Locating the Gothic South

Abstract

The notion of “southern” in the context of screen representation is one that does not easily conform to demands for geographical authenticity. In other words, actual filming locations have little bearing on the extent to which a film or television series can be understood as “southern.” This chapter clarifies what constitutes “southern” in the Southern Gothic to determine what makes a given film or television series southern, leading to the inevitable question, “what makes a film or television series Southern Gothic?” This is addressed by looking to the various ways in which the South reveals itself on screen as both an imaginary space that intersects with its real-world referent, and a visual legacy that constructs the South around specific Gothic themes and aesthetics.