How did this happen?

[The Gravekeeper]

I have just finished writing the rough draft to a 20+ page paper about the nature of gaze and gender identity in horror movies. This was after writing a paper that compared and contrasted the techniques horror movies and games used to scare their audiences, which was supposed to get the subject off my chest.

Obviously, it didn't work. And now I've found actual academic books about horror movies and I can think of other things related to the genre I'd like to write about.

...I have a sneaking suspicion that this may, someday, end up with me writing a book about the subject. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!

[Rev. Powell]

Good for you!  I hope you do write a book on the subject.

On a related matter I was asked to be "interviewed" by a college journalism student for a paper they're doing on the symbolism of zombies and vampires.  So, I'm actually doing the work for them while they're getting the class credit.  So I, too, must say HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

[The Burgomaster]

Good for you!  I hope you do write a book on the subject.

On a related matter I was asked to be "interviewed" by a college journalism student for a paper they're doing on the symbolism of zombies and vampires.  So, I'm actually doing the work for them while they're getting the class credit.  So I, too, must say HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

When I was in college I volunteered to be a subject for another student's psychology paper.  I can't remember what the experiment was about, but I do remember I had to meet the student at school for several testing sessions and one was at 6:00 a.m.

 

[dean]

Hahaha, the gaze!  Aw man that takes me back to undergrad.  Kristeva and psychoanalysis of Cronenberg's work was what I worked on in one essay.  Its fun, but by god there's alot to write about. 

There is an absolute plethora of material on the subject and I'm sure you've come across it many a time, but one of my old lecturers, Barbara Creed, writes alot on that sort of topic too so is worth a looksee.

Last semi-related thing I wrote was on identity in cyberpunk/scifi and went into not enough detail on what it means to be human.  My head nearly exploded trying to fit it into a short paper.

Whats the 'title' of your piece?  [always interested in this subject matter] 

[The Gravekeeper]

I'm going with the superbly dry "Thoughts on Gaze and Identity in Horror Movies" for the time being. I've still got a week to iron the paper out, so it's possible that the title will change.

Hell, I may end up re-writing and expanding the thing later as I do more research/more movies come out that better shape what this decade's horror is going to be like. I'd like to find out more about queer film theory, for starters (there wasn't quite enough time to do enough research to gain a decent understanding of the theories in general, let alone apply it).

[dean]

Well this decades horror thus far has been the rise of the found footage films more than anything.  Is that what the topic is: about this decades horror films?  Also Creed definitely goes into the queer theory stuff too if that helps.

The topic seems a bit too general to me, but I don't know what your assessment is so what do I know.  If you need another set of eyes on it before you submit, PM me!

[The Gravekeeper]

Well, we were asked to tie the subject into our art practices, so I primarily films that have had some sort of effect on my artwork and assessed them on those topics (hence why the topic is a bit vague; I draw inspiration from decades of film, but mostly from horror of the late 80's to the mid-2000's).

I did touch on this decade's movies and I do think that found footage is likely to be a defining feature, but we're still pretty early into this decade so there's a fair chance that it's going to change quite radically from what we've seen so far. I don't think there have been enough horror movies released just yet to be able to say "yup, this is what this decade's horror is going to be about." Insidious may still have an impact, or it may just be kind of an odd but interesting blip on the radar.

[El Misfit]

like all things in life, magic of course!