Horror films have been scaring audiences for over a hundred years. And in all that time, some things have never changed: Year after year, the collective fears of society have been reflected in gruesome detail on the big screen and women -- usually blond women -- scream bloody murder as their knife-wielding killers approach.
So why do we continue to flock to that which scares us? And how has horror as a genre changed over the years in response to changing fears? This hour we talk with historians and film critics about the enduring appeal, mystery and misogyny of American horror films.
GUESTS:
- David Edelstein- Film critic for New York Magazine and for NPR's Fresh Air, as well as a contributor to the New York Times' Arts & Leisure section
- Kendall Phillips- Horror film expert and historian; author of Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture
- Steve Schlozman- Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a fan of all things horror; author of The Zombie Autopsies
- Maggie Freleng- Journalist, radio reporter and the producer of The Guardian's podcast, "What Would a Feminist do" with Jessica Valenti
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Colin McEnroe, Chion Wolf, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.
