Whether in scenes of the slime oozing from the walls of the house in The Amityville Horror or the blood-filled hotel elevator in The Shining, horror movies and the books that inspire them often make full use of the story’s bricks-and-mortar location.
For her latest research project, Edward Little Professor of English and Cinema Studies Aviva Briefel is exploring the literary and cinematic trope of the haunted space and the importance these spaces—be they rooms, houses, or hotels—assume in the plotlines of horror stories.
“I'm really interested in the ways in which this focus on haunted spaces provokes a certain response," she explains, "both from the characters in the text and also from us, as the audience of those texts, whether we're watching a horror film or reading a scary novel.”
Watch a of Aviva Briefel discussing haunted spaces in horror movies and books.
Briefel’s latest book is (Cornell University Press, 2025).
Talking of Ghosts:
º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College, with its 231-year history, has experienced more than its fair share of ghost stories and alleged hauntings over the years.Among the reputed possible haunted spaces on campus is Massachusetts Hall, where Aviva Briefel’s office is located—but has she ever seen one?
"No, but many many years ago, when I started working here, there was a person on the maintenance staff who was convinced that when he cleaned at night he would see a ghost and communicate with it. But I myself ... have not seen anything.” Not yet, at least, she added.
If you want to find out more about the haunted history of º£½ÇÖ±²¥ College, check out by author David Francis. (David is also a º£½ÇÖ±²¥ employee who can sometimes be found conducting “” of campus.)
