Taught online via Zoom by Dr. Eleanor Reynolds and Dr. Marybec Griffin of the Bloody Women duo

Thursdays, April 4 - 25, 2024
7 – 9 pm ET
$125 Patreon Members / $145 General Admission

All classes will be recorded and archived for students who cannot attend live

Many dismiss the slasher film as meaningless trash, geared towards young men, with the intention of making as much money as possible. But would it surprise you to know that the first slasher films were written for a female audience?

What started out as a date night movie in the 1970s has evolved into a cultural hallmark that continues to captivate audiences with a potent blend of suspense, gore, iconic villains, and legendary protagonists. In today’s patriarchal world, where the white male gaze is catered to at the exclusion of most other viewers, it’s easy to dismiss this horror subgenre as lewd, violent, and mindless. In reality, slasher films might be seen as a celebration of  camp and the ludicrous, their formulaic stories providing the viewer with a safe place to experience and enjoy fear. In this class, we will trace the rise and fall of the slasher film and reclaim this form of entertainment for women.

Dr. Eleanor Reynolds and Dr. Marybec Griffin—the teachers of this class, who together comprise the Bloody Women duo—are long time fans of the genre. They believe slasher films can offer insights into how women experience and process fear, and provide social commentary on our day-to-day lives. 

This class will situate—via illustrated lectures and film clips—the slasher film historically, starting with its beginning in Black Christmas (1974) and track its development to the present day. We will look at these films through the lens of female enjoyment and consider how elements of plot and editing choices are selected by slasher filmmakers to appeal to the female viewer. Students will leave the class with a greater understanding of the slasher film, its historical context, and why we are drawn to the things that frighten us. 

Class 1 - Girls Watch Slasher Films Too
The instructors will introduce the slasher film as a subgenre of horror cinema, highlighting elements of plot such as the masked killer and the triumph of the (usually female) survivor, and track its development from the 1970s to present day. Through journalling exercises and discussion, students will be invited to consider their relationship to the subgenre and articulate what elements of slasher films appeal to them.

Class 2 -  Anatomy of a Kill Scene: First Girls, Other Girls and Male Victims
Kill scenes frequently employ the female gaze to tell a story, and the image of a scantily-clad female victim running around screaming has been rehashed so many times that its original ironic message has been lost. We’ll look at gender in slasher films—including masculinization of killers, and the feminization of their victims— and consider how pain is culturally associated with female bodies both on and off the screen. Students will analyze kill scenes to determine how changing societal norms dictate what is culturally appropriate.

Class 3 - Not Like Other Girls: Final Girls as Protagonists
“Final girls” represent a departure from traditional gender norms while also taking on the traditionally feminine role of forgiveness and rehabilitation of men. Students will write their own final girl, a slasher protagonist for modern times.

4 - A Place for Fear: Slasher Films and the Female Viewer
Slasher films offer escapism as a means of relieving anxiety. We’ll examine how these films employ concepts of the uncanny or the abject to allow the viewer to play out their fears of evil and mortality within the strict formula of murder scenes. Together, we will investigate how one can enjoy the frights while, at the same time, knowing what to expect and discover whether men and women experience and enjoy fear differently. 

Dr. Eleanor Reynolds recently completed her PhD, entitled Incorruptible: the Female Body and the Wax Anatomical Models at La Specola, with Cardiff Metropolitan University. She writes historical novels featuring female protagonists with a passion for science, and seeks to normalise the presence of women in scientific fields of study by celebrating their contributions to different branches of knowledge. Eleanor is also a part of the Bloody Women duo that examines femininity in slasher films. In her free time she enjoys knitting, sewing and hiking.

Dr. Marybec Griffin is an Assistant Professor at the Rutgers University School of Public Health. She received her PhD in Social and Behavioral Health Sciences from New York University. In addition, she is a trained doula and a certified sexologist. Her research focuses on sexual health, menstrual stigma, and the impact of media (music and film) on identity and behavior. She is the co-creator of Dr. Period Hackers, a menstrual health research and education collective. Dr. Griffin is also a part of the Bloody Women duo that examines femininity in slasher films. In her free time she enjoys baking, card making, and studying French.