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David J. Skal

デイヴィッド・ジェイ・スカル

Deividdo J. Skaru

Aliases: David John Skal

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1952-06-21 （Garfield Heights, Ohio）
Died
2024-01-01 （Glendale, California） age 71
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Los Angeles

Career

Occupations
Film critic, Writer, Cultural historian, On-camera commentator
Active Years
1974-2024
Affiliations
National Endowment for the Arts, Hartford Stage Company, American Conservatory Theater, Theatre Communications Group

Education

Ohio University
Journalism
Degree: Bachelor's degree
Year of Graduation: 1974
Country: United States

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen

1990 Horror Cultural History

Discusses various adaptations of Bram Stoker's Dracula and the role of the vampire archetype.

DraculaVampireFilm History

The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror

1993 Horror Cultural History

Analyzes the history of horror films in relation to cultural crises.

Horror FilmsCultural Crises

Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning

1995 Biography

First book-length biography of Tod Browning.

Tod BrowningHorror Director

Bibliography

  • Scavengers
  • When We Were Good
  • Graphic Communications for the Performing Arts
  • Theatre Profiles 4 (editor)
  • Antibodies
  • Hollywood Gothic: The Tangled Web of Dracula from Novel to Stage to Screen
  • Dracula: The Ultimate, Illustrated Edition of the World-Famous Vampire Play (editor)
  • The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror
  • Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning
  • V Is for Vampire: The A to Z Guide to Everything Undead
  • Screams of Reason: Mad Science and Modern Culture
  • Vampires: Encounters with the Undead
  • Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween
  • Romancing the Vampire: Collectors Vault
  • Something in the Blood: The Untold Story of Bram Stoker, the Man Who Wrote Dracula
  • Halloween: The History of America’s Darkest Holiday
  • Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice
  • Fright Favorites: 31 Movies to Haunt Your Halloween and Beyond

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Detailed Historical AnalysisWitty Narrative
Recurring Motifs
Horror FilmsVampiresHalloween

Legacy

American cultural historian known for his research on horror films and culture.

In Popular Culture

  • Appeared in numerous horror film documentaries.

Trivia

  • Died in a traffic collision with partner Robert Postawko.
  • Occurred in Glendale, California.