Scan barcode
itcamefromthepage's review against another edition
fast-paced
5.0
An essential text on the horror genre and a damn good exploration of where our sympathies lie as a viewer. I would love to find a queer text of a similar vein as this book does examine queer themes of gender expression, and gender identity but doesn't go fully down the trans lens.
The only part of this text that I was a little meh on was the final chapter on psychoanalysis and that was mainly because I am immensely bored by it, but Clovers actual views on it were very interesting.
The direct nature of the horror genre where themes are really in your face make a text like this captivating. Going in I expected a more general overview so I was quite surprised to hear in-depth dissections of movies like 'I spit on your grave' and 'Ms. 45'.
Toxic masculinity, and gender expression take center stage here, which finally broke into mainstream discussion in the recent years.
The only part of this text that I was a little meh on was the final chapter on psychoanalysis and that was mainly because I am immensely bored by it, but Clovers actual views on it were very interesting.
The direct nature of the horror genre where themes are really in your face make a text like this captivating. Going in I expected a more general overview so I was quite surprised to hear in-depth dissections of movies like 'I spit on your grave' and 'Ms. 45'.
Toxic masculinity, and gender expression take center stage here, which finally broke into mainstream discussion in the recent years.
luciferonthecross's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
whatkatyread87's review against another edition
I’m going to find a paperback of this so I can make notes. Audiobook wasn’t great and the narrator was blugh.
pataustin11's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
katcanwrite's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting discussion of women and their roles in the genre of horror films. I'm not sure where I stand on how much Freud Clover relies on, but she does pose some very intriguing ideas.
chloekenda's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
2.0
as a feminist book on horror film theory i was expecting more about interactions between femininity and masculinity in a fresh sense, rather than a slog of freud and genital-based theory. the point i found most interesting was towards the beginning, where it was discussed that “old-world” monsters generally have many genders or none at all, while modern day monsters are strictly “male and female.” i appreciate her attempt at collecting and connecting so many horror movies (many that i enjoy!), but reading this today the theory in it feels so outdated, stale, reductive and eventually so repetitive.
rrutledge731's review against another edition
3.0
Recommended reading for the horror fan interested in academic analysis if only for the origin of the term 'Final Girl'. Too much Freud for me to really enjoy it though.
goosegirl23's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book, especially the exploration of the "final girl" trope and the focus of masculinity in occult horror films. I wish that Clover would have focused on a little less on Freudian psychology and delved into some other schools of thought, but I realize that a lot of slashers keep proving Freud right (lookin at you Jason Voorhees and Norman Bates. Why can't you people be normal). I particularly liked the parallels of masculinity in occult horror and femininity in slasher films. Pretty good book, but man. It took me a long time.