From
Rosemary's Baby
(1968) to
The Witch
(2015), horror films use religious entities to both inspire and combat fear and to call into question or affirm the moral order. Churches provide sanctuary, clergy cast out evil, religious icons become weapons, holy ground becomes battleground—but all of these may be turned from their original purpose.
This collection of new essays explores fifty years of genre horror in which manifestations of the sacred or profane play a material role. The contributors explore portrayals of the war between good and evil and their archetypes in such classics as
The Omen
(1976),
The Exorcist
(1973) and
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
(1968), as well as in popular franchises like
Hellraiser
and
Hellboy
and cult films such as
God Told Me To
Thirst
(2009) and
Frailty
(2001).