Film, Fear and the Female: An Empirical Study of the Female Horror Spectator

This thesis combines feminist theoretical frameworks of analysis with original, empirical research to examine the under-representation of the female horror spectator in critical discourse. The merging of theory and empirical data allows for an in-depth study of the psychological motivations of the female spectator's relative absence from theoretical study. Drawing heavily upon the work of Brigid Cherry, Justin Nolan and Gery Ryan, this project comparatively assesses fandom as exemplified by the female spectator. Utilizing a sample of twenty-two, self-identified female horror fans, thefindings of this project support the hypothesis that female horror fans prefer intellectually stimulating films and narratives, regardless of the inclusion of graphic violence. Challenging a variety of misconceptions about horror spectatorship, the present project opens a new line inquiry into a field of investigation previously considered unworthy of study.