Case%20Study:%20%20The%20Evolution%20of%20Frankenstein%20Films%20Class,%20Race%20and%20the%20Horror%20Film%20Student%20Edition

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Case Study The Evolution of Frankenstein
FilmsClass, Race and the Horror FilmStudent
Edition

• Draft Written by Greg Thompson and Brandon
  Montgomery
• Edited by Dr. Kay Picart and
• Jason Grant McKahan

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What Horrifies?

• Both the question of what horrifies, and the idea
  of overcoming that which is feared, lead to an
  understanding of what the society values and
  fears.
• For this reason we can look at the horror genre
  and identify several key factors during the
  course of American history that are reflected in
  the genre throughout the twentieth century.

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1930s Horror Films

• Give examples of monsters during this period in
  American history.

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1930s World
What relevant historical events were occurring during the 1930s, whose onset was concurrent with the rise of classical monster movies of this phase?
Continued . . .
5
1950s Horror Films

• Give examples of horror films during the 1950s in
  America.

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1950s World

• During this post-war period, what fac-tors
  contributed to make the horror genre follow a
  specific pattern?

Continued . . .
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1950s World (2)

• Who were good and evil according to 1950s
  films?

Continued . . .
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1950s World (5)

• Wright argues the horror genre . . .serves the
  interest of the ruling class by assisting in the
  maintenance of the status quo (189).
• Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?

Continued . . .
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1970s Horror Films

• Give examples of US horror films in the 1970s.

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1970s World

• The films of this time period reflect what
  historical changes in the US?

Continued . . .
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1980s and 1990s Films

• Give examples of US horror films in the 80s and
  90s.

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1980s and 1990s World

• What were the common themes in these films?

Continued . . .
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Four Traditional Horror Elements

• According to Bordwell and Thompson, what are four
  major elements of horror films?

Continued . . .
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Four Traditional Horror Elements (2)

Provide four major elements of horror films.
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The Monster is a Breach of Nature

• What characteristics does the monster of a horror
  movie usually have that horrify us?

Continued . . .
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The Monster is a Breach of Nature (2)

Provide some characteristics of the monster.
Continued . . .
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The Monster is a Breach of Nature (3)

• How do horror films deal with the opposing
  philosophies of religion and science?

Continued . . .
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The Monster is a Breach of Nature (4)

Provide examples of opposing religion and
science.
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964)

• How is race coded in horror films?

Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (2)

How is race coded? Answer in 1-3 clear and
coherent sentences.
Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (3)

• Is race based on skin color, hair texture,
  religion, or some other coding system?

Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (4)

By what characteristics is race based? Answer in
1-3 clear and coherent sentences.
Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (5)

• Coding and the question of aliena-tion are
  interrelated in this film and lead us to question
  of the look of the film in terms of casting.

Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (6) The
Problem of Omission

• Let me first say that your initial reaction to
  this question is Well, it is 19th century
  Germany Rhine-land area and a lack of diversity
  is reason-able, historically.
• To which I reply yes.
• With two conditions . . .

Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (7)

• One, the film was made in England in 1964 it
  would have been possible to cast non-whites in
  some roles.
• Point Two is the fact that unconscious racial,
  social and political aesthetics surrounding Euro
  American film industries have denied non-whites
  of many prominent roles.

Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (8)

• What character(s) in The Evil of Frankenstein are
  coded as non-white and how can you tell?
• What characteristics code the monster in this
  film as non-white or the other?

Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (9)

Which characters in The Evil of Frankenstein are
coded as non-white? How?
Continued . . .
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RACE and The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) (10)

• Like the creature, she is used by the white male
  characters in the film for their own gain she is
  unable to fit into society and she lacks
  intelligence.

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Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell

• The question of race portrayal comes about
  through marking and through omission.

Continued . . .
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Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (2)

• The monster was a human being at one time, but
  from the first moment we see him, he is far more
  ape-like than human, both in terms of the amount
  of hair and his facial features.
• This type of make up and costuming would at the
  very least make him less than human.

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Class and The Evil Of Frankenstein

• How is class portrayed in The Evil of
  Frankenstein?

Continued . . .
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Class and The Evil Of Frankenstein (2)

Provide examples of class division in The Evil
of Frankenstein? Answer in 1-3 clear and coherent
sentences.
Continued . . .
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Class and The Evil Of Frankenstein (3)

• What is the social status of Frankenstein?

Continued . . .
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Class and The Evil Of Frankenstein (4)

What is the social status of Frankenstein?
Answer in 1-3 clear and coherent sentences.
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Final Discussion Questions

• In what ways do race and gender intersect with
  the monstrous in horror films?

Continued . . .
36
Final Discussion Questions (2)

Provide intersections of race and gender in
horror films? Answer in 1-3 clear and coherent
sentences. Give examples to justify your
responses.
Continued . . .
37
Final Discussion Questions (3)

• What is the role of the female traditionally in
  horror films?

Continued . . .
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Final Discussion Questions (4)

What are the roles of women? Answer in 1-3 clear
and coherent sentences. Give examples to justify
your responses.