Assignments

GC2Y 2000 Global Horror Films, Spring 2025

Section 14: 1:30-3:10 p.m., Arts & Sciences 340A

Section 33: 3:30-5:10 p.m., Arts & Sciences 270

In Class Activities

1. Understanding a Film Movement

Let's break into five groups of 4-5 members each and then summarize the key points of Telotte's "German Expressionism" and analyze significant scenes from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Metropolis, Nosferatu, and Waxworks. Here are the groups, article sections, and film scenes:

  1. Telotte, Expressionist Origins (15-17) and Nosferatu, Orlok on the ship (57:55-59:45)
  2. Telotte, The Expressionist Problem (17-8) Nosferatu, Orlok drains Ellen (1:24:05-1:30:05)
  3. Telotte, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (18-21) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Caesare abducts Jane (45:00-49:00)
  4. Telotte, Waxworks (21-24) and Waxworks, Spring-Heeled Jack (1:18:00-1:23:00)
  5. Telotte, Metropolis and Conclusion (24-27) Metropolis, the revolutionary crowd (2:09:15-2:14:05)

Here are the questions:

  1. Summarize the 2-3 main points from the assigned section of Telotte's article.
  2. Select a key passage from the assigned section of Telotte's article.
  3. Describe what happens in the assigned scene.
  4. Describe the composition and camera work of the assigned scene.
  5. Describe the style of the scene, noting aspects such as lighting and production design.
  6. What is the main idea of the scene and how is that idea expressed via style, narrative, and technique?

2. Deconstructing Freaks

Today, let's examine the various representations of so-called freaks and so-called regular people in Tod Browning's 1932 pre-code horror film Freaks. Brainstorm examples in response to each of the following questions for about two minutes.

  1. Expectation: Before viewing Freaks, how did you expect sideshow freaks to be portrayed?
  2. Reality—Freaks as Human: How does the film represent freaks as good and humane?
  3. Reality—Humans as Monsters: How does the film portray humans as evil and monstrous?
  4. Reality Reprise—Humans as Human: How does the film represent humans as good and humane?
  5. Reality Reprise—Freaks as Monsters: How does the film portray freaks as evil and monstrous?
  6. Theme: The shifting representations of monstrosity and humanity in Freaks, what is the film saying about the nature of monstrosity in general and freaks in particular?

3. British vs Japanese Gothic

Today, break into groups in order to 1) give and receive feedback on your working theses for the comparison/contrast essay, 2) review traits of Edo Gothic from the Balmain article, and 3) compare and contrast filmic elements from The Mummy and Onibaba.

 

Here are the groups and tasks:

  1. First, provide feedback on your working theses. Second, describe 2-3 traits of Edo Gothic from Balmain's Introduction and Background sections (pp. 51-3). Third, compare and contrast significant camera movements of The Mummy and Onibaba.
  2. First, provide feedback on your working theses. Second, describe 2-3 traits of Edo Gothic from Balmain's Deceitful Samurai section (pp. 54-61). Third, compare and contrast notable cinematography of The Mummy and Onibaba.
  3. First, provide feedback on your working theses. Second, describe 2-3 traits of Edo Gothic from Balmain's The Sacred Maternal section (pp.61-4). Third, compare and contrast the key cinematography of The Mummy and Onibaba.
  4. First, provide feedback on your working theses. Second, describe 2-3 traits of Edo Gothic from Balmain's Wronged Women and Conventions of Edo Gothic sections (pp.64-9). Third, compare and contrast the setting and atmosphere of The Mummy and Onibaba.
  5. First, provide feedback on your working theses. Second, describe 2-3 traits of Edo Gothic from Balmain's "Edo Gothic" (any section). Third, compare and contrast the character arcs of Kharis in The Mummy and the mother-in-law in Onibaba.

4. Psychoanalysis and Cinema

Today, let's apply Richard Allen's and Steven Jay Schneider's articles on the general relationship of psychoanalysis and cinema to our recent horror films. Break into your peer response groups to discuss the following issues from the articles. Take notes to share with the class.

  1. Richard Allen, 1. Psychoanalysis and Cinema: Thinking about either Deep Red or Peeping Tom, discuss the ways in which the film utilizes irrationality, dream, pleasure, wish-fulfillment, and/or fantasy.
  2. Richard Allen, 2 Psychoanalytic Theories of Cinema: Thinking about either Deep Red or Peeping Tom, discuss the ways in which the film might be seen as either an unconscious fantasy or a virtual reality sustaining a wish of the film spectator. Additionally, how does the film create fetishes and turn the spectator into a voyeur?
  3. Richard Allen, 2 Psychoanalytic Theories of Cinema: Thinking about either Deep Red or Peeping Tom, in what ways does the film act as a mirror for the spectator and create an illusory sense of self for the spectator to identify with?
  4. Richard Allen, 4 Psychoanalysis, Feminism, and Film Theory: Thinking about either Deep Red or Peeping Tom, discuss how the film creates hierarchies of sexuality and gender, as well as how it treats male and female spectators.
  5. Steven Jay Schneider: Thinking about either Deep Red or Peeping Tom, what conflicts and themes, if any, does the film convey regarding the drama of the self with the family, the containment and control of sexual energy, and the inner life of the psyche.

5. The Scenes That Screamed

In our last class, we learned some basics of psychoanalytic film theory and retroactively applied the concepts to recent films we discussed. In today's class, let's employ psychoanalytic film theory by closely viewing select scenes from the mean girl Gothic slasher, The House That Screamed, as we continue to highlight film analysis and film history . Break into five groups and answer the following questions based on your assigned group number.

Here are the questions:

  1. Select 2-3 interesting points from the Sikov or Weismann chapter.
  2. What are the significant film elements from the House scene?
  3. What is the psychological issue developed by the scene?
  4. How does film form interact with thematic content?

Here are the groups:

  1. Ed Sikov, "From Screenplay to Film" (103-15) and
    The House That Screamed whipping/praying scene (0:20:45-0:24:05)
  2. Brad Weismann, 13 Bloody England: Hammer's Competitors (105-11) and
    The House That Screamed greenhouse stabbing (0:41:30-0:42:35)
  3. Brad Weismann, 13 Bloody England: Hammer's Competitors (105-11) and
    The House That Screamed     shower scene (0:49:00-0:50:45)
  4. Brad Weismann, 14 The Sleep of Reason: Horror in Spanish (112-24) and
    The House That Screamed kissing scene (1:00:00-1:02:15)
  5. Brad Weismann, 14 The Sleep of Reason: Horror in Spanish (112-24) and
    The House That Screamed attic scene (1:40:45-1:43:00)

6. From Mean Girls to Final Girls

Today, we're transitioning from the mean girls The House That Screamed to the Final Girls of the slasher as well as digging deeper into psychoanalytic and gender theory. On the one hand, there's a lot of information in Carol Clover's 40-page article "Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher Film." On the other hand, most of it involves description of genre tropes. Today, let's explain the genre conventions and brainstorm examples of those conventions in an individual in class activity, and then allow our presenters to summarize the key idea of how slasher deconstruct the masculine killer / feminine Final Girl gender binary.

 

After you are assigned one of the page numbers below, use information on and around that page numbers in Clover's article to help you explain the slasher tropes, and then brainstorm an example of the trait in a slasher you've seen, either from recent proto-slashers we've watched in class like Deep Red and The House That Screamed, or from your own horror viewing experiences. You'll be asked to share your thoughts with the class.

Article Summary

Written Summary

You will write an article summary and post it to GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Article Summary two days before we are scheduled to discuss the article so I have time to read your response before class. The article summary should

Informal Presentation

You will also be responsible for a brief, informal presentation. The presentation should introduce the essay by defining key points and terms (without simply reading your written summary) and broaching issues for class discussion.

Due Dates

  1. Your written assignment will be due in GeorgiaVIEW > Course Work > Assignments > Article Summary two days before we are scheduled to discuss an article. Summaries will be penalized one letter grade for each day, not class period, that they are turned in late. It is your responsibility to check the sign up schedule and complete the assignment on time.
  2. Your brief, informal presentation will be due on the day we discuss the essay in class. This date is approximate for we will sometimes fall a day behind. Failing to present the article to the class without providing a valid absence excuse will result in a two letter grade penalty.
  3. Your graded assignment will be returned to you in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Article Summary approximately one week after we discuss the article in class.
  4. For example, we are scheduled to discuss Kavka's "The Gothic on Screen" on Monday, February 10. Therefore, someone's article summary will be due in GeorgiaVIEW on Saturday, February. In class on Monday, February 10, that student will informally present the main ideas of Kavka's essay. The graded article summary will be returned to that student the following week in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Article Summary. Here's how to calculate your course grade.

Sign Up

Schedule your article summary, film response, and learning beyond the classroom project here.

Film Response

Written Summary

You will respond to a film and post it to GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Film Response two days before we are scheduled to discuss the film so I have time to read your response before class. The film response should

Informal Presentation

You will also be responsible for a brief, informal presentation. The presentation should discuss the highlights of your response (without simply reading your written summary) and broach issues for class discussion.

Due Dates

  1. Your written assignment will be due in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Film Response two days before we are scheduled to discuss the film. Responses will be penalized one letter grade for each day, not class period, that they are turned in late. It is your responsibility to check the sign up schedule and complete the assignment on time.
  2. Your brief, informal presentation will be due on the day we discuss the film in class. This date is approximate for we will sometimes fall a day behind. Failing to present the response to the class without providing a valid absence excuse will result in a two letter grade penalty.
  3. Your graded assignment will be returned to you in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Film Response approximately one week after we discuss the article in class.
  4. For example, we are scheduled to discuss The Mummy (1959) on Monday, February 10. Therefore, someone's film response will be due in GeorgiaVIEW on Saturday, February 8. In class on Monday, February 10, that student will informally present the main points of their response. The graded film response will be returned to that student the following week in GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Film Response. Here's how to calculate your course grade.

Sign Up

Schedule your article summary, film response, and learning beyond the classroom project here.

Learning Beyond the Classroom Project

The article summary compels you to read actively and to abstract informally the key ideas from an article. The film response compels you to view actively and to respond informally to significant scenes and meanings of a film. The comparison/contrast essay requires formal, drafted, reviewed, and revised analysis of film. The learning beyond the classroom project allows you to work in small groups to apply your understanding of film in creative or critical ways beyond conventional essays. You will record your project outside of class, and we screen your film or listen to your podcast and then discuss your project in class.

 

Film Option (Creative): Create a 3-5 minute horror film that applies the style and/or themes of two films studied in class. Along with the film, submit a two page explanation of how your film emulates the styles and mimics the issues of the in-class films.

 

Podcast Option (Critical): Record a 20-30 minute podcast episode that discusses a non-American horror film not studied in class, subject to professor approval. Be sure to address such issues as film style, film elements (shots, scene, camera, lighting, etc.), conflict, character, and theme.

Parameters

Sign Up

Schedule your article summary, film response, and learning beyond the classroom project here.

Comparison/Contrast Essay

We have looked at a number of early horrors films (The Phantom Carriage, Haxan, Nosferatu, Freaks, Bride of Frankenstein, Onibaba) with a variety of horrors (death, witches, freaks, Frankenstein's monster) from a variety of countries (Sweden, Denmark, Germany, United States, Japan). For the first formal paper, you will compare and contrast how horror functions in two films. You have two choices of approach.

Your paper must use textual evidence from the films such as but not limited to dialogue, title cards, shots, soundtrack, camera angles, and editing. Option A must also quote and cite the text of film history and film theory in class articles. Before you draft the paper, you will submit a thesis statement and outline, which will be reviewed by your peers. The mandatory first draft of your paper will be reviewed by your peers and graded by your professor. The optional second draft grade will replace the first draft grade.

Parameters

Research Essay

While the first formal essay required you to compare and contrast the portrayal and themes of two films, the second formal essay involves both your own film interpretation and the integration of scholarly horror film criticism. You will research, analyze, and interpret a horror film or horror film issue in a formal, peer reviewed, and revised essay that incorporates sources from an accompanying annotated bibliography. Your interpretation of a horror film should make an overarching claim about the film or film issue, employ film analysis to prove its interpretation, and use scholarly research to support its analysis and ideas. Alternatively, you could explore an issue relevant to many horror films, analyzing a number of exemplary horror films and integrating relevant secondary sources to support the discussion. For example, you could write about the issue of art and violence in Dario Argento's Deep Red with the aide of secondary sources on Fulci films or you could write about the portrayal of gender and sexuality in gialli and use films by Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and Lucio Fulci with the aide of secondary sources on the giallo genre.

 

If you interpret a film, the film should be researchable, that is, you should be able to find sufficient scholarly sources that analyze the film. Because peer review of books and journals takes a couple of years, this precludes films released in the last five years and mandates the research of films that inspire scholarly criticism. You cannot research films that you wrote about in your comparison/contrast essay.

 

Your research should be scholarly, that is, you should find scholarly, peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and books using the university library's databases rather than Googling periodicals and blogs. You should find 15 scholarly sources to determine if your film or issue is researchable. Then, you should annotate 8 sources to determine which are the most helpful for your project. Finally, you should integrate 4 sources that help you analyze the film/issue into your 7-9 page research paper.

Research Proposal and Source List

While the comparison/contrast essay required you to submit a thesis statement and outline, the research project necessitates that you submit a research proposal that includes both

  1. a paragraph that formulates your research question, issue, or idea, and
  2. a list of 15 potential sources
    • The working bibliography should be styled in MLA Format and compiled using the Research Methods page.
    • Approximately half of the sources should be scholarly books from the GCSU and USG libraries and approximately half should be scholarly journal articles from databases like Academic Search Complete.
    • While other professors might consider encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, and website study guides to be appropriate for college level research, I deem academic books and peer reviewed journal articles the only appropriate sources for scholarly research. Therefore, you should not submit primary texts (i.e., films), encyclopedia entries, magazine articles, newspaper articles, book reviews, websites, study guides like Sparknotes and MasterPlots, or student paper mills. While you may use reputable periodicals and websites to help support the claims and analysis in your research essay, they do no not count as scholarly sources.

As good writing habit, you are encouraged to write a thesis statement and outline before drafting your paper, but you are not required to submit them for this paper. Keep in mind that you may conference with your professor at any time for direction on your project.

Annotated Bibliography

Two weeks before drafting your paper, you will submit a draft of your annotated bibliography, i.e., the research that you will use to prepare for the paper. An annotated bibliography is an MLA styled works cited list of scholarly books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed journal articles that provides a 75-100 word summary of each secondary source's argument as well as how the secondary source interprets and illuminates the meaning of the primary text, i.e., the film.

 

Do not annotate films; do annotate scholarly journal articles and book chapters about a film or film issue. Do not annotate an entire book; do annotate a chapter from the book that best fits your research topic. Do not simply summarize the source's topic, do provide the chapter or article's overall thesis or the chapter or article's main idea as it relates to your research question. I recommend answering the following questions:

  1. What question, issue, or topic is the source investigating?
  2. What is the source's thesis or conclusion regarding the film or film issue?
  3. How does the source help your understanding of the film or film issue?

You should annotated 8 sources. In terms of formatting, I suggest using this template.

Research Essay Draft 1

Your well-organized, thesis-driven research essay should analyze film(s) using evidence from film and be supported by evidence from research sources. You should compose a 7-9 page essay incorporating at least 4 scholarly research sources.

Optional Paper and Annotated Bibliography Revision

Your paper will be reviewed by your peers; your paper and annotated bibliography will receive feedback and a tentative grade from your professor. You may revise your paper and annotated bibliography. If you choose to revise, you must include a revision statement (a paragraph or bullet points noting what issues you worked on in your second draft) and highlight major changes in your essay and bibliography.

Parameters

Peer Response

Goals

The two main goals of our class is for you to learn multiple intellectual approaches to horror films and to develop a global perspective regarding the culture of horror films, and the course approaches these outcomes through analytical and research writing. Peer response sessions extend the writing process by allowing you and your peers to engage in direct oral and written dialogue about matters of analysis and research, with the ultimate goal of improving your formal papers. You have the opportunity to revise your Comparison/Contrast Essay and your Research Paper based upon comments by your peers and professor. You will provide constructive criticism to other members of the class as will they to you. Here are the peer response templates for the Comparison/Contrast Essay and the Research Paper.

 

Note: If a group member does not submit her paper to the GeorgiaVIEW discussion board in a format your computer can read, such as Word, at least two days before the peer response session, the rest of the group is not responsible for responding to her paper. If a group member fails to attend the group response session, the member's paper will not receive feedback.

Comparison/Contrast Peer Response

Here is the peer response process for the Comparison/Contrast Essay:

  1. On Wednesday, February 19, writers upload their papers to both
    • GeorgiaVIEW > Discussions > Comparison/Contrast Peer Response > Group #
    • GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Comparison/Contrast Essay Draft 1
  2. Read, take notes on, and prepare to respond to your group members' papers before the peer response time.
  3. Your peer response group will elect a secretary to record the group's collective response to the Comparison/Contrast peer response sheet for each writer. Your group will spend about 15-20 minutes per paper providing feedback on Style and Gramma, Thesis and Controlling Idea, Comparison and Contrast, and Organization. If groups have time, you can also response to Voice, Successes and Weaknesses, and Quality and Creativity. The secretary will upload the completed sheets for each paper to GeorgiaVIEW > Discussions > Comparison/Contrast Essay > Group #.
  4. After your paper is reviewed by your peer response group, and before the end of class, submit a bullet point list of 3-5 things about your paper that you plan to revise, based upon your peers' feedback. Submit to your peer group's GeorgiaVIEW discussion board. Failure to submit will result in a one-third letter grade deduction off the final paper.
  5. If you miss the peer response session or do not read your peers' papers before the peer response session, you must complete a peer response sheet for each of your fellow group members. Failure to do so will result a one-third letter grade deduction for the final paper grade.

Wednesday, February 26, 1:30 p.m. Section

Wednesday, February 26, 3:30 p.m. Section

Research Essay Peer Response

Here is the peer response process for the Research Essay:

  1. Upload Your Essay: On Wednesday, April 16, writers upload their papers to both
    • GeorgiaVIEW > Discussions > Research Essay Peer Response > Group #
    • GeorgiaVIEW > Assignments > Research Essay Draft 1
  2. Read Your Peers' Essays: Read, take notes on, and prepare to respond to your group members' papers before the peer response day.
  3. Respond to Your Peers' Essays: On Monday, April 21, your peer response group will elect a secretary to record the group's collective response to the Research Essay peer response sheet for each writer. Your group will spend about 15-20 minutes per paper providing feedback on Style and Gramma, Thesis and Controlling Idea, Film Analysis and Evidence, Research, and Organization. If groups have time, you can also response to Voice, Successes and Weaknesses, and Quality and Creativity. The secretary will upload the completed sheets for each paper to GeorgiaVIEW > Discussions > Research Essay > Group #.
  4. Submit a Revision List: After your paper is reviewed by your peer response group, and before the end of class, submit a bullet point list of 3-5 things about your paper that you plan to revise, based upon your peers' feedback. Submit to your peer group's GeorgiaVIEW discussion board. Failure to submit will result in a one-third letter grade deduction off the final paper.
  5. If You're Absent: If you miss the peer response session or do not read your peers' papers before the peer response session, you must complete a peer response sheet for each of your fellow group members. Failure to do so will result a one-third letter grade deduction for the final paper grade.

Monday, April 21, 1:30 p.m. Section

Monday, April 19, 3:30 p.m. Section

Essay Exam

The two question essay exam will test your knowledge and understanding of films covered on the syllabus since February 19, film history and film theory covered on the syllabus since February 19, and film elements covered on the syllabus throughout the semester. On Monday, April 30, classes will generate 4-6 essay topics; and on Wednesday, May 2, those topics will be turned into 4-6 essay questions. You will choose 2 questions to answer on the exam, which will be taken in class on Wednesday, May 7 from 3:30-5:45 p.m. for students in the 1:30 section and Tuesday, May 6 for students in the 3:30-5:45 p.m. section.

Topics

Questions

Films

Film Articles

Film Elements

Parameters

 

© Alex E. Blazer 2025