International Horror Cinema

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

FMST 3100 : International Horror Cinema (Caetlin Benson-Allott) < Many scholars, filmmakers, and skeptics have asked why people want their movies to scare them, which is an interesting but perhaps unanswerable question. This course accepts the enduring popularity of horror movies and asks instead what horror is and how movies horrify us. We often think of horror as a genre, but what is the effect—or field of sensation—that this genre names? What do we feel while watching horror movies, and how do different film traditions seek to elicit those responses in us? To answer such questions, we will examine some of the most effective scary movies from around the world, studying the history of film technology and film theory to unpack the various mechanical and cultural components that contribute to horror in films.