FAIR 390H - Horror Films: History and Interpretation

In this class, we will watch “classic” horror films and more recent films (newer twists on old themes) and learn the social, cultural and literary history of the horror genre, scholarly interpretations of horror movies, the language of cinematic analysis, and we will discover how these films reflect and negotiate the sexual, racial, and political anxieties, fears, and concerns of mainstream American society at the time they were released. Through discussion and group exercises, we will learn the common components of horror films that have been used to censor or scapegoat difference and “otherness” in American society and culture.

Prerequisites & Notes: FAIR 203A or instructor permission.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: S/U