The Christian faith has had a powerful impact on every sphere of art in the West, even art which can on the surface seem antithetical to the faith. Fraser argues this point through a dazzlingly lucid analysis of the genre of horror film that does not play along the edges or merely make observations about the inherent religiosity of certain works. Rather he examines nine classics which illustrate the deep workings of horror as it has evolved through its various stages, and in doing so tells a dark tale about a culture haunted through fear of its own complicity with things unspoken.

Here is a ground breaking, provocative book that defines the mechanics of the horror genre precisely, including its larger historic and literary roots, while connecting this dark current to the major transformations of the twentieth century. A work not only important for its fresh approach and craft, here is one that leads the reader through an engaging and sometimes frightening journey of self-discovery, for it is fear of demonic presence that drives the horror genre, along with our related desire to ward it off.