Author Archives: Derek Stoberl

The 1984 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (ANOES2), includes themes of homosexuality and the queer to fully portray the role of Freddy Krueger. Before discussing the film and these themes it is important to summarize Harry M. Benshoff’s writings in ‘The Monster and the Homosexual’. Benshoff begins his writings byContinue reading “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge; and the Monster/ Homosexual Relationship”

The 1992 psychological horror film, Candyman, is a film that uses an urban legend to project the social struggles of Blacks onto White culture and life. Before discussing the film in this context, it is important to summarize Robert R. Means Coleman’s writings in ‘Studying Blacks in Horror Films.’ Coleman opens up in his writingsContinue reading “Candyman: Blackness in Horror and Robin Coleman”

The 2014 thriller, The Babadook, shows the tribulations of widowed motherhood and the deep repressions that are often attached to the household. Before looking fully into the film, it is important to analyze David Skal’s writings in, ‘It’s Alive, I’m Afraid.’ The chapter ‘It’s Alive, I’m Afraid’ deals largely with the growing popularity of shockingContinue reading “The Babadook: The Horror of the Offspring and David Skal”

The 1987 horror film, The Stepfather is a film that brought a refreshing concept of family chaos to the genre at the time. Before analyzing the film it is important to summarize and review Tony Williams writings in “Trying to Survive on the Darker Side”. In Williams writings he begins by looking at the stepContinue reading “The Stepfather: Examining 1980’s horror and Tony Williams”

Toby Hooper’s 1974 film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is not just a scary horror movie, but a film that shows the inherent struggles of civilization and the failed narrative of the American Dream. Within this film, the Sawyer family depicts the failed American family and their attempt to threaten the younger generation and their moreContinue reading “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Nihilism and Horror”

The 1976 horror film, Carrie, represents the monstrous feminine and the use of voyeurism to truly show the true monster that Carrie is, and not the hero she is often made up to be. The opening shot of the film provides the viewers with a seductive journey through a teenage women’s locker room, only toContinue reading “Carrie: The Monstrous Feminine”

The 1973 horror classic, The Exorcist, is a film that portrays the conception of the monstrous feminine and what is horrifying and abject in relation. The film uses the possession of a twelve year old girl, Regan, who is at the age of puberty, to fulfill this concept. As Barbara Creed writes in “Horror andContinue reading “The Exorcist: Horror and the Monstrous-Feminine”

Wes Craven’s 1996 slasher, Scream, is a film that takes the well-known format of the slasher film and creatively plays off the genre to provide a unique and clever film. In addition to this, gender roles play a large part in the events of the film, especially with the final girl, Sydney Prescott. Sydney Prescott’sContinue reading “Scream: Gender and Frustrated Teens”

John Carpenter’s 1978 low budget box office hit Halloween, is an early form of the slasher film format loved by many, with a simple story that can be analyzed beyond the brutal killings that took place in Haddonfield, Illinois. Halloween is a classic slasher, with the silent, slow-moving Michael Myers wreaking havoc among provocative teenagersContinue reading “Halloween: A Look at Sexual Identity in Haddonfield”

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic, Psycho, is much more than a terrifying thriller, but a psychological masterclass on the male gaze and effects on a female protagonist. The main female, Marion Crane, is an interesting take on the typical women shown in horror films, because she is a single working women that is on theContinue reading “Psycho: The Women and Male Dynamic”