LEADER 04191nam 22006015 450 001 9910502982903321 005 20230810173705.0 010 $a9783030843465 010 $a3030843467 024 7 $a10.1007/978-3-030-84346-5 035 $a(CKB)4100000012036781 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC6734381 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL6734381 035 $a(OCoLC)1287138174 035 $a(DE-He213)978-3-030-84346-5 035 $a(EXLCZ)994100000012036781 100 $a20210924d2021 u| 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aurcnu|||||||| 181 $ctxt$2rdacontent 182 $cc$2rdamedia 183 $acr$2rdacarrier 200 14$aThe Aesthetics of Horror Films $eA Santayanan Perspective /$fby Forrest Adam Sopuck 205 $a1st ed. 2021. 210 1$aCham :$cSpringer International Publishing :$cImprint: Palgrave Macmillan,$d2021. 215 $a1 online resource (137 pages) 311 08$a9783030843458 311 08$a3030843459 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index. 327 $aChapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Aesthetic Optimism -- Chapter 3: Fear in the Cinema and the Definition of Horror -- Chapter 4: Horror and its Dark Visions -- Chapter 5: Horror and its Dark Witnesses. 330 $a"Sopuck's book provides a much-needed expansion of our understanding of the artistic value and cultural role of horror films. Engaging with scholars in the fields of psychology, philosophy, and horror theory, he carefully extends the aesthetic views of George Santayana into a highly original framework that he dubs the 'sport model' of horror aesthetics. But more than this, he then uses this framework to further examine the potentially dangerous necropolitical implications of horror in the contemporary landscape. Eminently readable, with outstanding degrees of theoretical elaboration and numerous cinematic examples, the book deftly balances the worlds of scholarship and popular entertainment, providing a work that is not only thoroughly enjoyable and personally relatable, but is also sure to leave a lasting impact in the world of horror theory." --Vernon W. Cisney, Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, Gettysburg College This book analyzes the nature and functions of horror films from the vantage of a theoretical reconstruction of George Santayana's account of beauty. A new model of horror's aesthetic enjoyment is detailed through the examination of plot, cinematic, and visual devices distinctive of the popular genre. According to this model, the audience derives pleasure from the films through confronting the aversive scenarios they communicate and rationalizing a denial of their personal applicability. The films then come to embody these acts of self-assertion and become objects of pride. How horror films can acquire necropolitical functions is also clarified. These functions, which exploit the power of anti-tragedy, downward social comparison, or vicarious emotion, work to remediate aggressive, ascetic, or revolutionary impulses in ways that are not injurious to the status quo. This book champions horror as a source of self-empowerment and beauty, but also attests to the potential harms of the genre. Forrest Adam Sopuck was awarded his Ph.D. in philosophy at McMaster University in 2015. He is a specialist in early modern philosophy by formation. His current work explores how Santayana's philosophical views contribute to contemporary metaphysical debates surrounding non-mereological composition, fundamentality, and colour. 606 $aAesthetics 606 $aMotion pictures$xAesthetics 606 $aFilm genres 606 $aAesthetics 606 $aFilm Philosophy 606 $aGenre Studies 615 0$aAesthetics. 615 0$aMotion pictures$xAesthetics. 615 0$aFilm genres. 615 14$aAesthetics. 615 24$aFilm Philosophy. 615 24$aGenre Studies. 676 $a791.436164 676 $a791.436164 700 $aSopuck$b Forrest Adam$0848993 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910502982903321 996 $aThe Aesthetics of Horror Films$92568593 997 $aUNINA