Dreadful Pleasures

In this engaging study, James Twitchell examines the persistence and appeal of the horror genre in popular culture. Using a psychoanalytic approach to focus on three recurring stories--the tales of the vampire (Dracula), the hulk-with-no-name (Frankenstein), and the transformation monster (The Wolfman, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde)--Twitchell traces the development of horror from its origins in folklore to the modern "slasher" film.