University of Southampton Research Repository ePrints Soton Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF HUMANITIES School of Philosophy The Veneer of Fear: Understanding Movie Horror by Stuart John Hitchcock Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2016 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Doctor of Philosophy THE VENEER OF FEAR: UNDERSTANDING MOVIE HORROR By Stuart John Hitchcock Over the past half century, theorists have grappled with the issue that spectators engage with, and are emotionally affected by, fiction. In particular, film fiction has aroused interest because of the strength of emotional response. Traditional thinking about film accepted that illusion was a component of a spectator’s experience of film. However, contemporary theory has veered significantly from this and assumed that the spectator is always aware of the fictional nature of the content. In this thesis I argue that certain horror movies do, in fact, lead to an experience that is best characterized and understood in terms of illusion. Analysing key theories that attempt to explain an audience’s emotional responses to fiction, I aim to demonstrate that popular non-illusionistic theories fail to acknowledge both sides of the filmatic relationship (the spectator and the film) and have mistakenly attempted to provide an explanation for all emotional responses across media. A more refined approach is needed, both to emotion and the medium through which it is evoked. Thus, I incorporate an empirical analytical method in my philosophical project, analysing a number of paradigm horror movies and drivers of film spectatorship, to demonstrate how conditions for illusion are present. I also place emphasis on the phenomenological account of the spectator. My thesis offers an account of a type of horror movie experience that considers both the causal and conceptual issues of emotionally responding to film fiction. This explanation also offers a solution to the paradox of fiction but one that is not required to accord with those that attempt to explain other emotions evoked by works of art. Contents List of Tables Declaration of Authorship Acknowledgements Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1 The Territory of Horror ........................................................................................................................ 5 Introduction................................................................................................................................................ 5 Art-Horror .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Definition ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Audience Mirroring-Effect............................................................................................................. 8 Framework of Emotion .............................................................................................................................. 8 The Monster ............................................................................................................................... 10 A Reason to Question Carroll’s Definition.................................................................................. 10 Frame of Reference ................................................................................................................................ 12 Art-Horror Cinematic Experience ............................................................................................................ 13 Paradigm Horror ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Paradigm Horror Film List .......................................................................................................... 17 Redefining Art-Horror .............................................................................................................................. 18 A) The Feeling ......................................................................................................................................... 18 i) Fear ............................................................................................................................................... 18 Child-Like Fear ........................................................................................................................... 21 Comprehension ............................................................................................................. 21 Control ........................................................................................................................... 24 ii) The Threat to Me .......................................................................................................................... 29 B) The Object of Art-Horror ..................................................................................................................... 31 i) Monster Type ................................................................................................................................. 32 Paradigm Horror Film – Monsters .............................................................................................. 33 Paradigm Horror Film – Character Emotional Response .......................................................... 34 Paradigm Horror Film – Spectator Analysis ............................................................................... 35 Adjustments Required ................................................................................................................ 35 ii) Evil ................................................................................................................................................ 37 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 40 2 Fearing Fiction ................................................................................................................................... 43 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 43 Nature of Emotion ................................................................................................................................... 45 The Paradox of Fiction ........................................................................................................................... 46 A) Simulation Theory .............................................................................................................................. 50 i) Quasi-Fear Theory ........................................................................................................................ 51 The Theory ................................................................................................................................ 51 Objections .................................................................................................................................. 53 ii) Pretend Theory ............................................................................................................................. 56 The Theory ................................................................................................................................ 56 Objections .................................................................................................................................. 57 B) Thought Theory .................................................................................................................................. 59 The Theory ................................................................................................................................ 59 Objections .................................................................................................................................. 62 Simulation Hypothesis ............................................................................................................................ 65 The Theory ................................................................................................................................ 65 Objections .................................................................................................................................. 67 Thoughts, Imaginings and Beliefs .........................................................................................................