History of Hollywood Horror
History of Hollywood Horror is intended to help students
investigate the Horror Genre – as it has been interpreted by the
Hollywood film industry – from an academically-based perspective,
and introduce them to the historical, economic, political, social,
cultural, and aesthetic traditions which have come to shape this
long-lasting and important genre. It will introduce students to the
key issues and debates in the study of the horror film. It will
examine the forms which the horror film has taken within Hollywood,
and will do so in terms of history, criticism, and appropriate
academic theories. Focusing itself on the way "horror" as a genre
has been understood and shaped within the Hollywood context, the
module will enable students to evaluate critically, and then
utilize, a range of theoretical concepts and methodologies in
relation to the study of the horror film and horror as a genre as a
textual, institutional, historical and cultural object. We will
also examine the concepts behind such issues as Fear, Belief, and
why some people might enjoy watching horror films. It also takes
into account the issue of why horror – and its fans – are
often disparaged by some critics, scholars, and segments of
society.
View
further details of this module on the University catalogue.