New Horror Cinema Accredited University Class Debuts in January

Los Angeles, CA, December 24, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Taught by journalist, filmmaker, and media instructor Scott Essman of Visionary Cinema, a multimedia company, the new class, entitled "Monsters, Magic, and the Macabre - A Century of Horror Cinema," will cover the earliest silents through the newest releases.

Focusing on not only the films themselves, and above all, their iconic characters, the course will also delve into the filmmakers behind the works, including directors, writers, performers, makeup artists, and visual effects technicians.

Beginning with the earliest horror movies, including Charles Ogle's Frankenstein (1910), continuing with the 1920s triumphs of films such as Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Opera, focusing on the 1930s heyday of black-and-white sound horror films, such as Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932), and progressing to the decades onward with many other classics, the three-hour class sessions commence on January 5 and run every weekday at noon in January except Wednesdays and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. At the University of La Verne, a state-of-the-art multimedia auditorium suited for 100 viewers will be utilized. Clips will be screened, photos will be displayed, and behind-the-scenes images will be discussed, all to optimally enhance class explorations.

Notable guests from the film industry will partake in select class meetings, at present including Dean Cundey (cinematographer of the original 1978 Halloween and 1982's The Thing), writer-director Tom Holland (1985's original Fright Night), director Joe Dante (the original 1980 version of The Howling), Béla Lugosi's son, Bela, Jr., and Boris Karloff's daughter, Sara. Additional guests will be confirmed, schedules pending.

Though the course is an accredited student-based class, media and industry invitees can and will be admitted to observe class sessions on a case-by-case basis.