#horror studies

studies of underrated* horror movies i've been in love with lately

the film critic linda williams described a collection of films she refers to broadly as “body genres,” or “gross films.” these are film genres that are designed to provoke a physical, embodied reaction, and for williams, these are horror films, melodrama/tearjerker films, and pornography. notable is that each of these genres predicates a great deal of human fluids being shown onscreen — blood, tears, and sexual fluids — and two of the three genres aim, in part, to provoke their audiences to produce more of those same fluids. (i shouldn’t need to specify which two.)

i find williams’ scholarship on this topic to be really interesting and enlightening, because these are three film genres that have historically been sneered at by a lot of “serious” film critics and analysts, and her argument that a film is not lesser for trying to provoke a physical reaction in addition to a mental/emotional one is very salient!

Hi guys!

I've decided to start a study blog side blog / enter the studyblr community to have some company and be able to share and accompany progresses, but i warn you: I'm fairly new to everyday posting.

My name is Sirius (they/it), I'm a 24 year old Arts Bachelor working on getting a media and communications masters. I occasionally do some illustrations and may share some with my posts because I cant take pictures for my life.

My research will revolve around horror, creatures and fear, which will lead to some rambling about it, but don't worry, I'll keep it as friendly as possible. Also! English is not my first language so my grammar may sound very weird sometimes, especially when I'm enthusiastic.

just now. I'm in shock. My hands are shaking as i write this. I'm grinning like a mad person. i feel like i'm gonna cry.

Also how fitting for my current hyperobsessions that this article uses captain ahab going after the whale as an example of how encountering monsters can (and likely will) end badly.. since there's that if and only if one manages to turn the encounter into a sublime/understandable/rationalized one - and in the real world it's more likely to NOT do that .. = monsters do not care what philosophers think with and on human terms, if you play stupid games (hunt white whales) you'll win stupid prizes (you and your crew will die)