Class Description
Are you brave enough on an October evening to meet the classic movie monsters of Universal Studios? Can you look into the eyes of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein monster, and Lon Chaney Jr.’s the Wolfman?
Explore the Universal monster films (eight in total) released from the 1930s to 1950s, and discuss their production, popularity, and cultural impact. Film historians argue the movie monster genre itself did not begin until Universal invented it with The Phantom of the Opera in 1925. With designated readings and a film to screen prior to each meeting, participants will reflect upon a century of cultural presence. In the words of the Count, “I bid you welcome!”
Chad Beharriell has a graduate degree in Interdisciplinary Humanities and has taught history and film studies at the university and community college level for almost two decades. In addition to teaching, he contributes as a reviewer for the Western Literature Association, discussing such media as film and video games.
All virtual classes are recorded and made available on a password-protected basis to participants registered in the class. These recordings are available for up to two weeks after the class ends.
Materials List
Required
- Instructor-Distributed Materials
First Assignment
- Read the article, “History of Horror: How Universal Studios Created Movie Monsters” at this link: https://oneroomwithaview.com/2020/12/26/history-of-horror-how-universal-studios-created-movie-monsters/
- Watch The Phantom of the Opera (1925) at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA2pvD-hx9Y
Cost and Registration
3 Sessions, $150 ($135 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We now offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($150), Community Supported ($140), and Sponsor ($160). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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