Marveling at the Macabre
Adjunct Professor Scott Essman learned something surprising about his students the first day of his new film class in January.
Hardly any of them had seen the classic 1979 Ridley Scott horror movie 鈥淎lien.鈥�
The horror aficionado and longtime cinema journalist knew he had to fix that, especially since his course focused on that very genre: Horror films.
鈥淲e鈥檙e treating it like a film appreciation class, just within this particular genre,鈥� Essman said.
The idea stemmed from another class Essman taught last January called 鈥淗ollywood in La Verne,鈥� which approached cinema from a broader perspective. Essman鈥檚 love for horror movies, and his connections with icons of the genre, led to Communications Department Chair Dr. George Keeler suggesting the new class to Essman.
鈥淪cott jumped at that and loved the idea,鈥� said Don Pollock, Communications Professor.
The class 鈥淢onsters, Magic, and the Macabre 鈥� A Century of Horror Cinema鈥� runs the gamut of silent films to modern movies. Students examine films in terms of cinematography, lighting and other elements. They鈥檝e viewed movies such as the original 鈥淧hantom of the Opera鈥� and 鈥淒r. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e actually going in depth on what makes a film excellent, regardless of what genre it may be in,鈥� Essman said.
Like his Hollywood in La Verne class, the horror cinema course includes a number of film industry guest speakers 鈥� some tied to Hollywood legends. They include Bela Lugosi Jr., son of the actor who played Dracula in the 1931 film of the same name. Sara Karloff, daughter of 鈥淔rankenstein鈥� actor Boris Karloff also attended. Dean Cundey, a longtime cinematographer, whose work includes 1978鈥檚 鈥淗alloween鈥� and 1982鈥檚 鈥淭he Thing,鈥� was another guest speaker. It was Cundey鈥檚 second trip to La Verne. He came to the institution several years ago to supervise a student film.
And Hollywood director Joe Dante, whose credits include 1981鈥檚 鈥淭he Howling,鈥� as well as 鈥淕remlins鈥� and 鈥淚nnerspace,鈥� stopped by Jan. 27 to share his perspectives on the genre.
Karloff and Lugosi Jr. visited the class Jan. 23 to answer questions about their fathers and their acting careers. They also displayed some movie memorabilia for students. They liked the concept of having a college film appreciation class focused on horror.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled because it introduces new generations to the legacy our fathers left,鈥� said Karloff, a Rancho Mirage resident.
Lugosi Jr., who lives in La Ca帽ada Flintridge, described his father鈥檚 rise to fame as 鈥渂oth a blessing and a curse鈥� because the classically-trained actor was immediately typecast following 鈥淒racula.鈥�
鈥淎fter that, he was always cast as the head boogeyman,鈥� Lugosi Jr. said. 鈥淭hat was something he regretted.鈥�
Melissa Enciso, a La Verne junior, was a horror fan prior to taking the class and a huge fan of 鈥淔rankenstein,鈥� so Karloff鈥檚 visit made the class even more exciting. But the class also appeals to her from a filmmaking perspective.
鈥淚n this class, we鈥檙e able to dissect horror films for all their aspects 鈥� the cinematography, editing and directing as well,鈥� she said.
Senior Serena Ghazzawi took the class because she had taken 鈥淗ollywood in La Verne鈥� and has an interest in filmmaking. She did not know much about the horror genre beforehand.
鈥淚 have more of an understanding and a passion for it now,鈥� she said.
Most students enrolled in the class are communications majors, but some are taking the course as an elective. They include students majoring in biology and kinesiology, among other disciplines.
鈥淚t鈥檚 never been tried before, and so far it鈥檚 been going well,鈥� Essman said.
