Description:
Following the Second World War, low-budget B-movies that explored and exploited Gothic narratives and aesthetics became a significant cinematic expression of social and cultural anxieties. Influencing new trends in European, Asian and African filmmaking, these films carried on the tradition established by the Gothic novel, and yet they remain part of a largely neglected subject. B-Movie Gothic: International Perspectives examines the influence of Gothic B-movies on the cinematic traditions of the United States, Britain, Scandinavia, Spain, Turkey, Japan, Hong Kong and India, highlighting their transgressive, transnational and provocative nature. It shows how B-movie Gothic is a relentlessly creative form, filled with political tensions and moving from shocking conservatism to profound social critique.
Brief description: Justin D Edwards is Chair of Gothic Studies at the University of Stirling. He is co-president of the International Gothic Association and the author or co-author of several books, including Grotesque (2013) Mobility at Large (2012), Postcolonial Literature (2008), Gothic Canada: Reading the Spectre of a National Literature (2005), Gothic Passages: Racial Ambiguity and the American Gothic (2003) and Exotic Journeys: Exploring the Erotics of U.S. Travel Literature (2001).
Review Quotes: This book takes head-on the complex question of the relationship between Gothic as a Western-origin art form and the rise of indigenous film of the supernatural and the eerie across cultures and continents. Its focus on the B-movie is adeptly handled by a variety of distinguished critics, raising important questions about internationalisation and local development. There are many dark gems revealed here, and expertly and engagingly discussed.-- "Professor David Punter, University of Bristol"