Horror films often features monsters that lurk in the dark; monsters based on humanity’s most basic fears. But what happens when the monsters aren’t vampires or cannibalistic serial killers…when they are the ugly voices of ‘regular’ Americans? Jordan Peele’s Get Out is an amazing piece of social horror, examining the deep racial divides that still exist in 21st century America. Very similar themes can be found in 1975’s Stepford Wives. Both films are reactions to important and groundbreaking social movements. Rather than poignant dramas, these films comment on these movements for civil rights using the horror film trope. How does the horror genre allow for meaningful social commentary? Does the horror genre prevent mainstream culture from taking the films - and the social commentary within the films - seriously? Will Jordan Peele’s Best Screenplay Oscar make a difference in social horror in the future?
About the presenterJen Erdman
Historical fangirl