Editorials
Social Class and Crime - The First Purge (2018)
Headed up by sociologist Dr May Updale and the experiment known as “the purge” was meant to be the social catharsis to the disenfranchisement that the individuals on Staten Island (and America) are experiencing. By selecting a low socio-economic market for this experiment, the NFFA made a bold choice in assuming that these individuals would take part in violent crimes.
Martyrs (2008): A Master Class in Building
There is often no growing dread, or much work done at all to elevate the torture beyond its basic, bloody appeal. And I think that’s where Martyrs stands out.
Mental Health and Faith in Penny Dreadful
“There are creatures whom God has cast into darkness.” John Logan’s Penny Dreadful invites gothic literary heroes, heroines, and monsters to prowl the foggy streets of Victorian Era London. Walking among them is the original to the series’ main character, Vanessa Ives.
The Horrific Beauty of Sarah Kane - BLASTED
There’s still lots we don’t know about late British playwright Sarah Kane. Personal and precious stories are locked away with the people who knew her closest. There have been no formal documentaries and no permission has been given by her brother. I think it should stay that way.
Horrorology: Punishment in The Saw Franchise
Crime is a popular theme throughout media, whether, through docuseries on Netflix, Unsolved Mysteries, or crime procedurals like Law & Order, there is an undeniable truth that we as humans are intrigued by crime and the criminal process. Horror films have not neglected this topic and have managed to demonstrate criminal theories and processes through some of our most loved horror movies, including the well-received horror movie series SAW.
Casting A Shadow: Octavia E. Butler
Award-Winning writer Octavia E. Butler was born June 22, 1947, in Pasadena, CA., raised by her widowed mother (her father passed when Butler was very young) and grandmother. Although Butler had dyslexia, she still had a growing and voracious appetite for reading that was fed by her mother who would bring back books from homes she worked in, eventually getting a library card for young Octavia. She especially grew fond of science fiction, the genre that she would escape into a world that was all her own.
The Demonisation of Queerness in High Tension (2003)
The medium of film is no stranger to the concept of queer coded or openly LGBTQ+ villains. And by extension, horror is no stranger to the concept either. Norman Bates in Psycho, Buffalo Bill in The Silence of The Lambs, Robert Elliot in Dressed to Kill and even Leatherface in the Texas Chainsaw franchise, can all be said to exist as examples of how queer people, or at least the idea of queer identity, has been made out to be something monstrous…
Pulse (2001): Isolation and Powerlessness
Isolation is pervasive through the video screens of solitary people on their computers, isolated in their houses, and the stunningly empty buses of Tokyo. While there have been so many digital options for connection during the pandemic, what they lack in comparison to just talking face to face cannot be ignored.
A Beginner’s Journey into Giallo
There seems to be a tipping point in every horror lovers life when they explore outside of the boundaries of their comfort horror. For me I have found a home in slashers and horror-comedy, opting to rewatch one of my favourites instead of being adventurous and exploring out of the confines.
Holy Terrors: Jewish Horror Ic-n of the Month
Holy Terrors is a monthly column highlighting the Jewish talent behind some of our favorite horror films.
The Manifestation of Validation in Midsommar
Ari Aster’s 2019 film Midsommar isn’t groundbreaking in the way that it explores trauma, I would look to Hereditary if I was asked for a better example. However, how Midsommar and the character of Dani have helped validate experiences that I thought no one else could understand.
May and The Importance of Autistic Representation
Autistic characters are rarely seen outside of comedy shows, while May features a heavily autistic-coded woman as its main character and is an important milestone in representation.
“A Thing About Machines:” On Cyber Horror, Techno-horror, and Technophobia in the Digital Age
Judging solely from my iPhone’s screen time reports (which are far too shameful to admit here), it might seem as if I have no qualms at all with technology. Not only am I active on social media, perhaps a little too active…, I spend almost all of my waking hours devouring film, and my laptop is infested with games, music, and about a million miscellaneous apps.