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At the Edge of Existence
Liminality in Horror Cinema Since the 1970s
by Brandon West
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Book Presentation:
Few scary stories begin with a disclaimer that they are fictional. Instead, they claim to be true even when they are not. Such stories blur the line between fiction and reality, pushing audiences to consider where fiction ends and reality begins. These kinds of horror stories comprise the understudied subgenre of liminal horror.
As the first book on this subject, this volume surveys a variety of liminal horror films. It discusses the different variations within liminal horror’s sub-genres and considers why horror films are obsessed with the natures of, and borders between, fiction and reality. After first laying out the basic traits of the horror genre in the context of liminality, this book then dives into film more specifically and how the medium is uniquely situated to explore the movement between the fictional and the real. Through lenses such as dreaming, memory, and perception, the following chapters explore the role liminal horror plays in the the human psyche’s subconscious/unconscious, and the various functions of the human mind in perceiving, or misperceiving, reality.
About the Author:
Brandon West is a PhD student at the University of Kentucky, where he studies horror in literature and film.
See the publisher website: McFarland & Co
> On a related topic:
The Screen Chills Companion, 1940–1946 (2025)
Films of the Golden Age of Hollywood Horror
The Politics of Monstrous Figures in Contemporary Cinema (2025)
Witches, Zombies, and Cyborgs Re-enchanting the Ends of the World
The Screen Chills Companion, 1931–1939 (2025)
Films of the Golden Age of Hollywood Horror
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