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skifer 06-22-2010 01:54 AM

Help with some sources for film studies essay
 
Hey guys nice site you have here just found it,

I need some help answering my own question which is;

To what extent has the horror genre evolved in terms of fetishising violence to reflect socio-cultural and political anxieties?

I just need a book and a magazine article that reflects the question I'm having difficulty finding resources.

Thank you so much if you can help me you could save me alot of time

ferretchucker 06-22-2010 06:02 AM

I would help you if I could, but I'm afraid I can't.

And why must you film studies students always come here with your questions? I mean, at least this one isn't the typical "How are women portrayed in horror?" question, but what ever happened to doing your own work?

Ferox13 06-22-2010 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skifer (Post 864727)
To what extent has the horror genre evolved in terms of fetishising violence to reflect socio-cultural and political anxieties?

I'm not really sure it has. Its mostly done for exploitation reasons - HG Lewis pretty much kick started the 'gore movie' and did so for economic reasons (the nudie cuties just weren't making the cash).

Salo definally has a politcal agenda.

I suppose It could be argued that Hostel is comment on the decadence of the west and how anything can become a commodity.

Elvis_Christ 06-22-2010 04:57 PM

You should watch the documentary American Nightmare it covers the socio-cultural anxieties post-Vietnam a little.

It's a really poorly worded question IMO because the fetishising of violence hasn't really been used in that way. I guess you could grasp at straws and prove it somehow. Plenty of examples of horror reflecting socities flaws/anxieties (Romero's work for example) but I doesn't have anything to do with fetishising violence.

scouse mac 06-22-2010 05:11 PM

Dawn of the Dead, American Psycho, Eden Lake are films I reckon you should be looking at for starters. As for literary sources, I havent really got too much of a clue Im afraid.

Ferox13 06-23-2010 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elvis_Christ (Post 864812)
You should watch the documentary American Nightmare it covers the socio-cultural anxieties post-Vietnam a little.

And many 50's Sci-Fi the social anxieties of living with a Nuclear armed world.

But again - as Elvis says nothing to do with the fetishising violence.

The Giallo genre definall has a fetishtic approach (very stylised with many conventions) but (though I'm no expert on the subgenre) I don't see much social commentry in them..

Elvis_Christ 06-23-2010 03:11 PM

I guess by "fetishising" violence they are meaning the visceral thrills/impact of the violence in the films (perhaps?) and how it's stylised to have a disired effect to further illustrate the desired effect.

skifer 06-24-2010 02:27 AM

Hmmmm thanks for the input and help guys maybe you could help me re word the question. I'm finding it hard to write a question for myself concerning the horror genre or maybe could anyone help me out asking myself something else to write a essay on.

Ferox13 06-24-2010 02:55 AM

Still along your original lines - and what ppl here have already mentioned - something about how social/cultural/political issues have influenced the horrow genre.....

itsneverover 06-24-2010 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferox13 (Post 864986)
Still along your original lines - and what ppl here have already mentioned - something about how social/cultural/political issues have influenced the horrow genre.....

Sorry reading the political in this, I think of the (newer) Hills Have Eyes 2 which sucked but wasn't it about soldiers training for Iraq?


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