Film Matters: Please tell us about your article that is being published in Film Matters.
Matthew Cohen: “Gorehounds: Reconsidering the Study of Splatter Narrativity” attempts to activate a field of splatter studies through the application of narratology to gore films. This is accomplished through an analysis of the “gorehound,” a specialized horror fan that privileges gory special effects over traditional narrative content in splatter cinema.
FM: What research and/or methodologies do you incorporate in your article?
MC: The article primarily uses existing theoretical texts on horror films to provide context and explanation for the neglect of the gorehound and splatter cinema in film studies. Additionally, “Gorehounds” also contains spectator-based research, primarily from fan magazines like Fangoria or social media sites like Letterboxd.com.
FM: Describe the original context for/when writing this article while an undergraduate student.
MC: Though it has changed drastically since its initial draft, “Gorehounds” began as a final paper for an undergraduate film theory course. Students were asked to write a substantial theoretical work based on the canonical theoretical texts studied in class, without a large amount of specific formal or narrative analysis.
FM: How has your department and/or institution supported your work in film and media?
MC: The faculty and administrative staff in the Department of Cinema Studies at NYU are all very encouraging, especially when it comes to pushing oneself academically. Additionally, the department works to reinforce passionate cinephilia, partially through student-run screening clubs, such as my own, “Witching Hour Video.” The graduate and PhD programs offered by the department also help one’s academic drive.
FM: How have your faculty mentors fostered your advancement as a film scholar?
MC: I would have never expected going into university how helpful my department’s faculty and advanced doctoral students could be outside of the classroom. Whether giving academic advice at departmental events or just setting good character examples for young scholars like myself, my academic mentors provide constant support on a daily basis. Additionally, specialized horror classes taught by some of our department’s doctoral students have helped me hone my own specific academic interests within horror studies. Professors Dr. Chris Straayer, Dr. Kartik Nair, Alexander Davis, Linnea Hussein, and Nathaniel Brennan all helped to make this “Gorehounds” project possible.
FM: How has the Film Matters editorial and publication process impacted the development/evolution of your article?
MC: Having never before written for an academic journal, the editorial process has made me think more critically of my own work than I ever had before. Most of my academic mentors know me and my horror fandom quite well, so having some distanced critique without the interference of my personal convictions was invaluable in developing this piece.
FM: What audience do you hope to reach with your Film Matters article and/or what impact do you hope it has on the field of film studies?
MC: Though I hope to reach the widest audience possible in order to bring splatter films and their spectators into the thoughts of academia as a whole, this article was always written with horror fans and scholars in mind. By breaking into the oft-neglected field of splatter studies, I hope to push or encourage other horror-minded folk to take up questions regarding the genre, such as authorship, industry practices, and alternative histories.
FM: What are your future plans?
MC: This fall [2018], I will enter NYU’s Department of Cinema Studies Master of Arts program, where I will continue to study horror as well as gain a more thorough, advanced cinema studies knowledge base. After graduate school, I plan to either continue forward through academia or transition into the horror-focused home video distribution industry.
Author Biography
Matthew Cohen dedicates his time watching and studying horror films, from the dreadfully atmospheric to the transgressive and extreme. He will enter the graduate program at NYU’s Department of Cinema Studies, in the fall of 2018, to pursue a future in horror-based academia or home video distribution.
