In this book, close analyses of classic horror films (such as Frankenstein and Cat People) address the following questions: What about this movie is weird? What does this movie think ought to scare you? If there weren’t monsters in this movie, what would be wrong with these people’s lives?
The author examines conceptions and interpretations of horror in films produced during the heyday of the Hollywood studio system, including their synergy with other horror films and their wide-ranging effects on audiences. Considering the impact of institutional practices, cultural and historical conditions, and interactions with other genres, this discussion provides a fuller understanding of how horror films—and our perceptions of what horror is—have developed and changed.

H. Marshall Leicester is a professor emeritus of literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is the author of articles on medieval literature, opera, and film.

H. Marshall Leicester
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages:
Bibliographic Info: ca. 90 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8979-1
Imprint: McFarland