“Some genres are more elastic than others. A mystery is predicated on surprising its audience. A rom-com wants to fulfil every expectation and not violate the contract of genre. Horror forces itself to keep innovating,” said Andrew Scahill, Assistant Professor of English. The setting of winter for some new horror films isn’t a coincidence he says: for many people, family reunions and shame-filled year-end assessments are terrifying. It’s no wonder that in his class on Christmas cinema he includes both the feel-good movie musical “White Christmas” (1954) and the harrowing proto-slasher “Black Christmas” (1974).
When Is a Horror Movie Not a Horror Movie?
The New York Times, Nov 28
Scream theory: What makes a horror film a horror film?
The Independent , Dec 3