Scream With Me

Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism (1968-1980)

By: Eleanor Johnson

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Eleanor Johnson

NATIONAL BESTSELLER!

“Convincing and illuminating.” —The Atlantic

A compelling, intelligent, and timely exploration of the horror genre from one of Columbia University’s most popular professors, shedding light on how classic horror films demonstrate larger cultural attitudes about women’s rights, bodily autonomy, and more.

In May of 2022, Columbia University’s Dr. Eleanor Johnson watched along with her students as the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. At the same time, her class was studying the 1968 horror film Rosemary’s Baby and Johnson had a sudden epiphany: horror cinema engages directly with the combustive politics of women’s rights and offer a light through the darkness and an outlet to scream.

With a voice as persuasive as it is insightful, Johnson reveals how classics like Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, and The Shining expose and critique issues of reproductive control, domestic violence, and patriarchal oppression. Scream with Me weaves these iconic films into the fabric of American feminism, revealing that true horror often lies not in the supernatural, but in the familiar confines of the home, exposing the deep-seated fears and realities of women’s lives.

While on the one hand a joyful celebration of seminal and beloved horror films, Scream with Me is also an unflinching and timely recognition of the power of this genre to shape and reflect cultural dialogues about gender and power.

Illuminating, infuriating and heartbreaking

The author breaks down each film while laying out its historical, political and social context, then draws comparisons to current movements while peeling back layers of symbolism, tropes, and references to other films. Each chapter provides a clear view of the domestic horrors of our current sociopolitical environment.