Norwegian Nightmares

Offers the first book-length study of Norwegian horror cinema

Since the early 2000s, Norway has produced a regular stream of horror cinema including Cold Prey, Troll Hunter, Thelma and The Innocents. Norwegian Nightmares investigates the origins of this horror wave and charts its unique characteristics in relation to the chiefly American influences that inspired it. Norwegian nature and wilderness, in particular an obsession with dark and deadly water, give shape and national identity to Norway’s tradition of horror cinema. Andresen studies the cinematic journey to the dark side of a wealthy, ostensibly peaceful and harmonious social democracy on the fringes of the Arctic.

Case studies include:

• Dark Woods and Dark Woods 2 (Pål Øie, 2003 and 2015)
• Cold Prey trilogy (Roar Uthaug et al, 2006-2010)
• Next Door and The Monitor (Pål Sletaune, 2005 and 2011)
• Thelma (Joachim Trier, 2017)
• The Innocents (Eskil Vogt, 2021)
• Troll Hunter (André Øvredal, 2010)
• Ragnarok (Mikkel Sandemose, 2013)
• Lake of Death (Nini Bull Robsahm, 2019)