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House of Psychotic Women: An Autobiographical Topography of Female Neurosis in Horror and Exploitation Films by Kier-La Janisse

4.38 AVERAGE

bookpunhere's review against another edition

My letterboxd watchlist will never recover
yontararak's profile picture

yontararak's review against another edition

4.0
dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced
doteot's profile picture

doteot's review against another edition

4.0
challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced
trashmermaid's profile picture

trashmermaid's review against another edition

4.5
dark emotional inspiring medium-paced
corrosioncreeps's profile picture

corrosioncreeps's review against another edition

5.0
challenging dark funny informative reflective
msnicolelee's profile picture

msnicolelee's review against another edition

2.0
An interesting though not particularly successful work which aims to survey depictions of female neurosis in horror and exploitation films, while also serving as a memoir in which Janisse digs deep into her own trauma. The two don't seem to work particularly well in conversation with each other, but I am sure this was quite the cathartic work. There are many films highlighted here I have not viewed but am familiar with, and I initially heard of this book in relation to the film Possession (which I rather enjoy).

I was expecting a more nuanced analysis of the misogyny associated with this particular topic in horror. Janisse is not interested in that, and House of Psychotic Women is very much a work of personal film writing rather than academic writing. It just wasn't for me and didn't align with my own horror genre interests, but many women have really connected to this, so I'm glad this exists.
alyssiacg's profile picture

alyssiacg's review against another edition

4.75
dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced
sarahsstacks's profile picture

sarahsstacks's review against another edition

4.0
dark informative reflective medium-paced

moni_nels's review against another edition

4.25
dark informative reflective sad slow-paced
dannyitisntreal's profile picture

dannyitisntreal's review against another edition

4.0
What happens when you feed crazy with crazy? Exploring the cathartic nature of horror and exploitation cinema, Janisse makes a home with her demons rather than exorcising them.