“The Finest Examples of Motion Picture Art”:Prestige, Stardom and Gender in the Reception of Silent and Early Sound Horror

Jancovich, Mark and Brown, Shane Lee (2023) “The Finest Examples of Motion Picture Art”:Prestige, Stardom and Gender in the Reception of Silent and Early Sound Horror. Monstrum. ISSN 2561-5629 (In Press)

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Abstract

An examination of the reception of horror films during the silent and early sound period. While academic acounts of the horror genre often present it as a disreputable genre, this article suggests that, during this period, the genre actually enjoyed a high cultural status, and was even seen as an “artistic" genre that confirmed the potential of cinema as a medium. Consequently, during this period, horror films were regularly identified as some of the most artistically significant films by prestigeous cultural tastemakers such as the New York Times. The genre's status is also indicated through its ability to attract top directors and stars. Finally, the industrial strategies of the major Hollywood studios meant that they identified middle class women as one of their key tar

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Art, Media and American Studies University of East Anglia > Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Film, Television and Media
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	13 Jan 2023 10:31
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2023 10:31
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/90565
DOI:

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