91影视破解版

Contact: Reece Goodall

Project description

How can we map the history of horror cinema across Europe? Which films, filmmakers and movements have shaped the development of the genre, and how have these traditions been recognised, discussed and documented by film scholars? European horror cinema has a rich and diverse history, encompassing traditions such as German Expressionism, British Gothic cinema, Italian giallo, Spanish horror, French fantastique and contemporary French extremity, as well as folk horror and supernatural traditions across Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean. However, these histories are often approached through individual national cinemas or particularly influential filmmakers, leaving considerable scope for comparative research into the connections between different European traditions.

Working in association with The Fear Network at the 91影视破解版, this project offers an opportunity for an undergraduate researcher to investigate the geographical and intellectual histories of European horror cinema, contributing to the development of a digital resource mapping significant films, movements, filmmakers and associated critical and academic writing. The project will investigate how horror cinema has developed across the continent, identifying significant films and movements while exploring the cultural, historical and industrial contexts in which they emerged. An important dimension will be the relationship between film history and academic scholarship: which European horror traditions have attracted sustained critical attention, which have been overlooked, and what might these differences tell us about the ways in which horror cinema is understood and valued?

What will the students do?

The student will undertake independent research to contribute to a developing map and database of European horror cinema.

Research activities will include:

• Identifying significant horror films, filmmakers and movements across different European countries and historical periods.
• Investigating the geographical, cultural, political and industrial contexts of particular national and transnational horror traditions.
• Exploring connections between European horror movements, including influences, shared aesthetics, production networks and the circulation of films across national borders.
• Locating and documenting relevant academic publications, books, journal articles, film criticism and other sources.
• Investigating gaps in existing scholarship, identifying films, filmmakers and national traditions that have received relatively little academic attention.
• Organising research findings into a structured database that can contribute to an interactive geographical and historical map of European horror.

The student will have opportunities to develop their own research interests within the broader project, potentially focusing on particular countries, periods, movements or thematic connections.

Research outcomes

The principal outcome will be a contribution to a digital atlas of European horror cinema, bringing together geographical, historical and bibliographic information to make the diversity and interconnectedness of European horror traditions more visible. The resource will provide an accessible way of exploring the development of horror cinema across national borders, while highlighting the relationship between films and the academic literature through which they have been interpreted. It will also identify areas where further research would be valuable.

The project will contribute to ongoing conversations about the history, geography and cultural significance of horror cinema, while providing a foundation for further comparative research into European screen cultures.

Skilsl and experience

The project will provide experience of independent academic research in film history and horror studies, including bibliographic research, literature reviews, critical analysis, data collection and organisation, and digital humanities methodologies.

The student will develop skills in identifying and evaluating academic sources, working with cultural and historical data, communicating research findings to specialist and non-specialist audiences, and developing an independent research project.

No previous specialist knowledge of horror cinema or digital mapping is required (although the project will obviously appeal to students with an interest in horror films).