Touchstones of Gothic Horror

Gothic cinema, typified by the films of Universal, Hammer, Amicus and Tigon, grew out of an aesthetic that stretches back to the 18th century and beyond, even to Shakespeare. This book explores the origin of Gothic cinema in art and literature, tracing its connection to the Gothic revival in architecture, the Gothic novel, landscape, ruins, Egyptology, occultism, sexuality, the mythology of werewolves, the philosophy of Hegel, and many other aspects of the Romantic and Symbolist movements.

David Huckvale has worked as a researcher, writer and presenter for BBC Radio and as a lecturer for various universities in England. He lives in rural Bedfordshire.

David Huckvale
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 271
Bibliographic Info: 117 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2010
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4782-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5701-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi
Introduction      1

1. Stairways to Hell      7
2. Sturm und Drang      33
3. Ruins      47
4. Municipal Sublimity      73
5. Heaving Cleavage      91
6. Living Pictures      109

INTERLUDE. Werewolves      134

7. Ornate Coffins      146
8. Hegelian Horrors      166
9. Ancient Egypt      180
10. The Occult      199
11. Satire      229

Chapter Notes      243
Select Bibliography      251
Index      255

“provides the reader a fun Grand Tour through the ages and is packed with references…With this book McFarland furthers their reputation of publishing books that deal intelligently with subjects often marginalized by more mainstream publishing houses. Keep ‘em coming, McFarland!”—Van Helsing’s Journal.