Syllabus
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
Professor
Dr. Alex E. Blazer
478.445.0964
Office Hours: MW 11:45-1:15 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330 and Microsoft Teams
The course catalog states, "This course focuses on the development of global perspectives within various disciplinary, multidisciplinary, or interdisciplinary contexts. Course materials will emphasize multiple intellectual approaches to issues, topics and/or themes; provide appropriate opportunities to engage in learning beyond the classroom; and fulfill the Georgia College writing-intensive course curriculum overlay requirements." This GC2Y section will interpret horror films from around the globe using psychoanalytic, ecocritical, gender studies, cultural studies approaches. We will not only analyze film as an artistic medium but also but also compare diverse film traditions in general and cultural understandings of horror in particular. What horrifies people in general? What do specific cultures find terrifying? How are cultural anxieties and fears expressed through and on its horror films? How do cultures' different gender roles affect the portrayal of men and women in horror films? Why do we desire to be scared or repulsed? We will view variety of horror films in a variety of horror subgenres (body horror, found footage, giallo, kaiju, occult, psychological, science fiction, supernatural, and vampire) from a variety of countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States). We will lean how to analyze the technical elements of film with the help of Ed Sikov's Film Studies: An Introduction; we will learn international film histories using Brad Weismann's Lost in the Dark: A World History of Horror Film; and we will learn critical and film theory with articles in the course packet. Students will respond to an article and a film in two informal discussion board responses and presentations. In the first formal paper, students will compare and contrast either cultural expressions of horror from two nations or an international horror film and its American remake (or vice versa). The research essay will require outside research of a film or film issue. Students will complete a group learning beyond the classroom project in which they either create a short film or record a podcast episode discussing a feature film. The essay exam will test students' understanding of film technique and the horror genre.
Here is the GC2Y course outcome:
- Students will be able to explain multiple intellectual approaches that clarify or respond to problems, topics, themes, and/or issues.
Here are our Global Horror Films section outcomes:
- Students will be introduced to the study of film as an artistic medium and be able to identify the technical elements of film and the aesthetic language of film.
- Students will be able to discuss the traits of the horror film genre and its various subgenres (such as gothic horror, found footage horror, giallo, zombie film, and so forth).
- Students will learn the cultural expressions and histories of a number international film traditions (such as Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom) and be able to comparatively discuss how different cultures experience and express horror in film.
- Students will apply critical theories such as cultural studies, ecocriticism, feminism and gender studies, and psychoanalysis to the interpretation of a range of international horror films.
required textbooks (Amazon or GCSU Bookstore)
Sikov, Film Studies: An Introduction
Weismann, Lost in the Dark: A World History of Horror Film
required films (JustWatch.com, Course Reserves, and/or Arts & Sciences Screening)
The Beyond
Bride of Frankenstein
The Brood
Cure
Deep Red
Freaks
Ganja & Hess
Godzilla
Häxan
The Haunted Castle
The House That Screamed
The Housemaid
The Infernal Cauldron
The Mummy
Nosferatu
Onibaba
Peeping Tom
The Phantom Carriage
Repulsion
Revenge of the Pontianak
required articles (GeorgiaVIEW)
Assignments and Grade Distribution
article summary, 5%
You will sign up to summarize an article in an informal 2-3 page summary.
film response, 5%
You will sign up to respond to a film in an informal 2-3 page response.
learning beyond the classroom project, 10%
You will divide into small groups and either create a 5 minute film that combines the style and/or themes of two films studied in class or record a 30 minute podcast episode that discusses one or two films not studied in class.
comparison/contrast essay, 20%
You will compare and contrast and contrast either how two specific films from two national cultures either express a trait of the horror film genre or culturally conceive of horror or an international horror film and its American remake (or vice versa) in a formal, peer reviewed, and revised 4-6 page essay.
research essay, 35%
You will research, analyze, and interpret a film or film issue in a formal, peer reviewed, and revised 7-9 page essay with 8 scholarly source annotated bibliography.
essay exam, 25%
You will take a three question in-class essay exam that demonstrates your understanding of film technique, film theory, and global horror films. Here's how to calculate your course grade.
Technology
We will use the course site for the syllabus schedule and assignment prompts; supporting documents include an attendance record, a course grade calculation spreadsheet, FAQ, a GeorgiaVIEW walkthrough, a guide to literary analysis, a research methods guide, and paper templates. We will use GeorgiaVIEW for assignment submission and the course packet; if you experience technical issues with GeorgiaVIEW, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu or 478.445.2520. Check your university email for course-related messages. Use an online backup or cloud storage service to not only save but also archive versions of your work in case of personal computer calamities.
Attendance
Because this liberal arts course values contemporaneous discussion over fixed lecture, regular attendance is required. In courses that meet one day per week, such as ENGL 6685, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond two; furthermore, any student who misses four or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet two days per week, such as GC1Y 2000, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond three; furthermore, any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet three days per week, such as ENGL 2130, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond six; furthermore, any student who misses ten or more classes for any reason will be dropped from the course and fail. I suggest you use your skip days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies, consistently leaving class early, texting, and web surfing will be treated as absences. Unexcused absences include work, family obligations, and scheduled doctor's appointments. Excused absences include family emergency, medical emergency, religious observance, and participation in a college-sponsored activity. Do not attend class while symptomatic or testing positive for COVID-19. During isolation, retrieve class notes from a classmate and consult with me about make up work. Absences due to isolation will be considered excused if appropriate documentation from Student Health Services or Academic Advising is provided. If you continue to test positive after the date the university gave you for an excused absence, your positive test counts as an excused absence. If you have a medical condition, extracurricular activity, or job that you anticipate will cause you to miss more than four days of class, I suggest you drop this section. The university absence policy can be found here. You can check your class attendance record here.
MLA Style and Length Requirements
Part of writing in a discipline is adhering to the field's style guide. While other disciplines use APA or Chicago style, literature and composition follows MLA style. Assignments such as in-class exams, discussion board responses, informal/journal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted; however, formal assignments and take-home exams must employ MLA style. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) margins, header, and heading, 2) font, font size, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. A formal paper or take-home exam will be penalized one-third of a letter grade if it does not end at least halfway down on the minimum page length (not including Works Cited page) while implementing 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1" margins. Each additional page short of the minimum requirement will result in an a additional one-third letter grade penalty. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by referring to the MLA style checklist. Feel free to use these templates that are preformatted to MLA style.
Late Assignments
We're all busy with multiple classes and commitments, and adhering to deadlines is critical for the smooth running of the course. There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I give short extensions if you request one for a valid need at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. Because your completion of this course's major learning outcomes depends on the completion of pertinent assignments, failing to submit an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within five days of its due date may result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date may result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty
The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical component of the academic process. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." The Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog define academic dishonesty as "Plagiarizing, including the submission of others’ ideas or papers (whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained) as one’s own. When direct quotations are used in themes, essays, term papers, tests, book reviews, and other similar work, they must be indicated; and when the ideas of another are incorporated in any paper, they must be acknowledged, according to a style of documentation appropriate to the discipline" and "Submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course," among other false representations. As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, "since the primary goal of education is to increase one's own knowledge," any student found guilty of substantial, willful plagiarism or dishonesty may fail the assignment and the course. This course uses plagiarism prevention technology from TurnItIn. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
Writing Center
Writing consultants will work with any student writer working on any project in any discipline. To learn more about Writing Center locations, hours, scheduling, and services, please visit here. Send questions to writing.center@gcsu.edu.
Required Syllabus Statements
Additional statements regarding the Religious Observance Policy, Assistance for Student Needs Related to Disability, Student Mental Health, Student Rating of Instruction Survey, Academic Honesty, Student Use of Copyrighted Materials, Electronic Recording Policy, Academic Grievance or Appeals, and Fire Drills can be found here.
- Read articles and view films before they are scheduled to be discussed in class.
- Course readings are availble in Sikov's Film Studies, Weismann's Lost in the Dark, and the GeorgiaVIEW course packet.
- Use film links to see where film films are available to purchase, rent, or stream.
- Recommended articles and films are encouraged but not required. Read and view them if interested for additional context.
Week 1 |
M, 1-13 |
Introductions film |
W, 1-15 |
film theory Cherry, "The Horror Genre: Form and Function" (GeorgiaVIEW) film analysis Sikov, "Representation and Reality" and "Mise-En-Scene: Within the Image" (1-23) (GeorgiaVIEW) film The Phantom Carriage (horror, Sweden, 1921, 104 min) | Archive | YouTube |
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Week 2 |
M, 1-20 |
No Class: Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday |
W, 1-22 |
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Week 3 |
M, 1-27 |
film analysis Sikov, Two "Mis-En-Scene: Camera Movement" (Sikov 24-37) film history Weismann, 1 Horror Before Film (3-8) film theory Carroll, "Metaphysics and Horror, or Relating to Fictions" (GeorgiaVIEW) film Häxan (silent documentary, Sweden-Denmark, 1922, 105 min) | Archive recommended Norris, "Viewing Skills" (GeorgiaVIEW) Screening: Nosferatu (1922), Arts & Sciences 345, 5:20 p.m. |
W, 1-29 |
film history Weismann, 2 Shadowy Silence: Horror Before Sound (9-19) Telotte, "German Expressionism: A Cinematic/Cultural Problem" (GeorgiaVIEW) film Nosferatu (German Expressionist horror, Germany, 1922, 96 min) | Archive recommended Buckley and Shaw, "How to Watch Foreign Language Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) In Class Activity: Understanding a Film Movement Screening: Freaks, Arts & Sciences 345, 5:20 p.m. |
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Week 4 |
M, 2-3 |
film analysis Sikov, Three "Mis-En-Scene: Cinematography" (Sikov 38-54) film history Weismann, 3 Browning and Chaney: The Father of Freaks and the Man of a Thousand Faces (20-7) film Freaks (Pre-Code horror, United States, 1932, 64 min) | Archive Developing the Thesis Statement Screening: Bride of Frankenstein, Arts & Sciences 345, 5:20 p.m. |
W, 2-5 |
film analysis Sikov, "Editing: From Shot to Shot" (Sikov 55-73) film history Weismann, 4 Monster Central: The Great Horror Cycles Begin (28-39) film Bride of Frankenstein (Gothic science fiction horror, United States, 1935, 75 min) |
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Week 5 |
M, 2-10 |
film history Weismann, 8 Blood and Bosoms: The Success of Hammer Horror (66-72) film theory Kavka, "The Gothic on Screen" (GeorgiaVIEW) film |
W, 2-12 |
film history Weismann, 5 Cranking Out the Creepies: Horror in the 1930s and 1940s (40-51) film theory Balmain, "Edo Gothic: Deceitful Samurai and Wronged Women" (GeorgiaVIEW) film |
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Week 6 |
M, 2-17 |
film history Weismann, 9 The Moment of Shock: Psycho and Peeping Tom (73-8) film Peeping Tom (psychological horror/thriller, United Kingdom, 1960, 101 min) |
W, 2-19 |
film analysis Sikov, "Sound" (74-88) film history Weismann, 6 Val Lewton and the Terrors of the Unseen (52-7) Weismann, 7 Atomic-Age Monsters: The Sci-Fi-Horror Boom (58-65) Writing Day cancelled due to Winter Storm Campus Closure |
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Week 7 |
M, 2-24 |
film analysis Sikov, "Narrative: From Scene to Scene" (89-102) film history Weismann, 10 The Corman Poes, and the Peerless Vincent Price (79-85) Weismann, 11 Horror, Italian Style (85-93) film |
W, 2-26 |
film history Weismann, 12 All Hell Breaks Loose, 1960-1975 (94-104) film theory Allen, "Psychoanalytic Film Theory" (GeorgiaVIEW) Schneider, "Introduction: Psychoanalysis in/and/of the Horror Film" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
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Week 8 |
M, 3-3 |
film analysis Sikov, "From Screenplay to Film" (103-15) film history Weismann, 13 Bloody England: Hammer's Competitors (105-11) Weismann, 14 The Sleep of Reason: Horror in Spanish (112-24) film The House That Screamed (psychological suspense/horror, Spain, 1969, 104 min) |
W, 3-5 |
film analysis Sikov, "Filmmakers" (116-28) film theory Clover, "Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher" (GeorgiaVIEW) recommended Halloween (slasher, United States, 1978, 91 min) |
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Week 9 |
M, 3-10 |
film analysis Sikov, "Genre" (143-57) film theory Creed, "Horror and the Monstrous-Feminine: An Imaginary Abjection" (GeorgiaVIEW) recommended Alien (science fiction horror, United States, 1979, 116 min) Carrie (supernatural horror, United States, 1976, 98 min) The Exorcist (supernatural horror, United States, 1973, 122 minutes or 132 min) |
W, 3-12 |
film analysis Sikov, "Performance" (129-42) film history Weismann, 15 Godzilla & Co.: Far East Horror in Translation (125-31) |
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Week 10 |
M, 3-17 |
No Class: Spring Break |
W, 3-19 |
No Class: Spring Break |
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Week 11 |
M, 3-24 |
film history Weismann, 16 Polanski, Coffin Joe, and Others (132-7) film theory Freeland, "Feminist Frameworks for Horror Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) film Repulsion (psychological horror thriller, United Kingdom, 1965, 105 min) |
W, 3-26 |
film history Weismann, 17 Clark, Craven, Carpenter, and Cronenberg (138-50) film theory Reyes, "Body Horror" (GeorgiaVIEW) film |
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Week 12 |
M, 3-31 |
film analysis Sikov, "Special Effects" (158-68) film history Weismann, 19 J- and K-Horror, and Other Asian Alphabets (166-73) film Cure (neo-noir psychological J-horror, Japan, 1997, 112 min) |
W, 4-2 |
film analysis Sikov, "Film and Ideology" (169-83) film history Weismann, 21 Zombies! (180-7) film theory Kee, "'They are not men . . . they are dead bodies!': From Cannibal to Zombie and Back Again" (GeorgiaVIEW) The Beyond (Southern gothic supernatural horror, Italy, 1981, 87 min) |
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Week 13 |
M, 4-7 |
film history Weismann, 18 Mainstream Horror; or, Bring the Kids! (151-66) Weismann, 20 The Problem of Torture Porn (174-9) |
W, 4-9 |
film analysis Sikov, "Film Studies in the Era of Digital Cinema" (184-96) Sikov, "Putting It All Together: A Model 8- to 10-Page Paper" (197-214) |
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Week 14 |
M, 4-14 |
Writing Day: Bring Your Laptops |
W, 4-16 |
No Class: Attend a Research Day 2025 Event |
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Week 15 |
M, 4-21 |
film theory Alaimo, "Discomforting Creatures: Monstrous Natures in Recent Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
W, 4-23 |
film history Weismann, 22 There's Usually a Gorilla: Horror-Comedies (188-98) Martin, "South Korean Horror Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
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Week 16 |
M, 4-30 |
film history Weismann, 23 Masters for a New Millennium (1997-206) film theory Coleman, "Scream, Whitey, Scream—Retribution, Enduring Women, and Carnality: 1970s" (GeorgiaVIEW) film Ganja & Hess (blaxploitation horror, United States, 1973, 110 minutes) recommended Coleman, "Introduction: Studying Blacks and Horror Films" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
W, 5-2 |
film history Weismann, 24 Is Horror Legit? (207-13) film theory Ng, "Sisterhood of Terror: The Monstrous Feminine of Southeast Asian Horror Cinema" (GeorgiaVIEW) film Revenge of the Pontianak (romantic horror, Singapore-Malaysia, 2019, 92 min) |
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Finals |
T, 5-6 |
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W, 5-7 |