Body and Blood: Catholic Horror in America by Matthew J. Cressler, Jack Lee Downey, Kathleen Holscher, and Michael Paquier
Is there any other kind of horror more terrifying than
Catholic horror? Maybe not for those who were raised in other Christian
denominations or other faiths, but as someone who attended Catholic school
throughout elementary and high school and who served as an altar boy, I find
Catholic horror, especially supernatural Catholic horror to be some of the most
frightening and soul-searching kinds of horror around. I’ve always loved The
Exorcist, and Body and Blood: Catholic Horror in America provides me
with more reasons and ideas as to why this powerful film (and novel), which is
allegedly based on a true story, remains one of the most frightening films of
all time. Yet, the authors of this book, all academics, also explore how the
film remains ultimately a Catholic recruiting tool, as it presents a message
about good triumphing over evil and how good Catholics, even those who remain
skeptical in an increasingly secular world, can return to the faith and
possibly even make the ultimate sacrifice to help out someone else in need.
Like Eleanor Johnson’s Scream With Me, a reevaluation of classic
American horror films through a post-Dobbs feminist lens, Body and Blood
invites readers and horror aficionados to reexamine some of these classic films
and consider the implications of the events in our current times.
I really enjoyed Body and Blood especially since it
allowed me to reconsider and reevaluate the meaning, symbolism, and themes in
some of my all-time favorite horror movies. Furthermore, the authors also
highlighted some other movies (and books) that I’ve been able to include on my
to watch (and to read) list. However, what I enjoyed most about this book was
their approach to contextualizing the horrors from these films socially,
historically, and stylistically. Each chapter focuses on different elements of
Catholic horror which include themes like demons and possession, haunted
spaces, death, bodies, tradition, rites, and burial, and pain, martyrdom, and
suffering. Each chapter also includes an interlude that focuses on the history,
events, and figures who all have influenced these themes, symbols, and
approaches to portraying Catholicism in films and novels. One of the elements I
found most interesting about each chapter was the reminders about how Catholics
were frequently suspected of evil or backwards, traditional practices, sometimes
facing severe social ostracism, violence, and even death for their practices.
While Catholics notably also participated in later persecutions during the European
witch hunts of later medieval times, the book serves as a reminder of how
frequently these elements of Catholicism were often portrayed as the other, a
complex and arcane religion that bordered on superstitious and was often the
subject of derision and fear mongering. Nevertheless, the authors remind
readers how Catholic horror aligns well with many gothic elements to create
some of the most well-regarded horror in literature and film, whether it’s the
Monk, Dracula, or more recent entries like The Exorcist, The Nun,
or The Conjuring films that feature demonologists Ed and Lorraine
Warren. The authors explore the varieties of these stories, and how their
settings, characters, and events all incorporate elements of Catholic horror,
and how these themes have evolved from one of critiquing a religious group to
one that seeks to potentially represent social and cultural fears and anxieties
playing out in current society. In the early chapter that focuses on how the
Catholic practice and interest in corpses and dead bodies are often displayed
after death, the authors examine how this is often portrayed in films, where
they spend some time examining Psycho, with Norman’s interest in taxidermy
and how his mother’s corpse might reflect a Catholic belief. It was an interesting
chapter to read about the practices in Catholicism that I grew up with without questioning
too much, especially with practices like veneration of the body parts of saints
or seeing the preserved bodies of other religious figures. The authors also
discuss how zombie films that show the living dead walking among us might also represent
some of the Catholic fears and anxieties, especially around the apocalypse and
the end of the world. It was also fascinating to read the last chapter which
details the Catholic idea of physical suffering, punishment, and pain, and how The
Passion of the Christ is actually more of a horror film than anything else.
Again, having grown up with the image of suffering and gruesome deaths of
martyrs, it’s not something I really questioned until I began to meet others
who were not raised Catholic. On a recent trip to Europe, I had to explain to
my family about some of the more gruesome artwork representing the lives of
saints in museums and cathedrals. I also recently rewatched Ken Russell’s The
Devils, which is also featured throughout the book, and seeing some of the
body horror and torture that is apparent in this film made me rethink the ideas
of suffering and brutality that appear to be so much of certain brands of Catholicism.
Body and Blood is a fascinating book, especially for
fans of horror who may have attended Catholic school. The authors, all scholars
of literature or religion, present novel interpretations of horror, both older
and modern, to allow readers and viewers to reconsider the influence of
religion, especially Catholic religion, on horror. I found their
interpretations and ideas fascinating and intriguing, allowing me to consider
some of my favorite films and stories in a new light. Many thanks to NYU Press
and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy. Highly recommended!
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