Mum and Son’s Review
Rebecca McCallum has managed to pack a lot of theory into a small package with her release of Mum and Sons. This in depth look at mothers and the relationships with their male children, gives you a glimpse at some of horror’s most famous duo. The essays focus on three films that have shaped horror history and have taught us how to look at the genre differently. The Babadook, Hereditary, and Psycho, all consist of mothers (both alive and dead) who have some level of fraught relationship with their sons. By examining through each stage of life, Rebbeca has brought to the forefront a wholly different lens with which to view these films. It is not new that we are reading into the depths of these films, they have been studied since their releases. But by shifting the gaze from the internals of the main characters and focusing on their relationships with their off-springs, we are gifted a new angle.
In childhood most perspectives fall on the child, putting the parent at fault. But 2014’s The Babadook, takes control of that narrative and highlights the feelings that women can go through after experiencing not only complete loss of a spouse but the birth of a child. Conflicted feelings of guilt and anger that she now has a child but at the loss of the love of her life. Rebecca highlights the relationship model that has been used and flipped to reacclimate us into this world of loss that Amelia is experiencing. What should be a nurturing time in Amelia’s life, Rebecca points out how she keeps her son Samuel at a distance, treading on caution. She speaks on the tension and uncomfortability this causes, and ultimately leaves her vulnerable for a creature like the Babadook to take hold of. While this movie is studied in mass through the mother son relationship, Rebecca has given us a deeper lens into the psychosis of motherhood.
When continuing the journey into adolescence, we are given a critical look at the dynamics in Ari Aster’s Hereditary. She compares the link of death in this film, that looms over the plot, with that of Psycho. Although used in different ways, the plot of death controls how Annie operates in space with her children and husband. Keeping secrets and trying to heal, she later falls down deeper into secrets that were not told to her. Norman too operates within the realm of secrets that stem from death. Rebecca brings to light the connection in key ways that it forces the lightbulbs to illuminate in your mind.
Instead of speaking on these films in isolation with one another, Rebecca constructs her essays in small chapters each dealing with the topics that bridge all three of these films together, despite their countries of origins and years made. We are shown the universality of feelings that surround raising life and being a mother. Bringing forth topics that we are just now beginning to understand. By presenting them in this way, Rebecca has enabled us to fully understand the complexities within the stories and larger topics that umbrella the themes. Her essay’s would not be complete without an in depth link to a Hitchcock classic, almost a signature of Rebecca’s research work, rounding out the essays with notes on the classic Psycho. This piece shaped the way we as modern horror fans view the genre. There is before Psycho and after.
I recommend Mum and Son’s to anyone who holds these films close or those that know just the basics. As it lends itself to both a new angle on old classics and peer behind the curtain to understand these films more. I look forward to what comes next for Rebbeca and her writings in this manner and I eagerly await an extended version of this book, (because I just want to hear more of her perspective on this topic!).
These Ladies are Killer
The Science of Serial Killers, what a juicy name right? When I first saw the title release, I knew that I couldn’t wait to dive into the pages of another instalment by authors Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence. Now while I don’t typically do book reviews, as I am a costuming blog, I knew when these ladies put out the bat signal, I had to answer their call.
This is the fourth installment in their “Science of…” series, where based on the topic they are breaking down horror movies and literature alike. What makes their work completely unique from the plethora of other horror scholars out there is how they seamlessly bring in scientific facts and figures to explain the physical or the psychology of the given topic. I have still to dive into their …Monsters and …Stephen King books but I have read The Science of Women just over the pandemic and fell in love with their creativity on a topic so near to my heart. So, my obvious excitement when they announced they were now tackling real life killers was something I could not miss.
I have never really been a true crime person. I know some of the more famous stories, but despite my interest in horror and the macabre, I never was one to listen for hours to podcasts about real life boogeyman(woman) who preyed on people. Knowing that these people lived or are still alive creep me out deeper than Freddy Kruger. Horror is my escape and a cathartic experience, and I am going in fully aware that I am in a safe space to feel scared. But when all barriers of reality and fiction are broken, I am truly shaken to my core. However, when I see my girl Lizzie Borden’s name on the cover, and their incredibly captivating track record, I knew it was going beyond your run of the mill true crime story.
What these women do so well is using the science as a catalyst to highlight the story behind the tragedy. Because unfortunately all to often in true crime these monsters will become romanticized, and the victims and their families are left to deal with the fall out or fame. Kelly and Meg from the outset state that in these stories they want the “brave ones and the heroes” to outlive these beasts. Let the monsters be forgotten as we rise, was a beautiful way to end their introduction. You can feel the respect and compassion they have for the victims and their families within each story that is being told.
The serial killer stories span the gambit of killers from history who have become mythos (i.e. Lizzie), women, foreign tragedies, those who have never been caught, and those who are right in our backyards. They were able to speak to FBI agents, story tellers, and historians to offer a unique perspective into these cases and how they are carried forth into the popular culture. What I enjoyed the most were those bit sized dives into the scientific that was tailored for each case. I learned a lot on the bases of DNA technology and compiling evidence. The passion is there for these women, and it comes through in the thoroughness of each story. Even though each killer is only receiving a ten-page chapter they allow you to digest the information and walk away completely informed, but still allow you to ask your own questions into further research if you’re curious enough.
If you’re fascinated by human behavior, like myself, and you’re not necessarily into true crime I highly recommend this book. I don’t know if this will be my gateway into True Crime, but it has left me with questions I do want to explore (about killers who are very well dead and cannot hurt me now.) I invite you to explore the killers who inspired your favorite films, and the science behind the world of investigation. Meg and Kelly have done it again and continue to live up to their namesake as “Goth Media Moguls!”. Blending STEM and arts together this book is perfect for anyone, and with the holiday’s coming up this book makes a unique gift!