The Commodity Of Horror Film

Following this demonstration of continued popularity, Rafter (2007) argues that film plays a key role in informing, perceiving and understanding various components of criminality. Therefore, research using films should be deemed as a salient feature within criminology. When discussing film and its impact on audiences, Shonfield's (2000) research on film usage is advantageous. She explains that when audiences watch a film, they are able to temporarily pause their personal cynicism and allows themselves to believe everything they watch as truthful. This is possible whilst still in the knowledge that the film itself is a work of fiction. However, research by Picart and Greek's (2003) would suggest that it goes beyond a suspended view. They use the terms 'reel' and 'real' to explain how film has the potential to entangled with reality. …show more content…
Film, as explained by Giroux is more than just an entertainment commodity stated how "[film] offers up subject positions, mobilizes desires, influences us unconsciously, and helps to construct the landscape of American culture." (2002: 585). Horror films are noted by Derry (1987) as well as King (2004) as being particularly important to analyse. They state how horror films relate to societal fears. Korstanje and Olsen (2011) state how some horror films have discourses of risk as key plot components. They further this explain how the monsters or strangers within this horror films are symbolic of enemies to democracy and the western way of life. Horror films speak to fears within society, visualising the potential for real danger in a fictional