CURSED HORROR FILMS - A film analysis of ‘dangerous’ films within moving media

Abstract

Within the field of horror films there is a subcategory of films and videos revolving around fictional horror films claimed to be ‘dangerous’ to the public. These works often relate to discussions around moral panics and spectatorship as well as historical viewpoints on the horror genre. This in turn connects to contemporary society and the ongoing discussion regarding culture, genre and the possibility for media to imprint views on an audience. This essay lifts these issues through an analysis of, mainly, three different works within this genre subcategory from three different decades and how they all seem to converse with earlier periods of moral panics within film history.