Call for Papers – “Of Gods and Monsters” at Texas State University
Of God and Monsters April 4th – 6th 2019 Texas State University San Marcos, TX Judith Halberstam famously claimed that monsters are “meaning machines” that can be used to represent a variety of ideas, including morality, gender, race, and nationalism (to name only a few). Monsters are always part of the project of making sense […]
Brent Plate on demons on and off screen
S. Brent Plate has an interesting article at The Revealer titled “Battling our Demons, On Screen and Off.” The byline summarizes the thrust of the article in its discussion of “fighting the demonic stereotypes rampant in contemporary media.”
Create your own religion and god in this video game
The new videogame Godhood allows you to create your own god and unique religion. Read more here and watch the trailer.
Titles of Interest – The Supernatural in Society, Culture, and History
I am busy co-editing a volume on the paranormal in popular culture for Routledge and came across this forthcoming volume. The Supernatural in Society, Culture and History Edited by Dennis Waskul and Marc EatonTemple University Press, 2018 In the twenty-first century, as in centuries past, stories of the supernatural thrill and terrify us. But despite […]
“The Cured”: Interesting zombie take similar to “In the Flesh”
There is a new trailer for a new zombie film, The Cured. It shows evidence of being influenced by the BBC television series In the Flesh, and follows an approach to this subgenre of horror wherein the alien “Other” is explored as they attempt to fit in or reintegrate with the normal “Us.” For my […]
Titles of Interest – Bell, Book and Camera: A Critical History of Witches in American Film and Television
A new book by my friend Heather who does an outstanding job as editor of The Wild Hunt blog. Bell, Book and Camera: A Critical History of Witches in American Film and Television by Heather Greene McFarland, 2018 The witch as a cultural archetype has existed in some form since the beginning of recorded history. […]
Titles of Interest – Holy Horror: The Bible and Fear in Movies
Holy Horror: The Bible and Fear in Movies By Steve Wiggins McFarland, 2018 What makes you afraid? It may be more than what you think. Horror films have been exploiting our fears almost from the moment movies were invented. Lurking unseen in the corner of horror, however, is something unexpected: the Bible. Sit back while […]
Titles of Interest: Pseudoscience and Science Fiction
Pseudoscience and Science Fiction by Andre May Springer, 2017 Aliens, flying saucers, ESP, the Bermuda Triangle, antigravity … are we talking about science fiction or pseudoscience? Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference. Both pseudoscience and science fiction (SF) are creative endeavours that have little in common with academic science, beyond the superficial trappings […]
Titles of Interest – Subversive Spirits: The Female Ghost in British and American Popular Culture
Subversive Spirits: The Female Ghost in British and American Popular Culture By Robin Roberts University Press of Mississippi, 2018 The supernatural has become extraordinarily popular in literature, television, and film. Vampires, zombies, werewolves, witches, and wizards have become staples of entertainment industries, and many of these figures have received extensive critical attention. But one figure […]
Godawa and ‘The Shape of Water’: Seeing Pagan Beasts and Missing the Love of the Beauty
The Shape of Water has won numerous awards, including various film festivals, eventually winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Obviously, the film has been very well received, but no film is universally loved. There is always the subjective element, so it’s possible to find reviews from those for whom the film didn’t work. Even […]
