Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture 3/31/05 Edition

Great in-depth analysis/commentary of horror films. Get Out needs to be included. It’s a groundbreaking American horror film.

I've used parts of this book for a course on sex, gender, race and horror films. It's not specifically about those areas, but provides useful analysis and contextualization for the films discussed. It's a great book for someone who's new to thinking politically/sociologically about horror films, and great for a course that is getting students to think about films in different ways. The analysis is not overly complex or jargon-heavy, nor does it require extensive knowledge of other film theory.The subsections of the chapters (which varies depending on the film) are clear and helpful: Politics/Nationalism; Economic Conditions; Cultural Knowledge; Sexual Norms; Family Home; Violation, and more.I recommend this book for horror fans, folks new to thinking about film in socio-cultural and historical ways, and students/teachers who want to augment a course.

I assigned this book for my Rhetoric of American Horror Films class and the students loved it. It's engaging and intelligent without relying too much on jargon or assuming a lot of film/rhetorical theory knowledge, so it's great for the casual or serious horror film enthusiast as well. The introduction is one of the best explanations of the importance of studying popular culture that I've read and each chapter carefully explores the selected horror films as there production and reception related to the cultural contexts that resonated with audiences and filmmakers and the time of each film's release. Moreover, the book artfully traces the history of horror film by linking each chapter/film/time period to those that came before it.A must-read for anyone interested in the significance of popular culture/horror films to our individual and national identities.

I bought this book to augment my research for a film course I took. This book affords a concise, in-depth examination of the horror film genre and aims to identify its relevance in a historical context, psychological context, and social context. Horror films were long denied by critics as a substantial and intellectual genre worthy of scholarly research, but Kendall R. Phillips proves that they couldn't be more wrong. The films discussed in the text follow a chronological sequence, dating back to the 1920s with The Phantom of the Opera, and goes all the way up to the 90s with Scream.Excellent book for anyone interested in horror films, film history, or with an appreciation for the much broader history of American culture.

Well-written and edited, this book is a delight to read! Highly recommended as a history of the horror film industry.

Cool book. It got here quick.

Was sent smelling brand new. No marks, no bends, no tears.

Bought this for school but ended up keeping it after the semester because it's super interesting. A must read for any die-hard horror fans