Horror as a genre has a history of being a space in which social issues or conflicts can be explored. It, like Greek and Roman theater, can become a space of social catharsis that is safe and acceptable to process elements that are challenging in the community. Our session looks at three global horror films or directors which are using this genre of film to explore questions and challenges within their social community space. The papers consider the work of indigenous filmmaker Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Blood Quantum), Austrian filmmakers Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala known for their film Goodnight, Mommy (Ich seh, Ich seh) and the new Oscar-winning Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One.
In an essay on horror films, Stephen Prince uses classic theories of taboo from Mary Douglas and Edmund Leach to argue that what is presented as truly horrific is the breakdown of systems of order. Violence is typically perpetuated by outside, inhuman agents of chaos, suggesting that boundaries are sacred and the status quo must be maintained. Not surprisingly, horror films by marginalized creators often see things differently. The works of acclaimed Mi’kmaq filmmaker Jeff Barnaby, for example, present evil as entrenched in colonial society. But this evil is also complicated, a perspective reflected in his film’s ambivalent portrayal of boundaries, and of chaos. In this presentation, I will use theories of taboos to examine the varied boundary crossings in Barnaby’s two features, Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Blood Quantum, to understand what these films have to say about evil, and what it means to be human.
This paper discusses three films by Austrian directors duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala. It analyzes how the films *Ich seh, Ich seh* (AT 2014), *Die Trud* (AT 2018) and *The Lodge* (US/UK 2019), all of which feature horror elements, portray the family and incorporate religious symbols and narratives to tell their story. The focus is on how religious references are staged, adapted and changed, as well as the way in wich the family and generational or gender roles are portrayed. The study aims to contribute to research into the question of how media convey norms and values in relation to religion and family in contemporary horror films. The analysis is centered on the meaning-making processes that arise in the interrelationship between horror films and religious symbol systems. Methodologically, it is based on cultural studies approaches to the study of religion as well as on methods of film analysis.
Since its release, the film Godzilla Minus One (2023) has received much critical acclaim for its screenplay, visual effects, performances, musical score, and notably, social commentary. The impact of this film can arguably be attributed to the powerful and complex portrayal of the Japan’s post-World War II trauma and the national guilt that riddles their society. In this paper, I make the case that Godzilla Minus One successfully encapsulates the “grief horror” subgenre and denies the audience the cathartic release from the horrors that they’ve experienced. By invoking Derrida’s idea of hauntology, I argue that Godzilla functions as a specter of World War II that continues to haunt Japan and its people that can never be completely exorcised. Ultimately, the persistent return of Godzilla provides an accurate reflection of Japanese sentiments regarding the aftermath of the atomic bomb and the inescapable trauma that continuously pervades their nation.