Description: Films depicting demoniacally possessed women who can only be saved by male religious figures through exorcism rituals have been produced and released around the world. This book considers the history of exorcism cinema and how such films reinforce or challenge the traditional exorcism narrative.
Review Quotes:
"Olson and Reinhard offer a compelling look at the history and cultural politics of exorcism films in this well argued, adeptly researched study." --Blair Davis, DePaul University, author of The Battle for the Bs: 1950s Hollywood and the Rebirth of Low-Budget Cinema
"Possessed Women, Haunted States skillfully studies the cultural politics of an under-explored strand of horror cinema. Ranging from The Exorcist through to recent 'found footage' movies, as well as taking a very welcome, inclusive approach to parody, Christopher Olson and CarrieLynn Reinhard exercise impeccable critical faculties throughout this impressive analysis." --Matthew Hills, University of Huddersfield, author of The Pleasures of Horror