2 Horror movie snapshots

Movie Choices
Dracula 1931 CC
Dracula 1931 (Spanish version) CC
Frankenstein 1931 CC
White Zombie 1932
Freaks 1932 CC
Vampyr 1932 subtitled
The Mummy 1932 CC
The Old Dark House 1932
Old Dark House CC
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1932 CC
Murders in the Rue Morgue 1932 CC
The Black Cat 1934 CC
Bride of Frankenstein — 1935 CC
Werewolf of London 1935 CC
Dracula’s Daughter 1936 CC
Son of Frankenstein 1939 CC
The Wolfman 1941 CC
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1941 CC
Cat People 1942 CC

In order to meet our learning outcomes in this course (see syllabus and below), there will be 5 Snapshot Screening submissions. See dates below. For each Snapshot submission please select 2 films (only) drawn from the appropriate unit section (see Necronomicon: Snapshot Screening folder). These dates align with the 5 chapters from Dixon’s History of Horror text. You must select from the films provided for 1 – 4, but for Snapshot Submission #5 (since it covers up to present and it is difficult to stay current as new things are produced) you may select from outside of those provided as long as they fit within that dated era and you have cleared that with me.
Please be aware, many of these films, esp. in the modern era, are quite disturbing, graphic and scary. But remember, this is a horror film class and you have registered knowing this.
Due dates by 12pm
Snapshot 2 — Mar. 12 — covers 1930 – 1948

(per due date — there are individual drop boxes for each of these; they will each close at the termination of each submission’s due date; once gone you cannot submit it; each is hyperlinked to its dropbox)
Snapshot Screening guidelines: each snapshot submission will select two films, worth 5 points per film.
Length = 715 or more words per film entry (that is 1430 words per Snapshot Submission — credits do not count toward length, nor does your Works Cited). Use Times New Roman font, size 12, double spaced).
This is a place to show your serious reflections upon the films.

Below are the key things to focus upon per entry (though not each film will be equally present for each of the below ideas).
Do not summarize the plot/narrative of the film. Assume that information.

1) List film title/year and key credits (IMDB) — does not count to length of the entry.
Keep this brief — include title, year, director, writer, key cast, cinematographer, editor, music, and studio
2) How does this film fit into the horror genre? Which type/category/sub-genre of horror does it belong to? Discuss the film in some detail, referencing specific scenes, shots, characters, etc. Do not rely on IMDB’s genre categories. That a film is labeled a drama, suspense, action, adventure, fantasy or a thriller does not get as specific as we want here (almost all our films fit these descriptors; these are not specific enough). Think in terms of the type of monster present in the film: vampire, created monster, divided-self, witch/demonic, folk, werewolf, found footage, transgressive child, demonic possession, haunted house/ghost, serial killer/slasher.
3) How does it relate to films in the same sub-genre/category? Connect it to other films in the course (or that you have viewed elsewhere). Be specific, referencing real scenes/shots/plot elements, etc. Develop this well.
How does it historically relate to films prior and after it in horror? Does it show a certain development, trend, innovation? Be specific.
4) What historic/economic/socio-cultural/psychological significance does the film manifest? (Note: This does not mean trends in clothing or day-to-day technology — like cars, etc.). Be specific.
5) Tie in at least one essay from the Belasco House of Lore (or other relevant reading’s) that we have done in discussion, or located elsewhere) to your discussion. Do not use fan sites, Wikipedia, or blogs.
Be sure you cite your data in-text and in a Works Cited. Develop your use of these references fully. Let the ideas from the reading augment your discussion. (Dixon can be used, but if you do, always draw upon another piece of scholarship.)

See sample Snapshots. Student Snapshot Samples and Student Snapshot Write Up Samples

Criteria —
1) Submission is well developed and explores the subject fully.
2) Is specific. Uses concrete examples to illustrate points.
3) Takes the subject matter seriously and shows depth of analysis.
4) Is complete in its coverage of the above five tasks.
5) Fully integrates scholarly material into your response and develops that application fully.
6) Documents all scholarly sources in-text and in a Works Cited.
7) Meets or exceeds the required length.

Student Learning Outcomes
1. Identify the various major periods, personalities, auteurs, national cinemas (if relevant) and films in the specific genre/topic for this class.
2. Identify the characteristics (themes and styles) of major periods/sub-generic iterations (world wide, if relevant) in the evolution of the specific genre/topic for this class.
3. Analyze the relevant psycho/socio/cultural issues of the specific genre/topic for this class.
4. Apply relevant film theory to explain how a given film fits within a selected genre/topic for this class.
5. Apply relevant theory to analyze how a particular genre or topic functions and operates within cinematic and cultural systems of meaning.

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