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No other genre of film gets more negatively reprimanded than Horror films, and being a lover of horror films, I thought it was about time for a blog to be dedicated to the exploration of complex themes and issues that come out of them. None of the reviews will be laced with clichéd sentiments that focus on surface level features of horror films. Instead this blog will employ a more theoretical approach to reviewing horror films. It will draw upon elements of film theory, queer theory, gender relations, sociological paradigmatic frameworks, and a variety of other academic sources that help to inform the intricate layers (intended or not) that exist in most horror films.
This blog will not praise all horror films, for just like academic work, not everything is wonderful and agreeable. However, when a horror film comes along that displays promise in the way it portrays issues surrounding society, gender, race, sexuality or all of the above, and it has been subsequently slammed by supposed "critics", this blog will offer a safe space to discuss the intricacies and complexities it has attempted to exude.
In the upcoming weeks I will be reviewing films such as "Jennifer's Body", "Halloween II", and "Sorority Row", offering an exploration into their respective filmmaking methods and how each film addresses complex sociological relationships. As a caveat, it is recommended that you view the film prior to reading the review of it as I will be referencing spoiler content. Each film has been respectively panned by "critics" who employ little to no evidence from theoretical texts, offering instead a pedantic and clichéd approach to examine why they believe the film(s) succeed or not. I will avoid the usage of journalistic techniques to examine these films that do not derive from actual film theory--let's face it, most "critics" are simply people with educational background(s) in journalism. I do not believe this level of education adequately qualifies them to make sweeping judgements of films that deserve better treatment.
My purposes for starting this blog comes from my love of horror and my frustration of the careless handling by critics and other supposed lovers of horror films. Most recently, I have felt this from websites such as www.bloody-disgusting.com and magazines such as Fangoria. I believe these films are simply elements of pop culture, but that does not warrant a glossed over examination of something that has significance for so many people.
I invite a semi-scholarly approach to how these films can be viewed and any new and interesting ideas or themes that arise in subsequent viewings. I hope to have various contributions from other people that share my concern and wish to explore these issues with me.
Thank you for reading,
Enio Chiola
MA Student at York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Specializing in the Racialization of homophobia by the Stop Murder Music campaign in Canada.
Sociological interests include: Music, Film theory and popular culture, Gender, Race, and Sexuality.
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