Humans are the Real Monster: How the World Wars Shaped Horror and Monsters

Moraine Valley Community College Library Podcast

Monsters often are shaped by our collective fears – and Mary Shelley, Bela Lugosi, and James Whale, some of the greatest architects and faces of horror narratives, are clear demonstrations of this. In this lecture we will discuss how the experiences of war deeply shaped the unconscious creation of monsters. Explore how authors and filmmakers have harnessed the power of fear and the macabre to confront, process, and ultimately heal from the unspeakable traumas of armed conflict. This discussion will consider the relationship between art, psychology, and the collective reckoning with the horrors of war.