Laughing, screaming : modern Hollywood horror and comedy /

As a scholarly apologetic for comic and horrific vulgarity in the film products of the 1970s and 1980s, Paul's provocative book is oddly effective and persuasive. He showcases the Dionysian sexuality and violence of what he calls gross-out films and argues for a revaluation of these base, disreputable entertainment forms. He finds in these exploitative, subversive films (e.g., Animal House, Carrie, Porky's,) the legacy of Aristophanes, Rabelais, the Grand Guignol, and the exuberant carnival spirit articulated by Mikhail Bakhtin. A communal mood, festivity, and an aggressive celebration of the lower human body mark these genres with an aesthetic ignored by elitist critics. Paul's lucid and compelling study situates these phenomena of laughter and screams in the cultural and historical context of modern America, and does so in a remarkably readable and astute manner. With footnotes alone worth the price of the book, this substantial work is highly recommended for all intelligent audiences. T. Lindvall; Regent University

Paul (film, Univ. of Michigan) asserts that ``gross-out'' films (i.e., raunchy sex comedies, violent horror films) deserve serious critical attention, but he fails to make a case in this book. Not content to offer what could be an interesting look at such films and their audiences, the author instead goes overboard in a misguided attempt at profundity. His analysis of the nude scenes in Porky's (1982), complete with references to Shakespeare and Freud, will test the hardiest reader's patience for nonsense and is, unfortunately, typical of his overblown style. Paul's historical perspective isn't much more credible, dwelling on a handful of mainstream films (e.g., M*A*S*H, 1970; The Birds, 1963) while largely ignoring the underground exploitation films that more directly impacted this genre. Most libraries can skip this.-David C. Tucker, DeKalb County P.L., Decatur, Ga. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

YA-An in-depth examination of two of Hollywood's most successful and enduring film genres: the horror flick and the ``gross-out'' comedy. The book is divided into six sections, the first of which links these genres to an entertainment tradition stretching back to the ancient Greeks. ``Growing Pains'' includes a chapter on sex and power. In sexually frank terms, the content of movies such as Porky's and Animal House is explored at length. Jokes are analyzed, comic scenes are dissected, and thoughtful conclusions are reached. In ``Revolting Bodies,'' Paul explains interesting connections between upheavals prevalent in American families and other social institutions during the '70s and '80s and gross-out horror films such as Alien and Nightmare on Elm Street. Apparent throughout is the author's enjoyment of and respect for his subject. This mature and detailed analysis will serve more serious readers exploring recent film history and criticism rather than those looking for casual diversion. Two brief selections of black-and-white photographs are included. An extensive endnote section and index make the book useful as a reference tool.-Carolyn E. Gecan, Thomas Jefferson Sci-Tech, Fairfax County, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A serious, jargon-laden, and stubbornly appreciative examination of movies that, according to Paul (Film/Univ. of Michigan), ``embraced the lowest common denominator as an aesthetic principle.'' Citing everyone from Freud to Bill Murray, and with research ranging from Oedipus to Dada to fairy tales, Paul finds not only parallels but the very wellspring of the horror film genre in the Roman circus and Elizabethan drama. Comedies such as Animal House and Bachelor Party, he claims, have roots in the Greek theater and in the later Feast of Fools and Midsummer Eve festivals. They may have ``repulsed critics,'' but gross-out movies represent ``something other than proof of America's cultural decadence.'' Paul credits the makers of these films with being ``creative in the desire to break down inhibitions, to move away from the repression of our traditional society.'' Thus Porky's and Animal House, noted for raunchy, slobbering male sexuality, become ``explorations of the variety of penile expression.'' Slasher films such as the Friday the 13th and Halloween series comprise, in Paul's view, ``art that defines itself as oppositional to the dominant power structure,'' not as films that exploit violence and degradation. There is groundbreaking work here, particularly in tying together the historical, theoretical, and cultural perspectives underpinning the attraction of these genres. But he actually cites the women's movement (as well as other social movements) as a beneficiary of the dashing of sexual and other taboos by these films, overlooking their frequent portrayal of the victimization of women. Ultimately, this is a rationalization and justification--in dense, scholarly prose--of viciousness and sophomoric titillation in film.