples such as The Blair Witch Project. In a daring move, the volume also examines Holocaust films in relation to horror. Part One features essays on the silent and classical Hollywood eras. Part Two covers the post-World War II era and discusses the historical, aesthetic, and psychological characteristics of contemporary horror films. In contrast to horror during the classical Hollywood period, contemporary horror features more graphic and prolonged visualizations of disturbing and horrific imagery, as well as other distinguishing features. Prince's introduction provides an overview of the genre, contextualizing the readings that follow. Focusing on recent postmodern examples, this is a collection of essays reviewing the history of the horror film and the psychological reasons for its persistent appeal