Global Horror Cinema Today

The horror film is thriving worldwide. Filmmakers in countries as diverse as the USA, Australia, Israel, Spain, France, Great Britain, Iran, and South Korea are using the horror genre to address the emerging fears and anxieties of their cultures. This book investigates horror cinema around the globe with an emphasis on how the genre has developed in the past ten years. It closely examines 28 international films, including It Follows (2014), Grave (Raw, 2016), Busanhaeng (Train to Busan, 2016), and Get Out (2016), with discussions of dozens more. Each chapter focuses on a different country, analyzing what frightens the people of these various nations and the ways in which horror crosses over to international audiences.

Jon Towlson is a UK-based journalist and film critic. He has written for British Film Institute, Senses of Cinema, Digital Filmmaker Magazine, Starburst, Scream, The Dark Side, Starburst Magazine, Paracinema, Exquisite Terror, Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies, Shadowland Magazine and Bright Lights Film Journal.

Jon Towlson
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 225
Bibliographic Info: 40 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2021
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7153-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4352-6
Imprint: McFarland

Preface 1
Introduction: States of Terror 6
1. Argentina: White Coffin (2016) and Francesca (2015) 13
2. Australia: The Babadook (2014) and Hounds of Love (2016) 26
3. Austria: Goodnight Mommy (2014) and Cold Hell (2017) 43
4. Brazil: Through the Shadow (2015) and Our Evil (2017) 53
5. Britain: Prevenge (2016) and The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) 66
6. Denmark: Shelley (2016) and What We Become (2015) 79
7. France-Belgium-Luxembourg: The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears (2013) and Raw (2016) 88
8. Iran: Under the Shadow (2016) and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) 104
9. Israel: Rabies (2010) and Big Bad Wolves (2013) 113
10. Mexico: Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017) and The Untamed (2016) 125
11. South Korea: Train to Busan (2016) and The Wailing (2016) 138
12. Spain: Painless (2012) and The Corpse of Anna Fritz (2015) 148
13. Turkey: Hüddam (2015) and Baskin (2015) 159
14. U.S. and Canada: Most Beautiful Island (2017) and The Transfiguration (2016) 171
Afterword 185
Chapter Notes 189
Bibliography 197
Index 203

• “A thoroughly researched international overview of the horror genre. Each chapter chronicles the history of horror in a different country, examines contemporary productions, and explores two recent films for a deeper look at common national themes….fascinating introduction for readers looking to learn more about horror films outside of the United States….thoughtful analysis…solid”—Library Journal.