Mark Jancovich, 1992. Horror. In: Mark Jancovich. Horror. B.T. Batsford, London, p. (p.7-25).
Introduction
On censorship:"they claimed that 'video nasties' were a new category of media products, and that they had dangerous effects on viewers, especially young viewers. No clear definition of the video nasty existed but it was generally accepted that they were examples of pornography and horror" (p.7)
"the language which is frequently used to describe these genres is one of disease and contagion. They are referred to as as 'sick' and 'perverted', and their diffusion is described in terms of corruption and contamination" (p.7-8)
"the study of horror is important, if only because claims about it have had political effects - effects which extend far beyond the limits of the genre itself. However the social unacceptability as a genre has meant that there has been, as with the study of pornography, little real investigation of its forms and effects." (p.8)
Post-structural psychoanalytic criticism = shifts the focus of study from the individual artist or text to the system of signification itself. "they stress that all cultural activities have rules and codes, whether of language or visual imagery. Not the individual author who should be the source of meaning, but these rules and codes. They maintain that: our sense of ourselves as individuals (or our subjectivity) is not we who speak language but language which speaks us, the very way we think is determined by the structures of language" (p.9)
"In the case of horror it is claimed that the pleasure offered by the genre is based on the process of narrative closure, in which the horrifying or monstrous is destroyed or contained". Structure order- disorder- order re-established. The audience's pleasure is supposed to be based upon the expectation that the narrative will reach this particular type of conclusion, and the eventual fulfillment of this expectation."
This narrative structure is claimed to have specific ideological effects. Post-structuralism presents itself as a political project in offering an analysis of the se type of ideological effects.
Ideological effects: Post-structuralism presents itself as a political project in offering an analysis of these effects. "The narrative closure of horror texts is not only claimed to contain the elements which are disturbing dominant order, but to produce psychological effect in the audience" (p.9). It suppresses conflicts which might threaten their subjectivities (sense of self). This process is referred to as 'the positioning of the subject within ideology' and is considered undesirable regardless of the ideology within the subject is positioned" (p.10)
"the reasoning behind this argument is that while we appear to express our own thoughts through the use of language, the very way in which we think is determined by the structures of language. The subject, or the sense of identity is made to appear natural and inherent. It makes what is social, constructed and historical to be individual and natural" (p.10)
Therefore: the very way we think is determined by the structures of language. The subject is a product of ideology. In positioning the subject within ideology, this sense of identity is made to appear natural and inherent.
Introduction
On censorship:"they claimed that 'video nasties' were a new category of media products, and that they had dangerous effects on viewers, especially young viewers. No clear definition of the video nasty existed but it was generally accepted that they were examples of pornography and horror" (p.7)
"the language which is frequently used to describe these genres is one of disease and contagion. They are referred to as as 'sick' and 'perverted', and their diffusion is described in terms of corruption and contamination" (p.7-8)
"the study of horror is important, if only because claims about it have had political effects - effects which extend far beyond the limits of the genre itself. However the social unacceptability as a genre has meant that there has been, as with the study of pornography, little real investigation of its forms and effects." (p.8)
Post-structural psychoanalytic criticism = shifts the focus of study from the individual artist or text to the system of signification itself. "they stress that all cultural activities have rules and codes, whether of language or visual imagery. Not the individual author who should be the source of meaning, but these rules and codes. They maintain that: our sense of ourselves as individuals (or our subjectivity) is not we who speak language but language which speaks us, the very way we think is determined by the structures of language" (p.9)
"In the case of horror it is claimed that the pleasure offered by the genre is based on the process of narrative closure, in which the horrifying or monstrous is destroyed or contained". Structure order- disorder- order re-established. The audience's pleasure is supposed to be based upon the expectation that the narrative will reach this particular type of conclusion, and the eventual fulfillment of this expectation."
This narrative structure is claimed to have specific ideological effects. Post-structuralism presents itself as a political project in offering an analysis of the se type of ideological effects.
Ideological effects: Post-structuralism presents itself as a political project in offering an analysis of these effects. "The narrative closure of horror texts is not only claimed to contain the elements which are disturbing dominant order, but to produce psychological effect in the audience" (p.9). It suppresses conflicts which might threaten their subjectivities (sense of self). This process is referred to as 'the positioning of the subject within ideology' and is considered undesirable regardless of the ideology within the subject is positioned" (p.10)
"the reasoning behind this argument is that while we appear to express our own thoughts through the use of language, the very way in which we think is determined by the structures of language. The subject, or the sense of identity is made to appear natural and inherent. It makes what is social, constructed and historical to be individual and natural" (p.10)
Therefore: the very way we think is determined by the structures of language. The subject is a product of ideology. In positioning the subject within ideology, this sense of identity is made to appear natural and inherent.
