Monsters Demons And Psychopaths

Descriptions of monsters, vampires, demonic possessions, and psychopaths in horror films have been inspired by psychiatric knowledge about mental illness, leading to several stereotyped models of horror that have prevailed through decades. Some scholars have proposed that horror films can be a teaching tool for psychopathology, but for the most part the genre has been underutilized as a learning tool. This book explores the idea of relating horror films to psychiatric ideas as a way of engaging people in learning.

"Even a blind man can see in the dark"Deep within the darkest corners of our closets, lay hidden our truth. Sins that should remain silent! Monsters that come out at night and plague our souls. You can wrestle with flesh, but can you wrestle with the demons in your soul? Will you be brave enough to stand in front of the mirror and view your shattered reality? Or cower and fear while the Boogieman creeps ever so close into the lives of your friends, family and the entire human race as you watch helplessly from the shackles of your mind. Demons of the Psyche is a collection of Flash Fiction that explores the dark and shattered minds of humanity. Are you scared yet? You should be! Take a read if you dare! Be prepared to be swallowed by monsters, killers and psychopaths they all might be lurking around the corner and you just might get caught in their demonic warfare.

Taking Mary Shelley's novel as its point of departure, this collection of essays considers how her creation has not only survived but thrived over 200 years of media history, in music, film, literature, visual art and other cultural forms. In studying monstrous figures torn from the deepest and darkest imaginings of the human psyche, the essays in this book deploy the latest analytical approaches, drawn from such fields as musicology, critical race studies, feminist studies, queer theory and psychoanalysis. The book interweaves the manifold sounds, sights and stories of monstrosity into a conversation that sheds light on important social issues, aesthetic trends and cultural concerns that are as alive today as they were when Shelley's landmark novel was published 200 years ago.

The Exorcist Effect examines the relationship between horror films and religious culture, focusing on the period from 1968 to the present. Films like Rosemary's Baby (1968), The Exorcist (1973), and The Omen (1976) claimed to be based on actual events, religious traditions, and Biblical texts. These films inspired subsequent beliefs and experiences, which became the basis for yet more horror films. This book draws on archival research to shed new light on such figures as Ed and Lorraine Warren and Malachi Martin, who inserted themselves into this cycle. It also incorporates interviews with horror authors, film writers, and paranormal investigators.

Blindness, or vision loss, is a major medical concern that has also drawn the attention of artists, writers, musicians, mythologists, filmmakers, religions, philosophers and others. Covering everything from pop culture to high culture, this text is an illuminating anthology of essays examining various representations of blindness. Comprehensive in scope, this collection of essays analyzes depictions and explorations of blindness in many pieces of media. Essays explore blindness in horror films, science fiction literature, high art, superhero fiction, Jewish and indigenous traditions, music and more. This book aims to show how a world of darkness can hold so much light.

Undoubtedly the most notorious title in director Ken Russell’s controversial filmography, The Devils (1973) caused a real furor on its initial theatrical release, only to largely disappear for many years. This Devil’s Advocate considers the film’s historical context, as the timing of the first appearance of The Devils is of particular importance, its authorship and adaptation (Russell’s auteur reputation aside, the screenplay is based on John Whiting’s 1961 play of the same name, which was in turn based on Aldous Huxley’s 1952 book The Devils of Loudun), and its generic hybridity. Darren Arnold goes on to examine the themes prevalent in the film—this is the only film of Russell’s which the director considered to be political—and considers the representation of gender and sexuality, gender fluidity, and how sex and religion clash to interesting and controversial effect. He concludes by revisiting the film’s censorship travails and the various versions of The Devils that have appeared on both big and small screens, and the film’s legacy and influence.

The popular, critically acclaimed text on psychopathology in movies – now including the latest movies and more Explores films according to the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 and ICD-11 Provides psychological ratings of nearly 1,500 films Includes downloadable teaching materials Films can be a powerful aid to learning about mental illness and psychopathology – for practitioners and students in fields as diverse as psychology, psychiatry, social work, medicine, nursing, counseling, literature, or media studies, and for anyone interested in mental health. Watching films relevant to mental health can actually help you become a more productive therapist and a more astute diagnostician. Movies and Mental Illness, written by an eminent clinical psychologist (who is also a movie aficionado), has established a reputation as a uniquely enjoyable and highly memorable text for learning about psychopathology. This new edition has been completely revised to explore current issues, such as children's screentime and celebrities with mental illness, and to include the numerous films that have been released since the last edition. The core clinical chapters raise provocative questions about differential diagnosis (according to the DSM-5 and ICD-11) for the primary characters portrayed in the films. Included are also a full index of films; sample course syllabus; ratings of close to 1,500 films; fascinating appendices, such as "Top 50 Heroes and Villains," psychotherapists in movies, and misconceptions about mental illness in movies. Accompanying the new edition are downloadable resources for teachers that include critical questions and topics for discussion, as well as fabricated case histories based on movie characters with Mini-Mental State Examinations that help explain, teach, and encourage discussion about important mental health disorders. In addition, the author plans a regular series of online "Spotlights" articles that will critically examine the psychological content of new movies as they are released.

Amid a recent resurgence in horror films, It Follows stands out. David Robert Mitchell reinvents genre bromides while simultaneously embracing and challenging tropes that audiences and filmmakers rely on too heavily. Joshua Grimm shows how this film helped reinvent the rules of horror, particularly along the lines of genre, style, sex, and gender.