- The Horror Film

Catalog description

A seminar on the horror film, one of the most popular and enduring of all cinematic genres. We will compare attempts to define the genre and to explain its intense psychological effects and popular appeal. We will also examine the major aesthetic traits of the horror film, analyzing characteristic plots, events, characters and elements of cinematic style (e.g. cinematography, music, special effects). And we will trace the horror genre over time, considering how it has been shaped by film industry conditions, changes in filmmaking technology, and broad social/cultural developments. In addition to viewing films, we will look at manifestations of the horrific in the other arts.