Suburban Gothic
 |
Suburban Gothic is a sub-genre of Gothic Literature, visual art, and cinema.
Like its predecessor, the Suburban Gothic is dark and disturbing, often employing psychological and supernatural devices to drive the plot along. It uses these devices not so much to entertain, but to explore social issues and to challenge the suburban dream.
Suburban Gothic strives to break down the facade of normality that pervades suburbia. The knights and heroes of traditional Gothic literature have been replaced in most cases by a heroic underdog figure. The grotesqueness of its characters lay not in the dis-figuration of the body but of the mind, delving into the dark and twisted psyche of its characters.
In most cases in Suburban Gothic literature, good does not prevail. Wrongs are often left unrighted and often can not be righted. They are, in fact, often compounded when confronted.
The Suburban Gothic genre of writing is exemplified in the works of Shirley Jackson, Tom Perotta, Edward Bloor and Robert Cormier, and on occasion, Stephen King.
Visual artists who explore suburban gothic themes include Gregory Crewdson, Joel Sternfeld, and Thomas Cummins.
Suburban Gothic has emerged as a subtle yet prolific genre of contemporary film. The genre mixes elements of drama, thriller, horror, dark comedy, and even the fantastic or surreal, all set to the idyllic landscape of fences, lawns, and boxes. The modern American Suburban Gothic has seen an impressive catalgohue of artistic expression under the helm of such auteurs as David Lynch, Larry Clark, Harmony Korine, Todd Solondz, and Todd Field. A flourish in these dark suburban films has grown over the last several decades, filling the void, along with modern Southern Gothic & Urban Gothic, for true American grotesquery. Archetypal portraits of this style and its complexities can be seen in such films as: Blue Velvet, Edward Scissorhands, Happiness, American Beauty, and Donnie Darko.
Literature
- The Lottery (short story) by Shirley Jackson (1948)
- The Road Through the Wall by Shirley Jackson (1948)
- The Lonesome Place (short story) by August Derleth (1962)
- The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin (1972)
- Carrie by Stephen King (1974)
- Salem's Lot by Stephen King (1975)
- Killings (short story) by Andre Dubus (1979)
- Christine by Stephen King (1983)
- It by Stephen King (1986)
- The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum (1989)
- Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim (1996)
- Tangerine by Edward Bloor (1997)
- Election by Tom Perotta (1998)
- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (1999-2006)
- Little Children by Tom Perotta (2004)
- The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perotta (2007)
Films
- Entertaining Mr Sloane (1970)
- Bad Ronald (1974)
- The Stepford Wives (1975)
- The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
- Carrie (1976)
- Halloween (1978)
- The Night the Prowler (1978)
- Salem's Lot (1979)
- Poltergeist (1982)
- Christine (1983)
- Maximum Overdrive (1985)
- Fright Night (1985)
- Invaders from Mars (1986)
- Blue Velvet (1986)
- Heathers (1988)
- The 'Burbs (1989)
- Parents (1989)
- It (1990)
- Edward Scissorhands (1990)
- The People Under the Stairs (1991)
- Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
- Short Cuts (1993)
- Heavenly Creatures (1994)
- Spanking the Monkey (1994)
- Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
- Scream (1996)
- Lawn Dogs (1997)
- Gummo (1997)
- Happiness (1998)
- Apt Pupil (1998)
- Idle Hands (1999)
- Election (1999)
- American Beauty (1999) (Best Picture win)
- Julien Donkey-Boy (1999)
- The Virgin Suicides (2000)
- Storytelling (2001)
- Donnie Darko (2001)
- In the Bedroom (2001) (Best Picture nod)
- Bully (2001)
- Ken Park (2002)
- One Hour Photo (2002)
- The Stepford Wives (2004, remake)
- The Butterfly Effect (2004)
- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
- Mean Creek (2004)
- Palindromes (2004)
- Mysterious Skin (2004)
- Crutch (2004)
- Bubble (2005)
- The Quiet (2006)
- Little Children (2006)
- The House is Burning (2006)
- Snow Angels (2007)
- Disturbia (2007)
- Teeth (2007)
- An American Crime (2007)
- The Girl Next Door (2007)
- Trick 'r Treat (2008)
- Beautiful (2008)
- Lake Mungo (2008)
- Let the Right One In (2008)
- Life During Wartime (2009)
- Trash Humpers (2009)
- The Stepfather (2009, remake)
- The Crazies (2010, remake)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010, remake)
Television
- The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
- Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990-2000)
- Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
- Eerie, Indiana (1991-1992)
- The X-Files (1993-2002)
- Goosebumps (1995-1998)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
- The Oblongs (2001-2002) (animated)
- Glory Days (2002)
- Desperate Housewives (2004-)
- Happy Town (2010-)