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Identifies key – and in some cases previously overlooked – cult horror films from around the world and reappraises them by approaching and interrogating them in new ways. New productions in the horror genre occupy a prominent space within the cinematic landscape of the 21st century, but the genre's back catalogue of older films refuses to be consigned to the motion picture graveyard just yet. Interest in older horror films remains high, and an ever-increasing number of these films have enjoyed an afterlife as cult movies thanks to regular film festival screenings, television broadcasts and home video releases. Similarly, academic interest in the horror genre has remained high. The frameworks applied by contributors to the collection include genre studies, narrative theory, socio-political readings, aspects of cultural studies, gendered readings, archival research, fan culture work, interviews with filmmakers, aspects of film historiography, spatial theory and cult film theory. Covering a corpus of films that ranges from recognised cult horror classics such as The Wicker Man, The Shining and Candyman to more obscure films like Daughters of Darkness, The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, Shivers, Howling III: The Marsupials and Inside, Broughton has curated an international selection of case studies that show the diverse nature of the cult horror subgenre. Be they star-laden, stylish, violent, bizarre or simply little heard-of obscurities, this book offers a multitude of new critical insights into a truly eclectic selection of cult horror films.
The first study of nearly 100 B movies noted for their unique "strangeness" -- Attack of the Fifty-foot Woman, the Killer Shrews, and others.
The Bride of Frankenstein to House of Wax to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to The Brood—horror is a beloved and multifaceted genre, with no two classics truly alike. And almost all of them—great and not-so-great—inspire the kind of passion that only cult films truly reach. In this collection of 33 essays drawn from his revered Cult Movies series, cult film specialist Danny Peary examines, dissects, defends, and exalts horror films from his unique and engaging perspective. His writing is a cornerstone of the cult film culture that continues to flourish today. New to this ebook series are Danny Peary’s cult movie checklists for each genre. Every horror fan will walk away with newly discovered gems to watch, and a newfound appreciation of his or her favorites.
The horror genre harbors a number of films too bold or bizarre to succeed with mainstream audiences, but offering unique, startling and often groundbreaking qualities that have won them an enduring following. Beginning with Victor Sjostrom's The Phantom Carriage in 1921, this book tracks the evolution and influence of underground cult horror over the ensuing decades, closing with William Winckler's Frankenstein vs. the Creature from Blood Cove in 2005. It discusses the features that define a cult film, trends and recurring symbols, and changing iconography within the genre through insightful analysis of 88 movies. Included are works by popular directors who got their start with cult horror films, including Oliver Stone, David Cronenberg and Peter Jackson.
The first study of nearly 100 B movies noted for their unique "strangeness" -- Attack of the Fifty-foot Woman, the Killer Shrews, and others.
This collection concentrates on the analysis of cult movies, how they are defined, who defines them and the cultural politics of these definitions. The definition of the cult movie relies on a sense of its distinction from the "mainstream" or "ordinary." This also raises issues about the perception of it as an oppositional form of cinema, and of its strained relationships to processes of institutionalization and classification. In other words, cult movie fandom has often presented itself as being in opposition to the academy, commercial film industries and the media more generally, but has been far more dependent on these forms than it has usually been willing to admit. The international roster of essayists range over the full and entertaining gamut of cult films from Dario Argento, Spanish horror and Peter Jackson's New Zealand gorefests to sexploitation, kung fu and sci-fi flicks.
Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject Film Science, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Cult Films - Weirdly Dramatic, language: English, abstract: The decade of the 1950s predominantly recalls ideas of conventionalism, conformity and gender boundaries. The home played an important role as an oasis of peace, retreat and security, thus the era is shaped by the widespread ideal of the suburban family. However, the notion of conformity and the idyll of the so-called ‘nuclear family’ served as points of attack for filmmakers as society’s indifferent and passive life was seen as the basis for their loss of individuality and free will. As a result, movies put emphasis on the fragility of society and the reversal of moral ideals, and filmmakers called for a more active participation in social and political life. Above all, people who lived in the idyll of peaceful suburb communities were afraid of an infiltration of their own individuality and of the dissolving of their integrity, a process which could in their opinion be provoked both physically, for example by the nuclear bomb, and mentally, that is by the spread of Communism. Consequently, the period following World War II was predominantly shaped by the influence of the Cold War which presented a seemingly peaceful situation but created great paranoia among people, such as the fear of the attack of hidden evil. The filmmakers’ way of dealing with the new situation was the introduction of science fiction horror movies which responded to the existing fear of an offensive by an external enemy. The enemy generally embodied the Communist threat and found its common representation in alien invasions. In the following, I will analyze the significance of cult films as a social phenomenon in the 1950s and thereby draw on films likeInvasion of the Body Snatchers, Invaders from Mars, The Incredible Shrinking Man,andGlen or Glenda?.In doing so, I will examine Cold War paranoia and the fear of the loss of integrity which dominated both people and film industry in the fifties. Due to the rising boom of the science fiction and horror genre, the 1950s can be referred to as the “decade of the monster movie”. The establishment of drive-in theaters increased people’s paranoia as outdoor cinemas reinforced the threat of an invasion by lacking the domestic security found indoors. Moreover, they responded to the demands of a new teenage culture of rebellion that praised their independence and lived out their adventures. One of the classic monster movies that was a huge success in drive-in theaters was Don Siegel‘sInvasion of the Body Snatchers,produced in 1956. [...]
One of the top-grossing independent films of all time, The Evil Dead (1981) sparked a worldwide cult following, resulting in sequels, remakes, musicals, comic books, conventions, video games and a television series. Examining the legacy of one of the all-time great horror films, this collection of new essays covers the franchise from a range of perspectives. Topics include The Evil Dead as punk rock cinema, the Deadites' (demon-possessed undead) place in the American zombie tradition, the powers and limitations of Deadites, evil as affect, and the films' satire of neoliberal individualism.
A guide to more than one hundred of the most popular and controversial cult classic films ever made includes coverage of All About Eve, Tarzan and His Mate, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
"An invaluable collection for anyone researching or teaching cult cinema ... The Cult Film Reader is an authoritative text that should be of value to any student or researcher interested in challenging and transgressive cinema that pushes the boundaries of conventional cinema and film studies." Science Fiction Film and Television "A really impressive and comprehensive collection of the key writings in the field. The editors have done a terrific job in drawing together the various traditions and providing a clear sense of this rich and rewarding scholarly terrain. This collection is as wild and diverse as the films that it covers. Fascinating." Mark Jancovich, Professor of Film and Television Studies, University of East Anglia, UK "It's about time the lunatic fans and loyal theorists of cult movies were treated to a book they can call their own. The effort and knowledge contained in The Cult Film Reader will satisfy even the most ravenous zombie's desire for detail and insight. This book will gnaw, scratch and infect you just like the cult films themselves." Brett Sullivan, Director of Ginger Snaps Unleashed and The Chair "The Cult Film Reader is a great film text book and a fun read." John Landis, Director of The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London and Michael Jackson's Thriller "Excellent overview of the subject, and a comprehensive collection of significant scholarship in the field of cult film. Very impressive and long overdue." Steven Rawle, York St John University, UK Whether defined by horror, kung-fu, sci-fi, sexploitation, kitsch musical or ‘weird world cinema’, cult movies and their global followings are emerging as a distinct subject of film and media theory, dedicated to dissecting the world’s unruliest images. This book is the world’s first reader on cult film. It brings together key works in the field on the structure, form, status, and reception of cult cinema traditions. Including work from key established scholars in the field such as Umberto Eco, Janet Staiger, Jeffrey Sconce, Henry Jenkins, and Barry Keith Grant, as well as new perspectives on the gradually developing canon of cult cinema, the book not only presents an overview of ways in which cult cinema can be approached, it also re-assesses the methods used to study the cult text and its audiences. With editors’ introductions to the volume and to each section, the book is divided into four clear thematic areas of study – The Conceptions of Cult; Cult Case Studies; National and International Cults; and Cult Consumption – to provide an accessible overview of the topic. It also contains an extensive bibliography for further related readings. Written in a lively and accessible style, The Cult Film Reader dissects some of biggest trends, icons, auteurs and periods of global cult film production. Films discussed include Casablanca, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Eraserhead, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Showgirls and Ginger Snaps. Essays by: Jinsoo An; Jane Arthurs; Bruce Austin; Martin Barker; Walter Benjamin; Harry Benshoff; Pierre Bourdieu; Noel Carroll; Steve Chibnall; Umberto Eco; Nezih Erdogan; Welch Everman; John Fiske; Barry Keith Grant ; Joan Hawkins; Gary Hentzi; Matt Hills; Ramaswami Harindranath; J.Hoberman; Leon Hunt; I.Q. Hunter; Mark Jancovich; Henry Jenkins; Anne Jerslev; Siegfried Kracauer; Gina Marchetti; Tom Mes; Gary Needham; Sheila J. Nayar; Annalee Newitz; Lawrence O’Toole; Harry Allan Potamkin; Jonathan Rosenbaum; Andrew Ross; David Sanjek; Eric Schaefer; Steven Jay Schneider; Jeffrey Sconce; Janet Staiger; J.P. Telotte; Parker Tyler; Jean Vigo; Harmony Wu