Acclaimed critic and broadcaster Jonathan Rigby brings his trademark wit and insight to bear on 130 of the key moments in screen horror. His scope is wide, ranging from silent masterworks like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari to such 21st century milestones as The Descent and Let the Right One In. In between, he scrutinises the achievements of Universal in the 1930s and Hammer in the 1960s. Lavishly illustrated, the result is a beautifully presented history of international horror cinema that's as entertaining as it is informative.

Aimed at teachers and students new to the subject, Studying Horror Cinema is a comprehensive survey of the genre from silent cinema to its twenty-first century resurgence. Structured as a series of thirteen case studies of easily accessible films, it covers the historical, production, and cultural context of each film, together with detailed textual analysis of key sequences. Sitting alongside such acknowledged classics as Psycho and Rosemary’s Baby are analyses of influential non-English language films as Kwaidan, Bay of Blood, and Let the Right One In. The author concludes with a chapter on 2017’s blockbuster It, the most financially successful horror film of all time, making Studying Horror Cinema the most up-to-date overview of the genre available.

Critics have traditionally characterized classic horror by its use of shadow and suggestion. Yet the graphic nature of early 1930s films only came to light in the home video/DVD era. Along with gangster movies and "sex pictures," horror films drew audiences during the Great Depression with sensational content. Exploiting a loophole in the Hays Code, which made no provision for on-screen "gruesomeness," studios produced remarkably explicit films that were recut when the Code was more rigidly enforced from 1934. This led to a modern misperception that classic horror was intended to be safe and reassuring to audiences. The author examines the 1931 to 1936 "happy ending" horror in relation to industry practices and censorship. Early works like Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) and The Raven (1935) may be more akin to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Hostel (2005) than many critics believe.

He persuasively demonstrates that horror films are not merely a manifestation of the solitary, unconscious ′I′ or cultural abjection. . . . This well-crafted, insightful, and devilishly witty study brings horror out from under the psychoanalytic rock to let it scurry and bleed in the daylight of everyday life. The detailed endnotes are scintillating gems in and of themselves. --Choice "Terror and Everyday Life is an important, well-conceived, and well-executed work. Crane′s treatment of the topic is unusual; he clearly positions himself as a fan of the contemporary horror film. Consequently, there are moments that seem to revel in the disgusting details of murder and mayhem. However, this approach is appropriate; as Crane makes perfectly clear, this is what the genre is about, so to ignore it would be to misrepresent its effects and--for horror fans--its pleasures. This is a complex scholarly work, exceptionally original." --Charles R. Acland, Communication Department, The University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada How does horror in film relate to the horror we experience in everyday life? This is one of the key questions addressed in this new examination of the horror film genre. Terror and Everyday Life argues that today′s horror films have broken away from the genre′s tradition to embrace far more violent imagery, images that are in keeping with the escalating violence in our society. By examining the horror film, its history, and its current trends, Jonathan Lake Crane furthers our understanding of the genre′s meaning in today′s culture and our fascination with violence. An important supplement for courses in popular culture, media studies, and film; Terror and Everyday Life′s unique approach on the nature of horror in our society will also be of interest in a wide range of disciplines.

Horror is one of the most enduring and controversial of all cinematic genres. Horror films range from subtle and poetic to graphic and gory, but what links them together is their ability to frighten, disturb, shock, provoke, delight, irritate, and amuse audiences. Horror’s capacity to take the form of our evolving fears and anxieties has ensured not only its notoriety but also its long-term survival and international popularity. This second edition has been comprehensively updated to capture all that is important and exciting about the horror genre as it exists today. Its new entries feature the creative personalities who have developed innovative forms of horror, and recent major films and cycles of films that ensure horror’s continuing popularity and significance. In addition, many of the other entries have been expanded to include reference to the contemporary scene, giving a clear picture of how horror cinema is constantly renewing and transforming itself. The Historical Dictionary of Horror Cinema traces the development of the genre from its beginnings to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries. The entries cover all major movie villains, including Frankenstein and his monsters, the vampire, the werewolf, the mummy, the zombie, the ghost and the serial killer; film directors, producers, writers, actors, cinematographers, make-up artists, special-effects technicians, and composers who have helped shape horror history; significant production companies; major films that are milestones in the development of the horror genre; and different national traditions in horror cinema – as well as popular themes, formats, conventions, and cycles.

Abject Terrors is an expansive study of the most significant films from the prolific horror genre - from its origins in the 1920s and 1930s, to its contemporary representations. This survey brings together close analyses of individual motion pictures, demonstrating the interconnections among these filmic texts and their contribution to defining quintessential aspects of the modern and postmodern horror film.

A lively and reliable narrative account of the horror genre, featuring new and revised material throughout The Horror Film: An Introduction surveys the history, development, and social impact of the genre. Covering American horror cinema from its earliest period to the present, this reader-friendly volume explores the many ways horror movies have been received by filmmakers, critics, and general audiences throughout the decades. Concise, easily accessible chapters describe historical instances of the genre's social reception based on primary research, analyze landmark films such as Frankenstein, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and more. Incorporating recent scholarship on the genre, the second edition of The Horror Film contains new discussion and context for Hollywood horror films in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as notable developments in the genre such as “torture porn,” found-footage horror, remakes and reboots of past horror films, zombies, and the “elevated horror” debate. This edition explores the rise of new filmmakers such as Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and Jordan Peele, surveys horror films made by women and African American filmmakers, and investigates contemporary issues in the production and consumption of horror films. Combining historical narrative with close readings of significant works, The Horror Film: Covers major works in the genre such as Cat People, Halloween, and Bram Stoker's Dracula Examines important antecedents including gothic literature and the Grand Guignol Theater Offers thorough analyses of the style, context, and themes of specific horror milestones Provides examples of close analysis that can be applied to a wide range of other horror films Discusses important representative titles across the genre's evolution, including more recent films such as 2017's Get Out The Horror Film: An Introduction, Second Edition, is an ideal textbook for undergraduate surveys of the horror genre and other courses in American film history, and an invaluable resource for scholars, lecturers, and general readers with an interest in the subject.