Abstract
ABSTRACT In critical evaluations of what is commonly termed ‘Scandinavian Gothic‘, the geographic landscape figures prominently, and it is often claimed to almost act as a living presence. Taking this notion as a point of departure, this paper analyses the portrayal of the Arctic wilderness – with its vast and icy sceneries – in Tommy Wirkola's Dead Snow (2009). In a regionalised twist on a now common Gothic horror narrative, the film focuses on a group of friends who decide to take a skiing holiday in a snow cabin in Norway, only to be attacked by a group of zombie Nazi soldiers, who lurk in the icy corners of the landscape. My analysis centres on the evaluation of Arctic wilderness as a point of focalisation, where notions of space, haunting, and characterisation mix with Gothicised interpretations of collective memory, Norwegian folklore, and the cultural hauntings of history. As snow mixes with blood – at times, quite literally – intermediated understandings of past and present blend, as do representations of uncanny experiences of deconstructed identities through time. Ultimately, I aim to provide a critical evaluation of ‘Arctic Gothic’, a cinematic and critical space where cultural practices, bodily horror, spectral memories, and the vastness of the Arctic landscape collide, blend, and merge.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call