John:
I'm a big fan of what you term "horror-comedy," and have been working
on this subgenre for awhile. For a good, readerly overview of the
theory that surrounds it, check out:
Paul, William. LAUGHING SCREAMING. New York:
Columbia UP, 1994.
-- Michael Arnzen
In "Genealogy of "Horror-Comedy"" ( 2 Jul 96 @ 9:48), John R Groch
wrote:
> Recently I had the chance to see "Cemetary Man," an Italian/French film
> (in English; so much for national cinema) billed as a "horror-comedy," and
> I began wondering about the genealogy of the horror-comedy as a sub-genre.
> The horror genre is one which I've thought relatively little about, and I
> confess I am not even sure what I mean by "horror-comedy" in
> theoretical/critical terms; while I know I'm referring to films like "The
> Re-Animator," "Dead Alive," and the Evil Dead trilogy, I can't quite
> articulate what makes this films hang together as a group (surely it's not
> just the simultaneous presence of horror and comedy motifs; that would
> require lumping "Dawn of the Dead" with "Abbot and Costello Meet
> Frankenstein"). So I find myself intrigued by a series of questions, and
> wonder if others have any insights:
>
> 1. What defines a "horror-comedy"?
>
> 2. What is its genealogy? When does it appear, and why? If, as it
> seems, the sub-genre emerges in the early-to-mid-1980's, what is it about
> this period that gives rise to the mixing of the two genres (aside from
> the fact that the Reagan administration was at once horrific and comedic).
>
> 3. Are there recommended readings on this topic?
>
> TIA for the insights,
>
> JRG
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> John R. Groch <[log in to unmask]> | "Work! FINISH! THEN sleep."
> English Department/Film Studies Program | -- The Monster,
> Univ. of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 | "Bride of Frankenstein"
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
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>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael A. Arnzen * Dept of English * University of Oregon
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mikea/arbor1.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It was amazing how much room there was
in an eye socket when you stopped to think about it."
-- Bruce Sterling
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