Body horror revisited: a new wave of body horror films directed by women
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Date
2017
Authors
O’Connell, Daniel
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Publisher
University College Cork
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Abstract
This thesis examines a selection of recent horror films directed by women that seek to explore and challenge the conventions of the genre. Making reference to the existing critical writing on the genre, and in particular its representation of gender and the body, each filmmaker's employment of established narrative and aesthetic conventions is examined and assessed. Key critical questions explored include: how the genre has been impacted by the influence of new audiences; how filmmakers seek to "progress" the genre's representation of the female body; how specific subgenres, such as body horror and rape-revenge, are reinvigorated and nuanced by the filmmakers' own concerns and those of their audiences; and how effectively the resultant films challenge traditional binaries of gender. It will be argued that though the films analysed vary in terms of production contexts, all can be linked by their shared commitment to challenging, and rejuvenating, the genre.
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Keywords
Horror film , Women and film
Citation
O’Connell, D. 2017. Body horror revisited: a new wave of body horror films directed by women. MRes Thesis, University College Cork.