Dark Romance: Sexuality in the Horror Film
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Book Overview
The darkly handsome man gazes deeply into her eyes. She finds him irresistible, wants to experience the passion of the moment. He grins--the movie audience can see his lengthened lateral incisors--and bends to her neck. The eroticism is horrible, and compelling. Audiences are drawn to horror cinema much as the surrendering victim. Afraid to watch, but more afraid something will be missed. Since the horror film is the most primal of all movie genres, seldom censored, these films tell us what we are about. From the silent era to the present day, Dark Romance explores horror cinema's preoccupation with sexuality: vampires, beauty and the beast, victimization of women, "slasher" films, and more. Separate chapters focus upon individuals, like Alfred Hitchcock and Barbara Steele. Entertaining, and thought-provoking on the sexual fears and phobias of our society.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0786404744
ISBN13:9780786404742
Release Date:November 1997
Publisher:McFarland & Company
Length:350 Pages
Weight:1.01 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 6.3" x 9.1"
Age Range:18 years and up
Grade Range:Postsecondary and higher
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Wonderful introduction to a neglected genre.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
Great book. I read it several times as a young man, though having revisited it recently I was less than enthused to realize it is more or less a horror film synopsis collage with requisite mention of (obvious to far fetched) sexual aspects. Never quite reaching the stated goal of examining the roles of Sex and Death within said cinema. It is nonetheless a fascinating and fairly all inclusive (per it's impressive range)overview of the topic, with great bits of information on varying films both famous and obscure. A definite must for any horror film collector's library, though will be most appreciated by younger readers and those looking for a solid first encounter with the horror film genre as a whole.
Highly Recommended
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
Not being a horror movie afficionado, I still found this book immensely enjoyable. Intelligently written and conversational in tone, this is more a knowledgeable overview of the horror genre than a discussion of sexuality in horror films. As the book was originally published in 1986, the focus is not diluted with the recent resurgence of horror films. Mr. Hogan's insights are detailed and entertaining on such topics as Hammer films, Barbara Steele, the gore subgenre. Included are many b/w pictures, a filmography for each chapter, a bibliography , and an index. Highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in scary movies, film in general, or those just looking for a rollicking good read.
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