Department of Theatre and Film

The forum takes up points raised by Greg Taylor in his analysis of the influence of Manny Farber and Parker Tyler on film criticism in the U.S. It examines the effects of Farber’s cult criticism and Tyler’s camp criticism on contemporary practices of film analysis. The essays collected here also consider theoretical concerns raised by cult and camp reading practices, as well as examine the usefulness of those practices as critical tools. 

Forum Essays

Abigail Van Vlerah, “Critiquing the Critics”

Tiffany Knoell, “Reassessing Cult and Camp Criticism” 

Alexander Champlin, “Cult and Camp Criticism as a Dadaist Project”

Megan Thomassen, “Who’s the True Queen of Star Wars?:  Fan Hierarchies and the Objectives of Film Criticism”

Wonda Baugh, “Camp Criticism as Ideological Critique”

Stephen M. Boston, “From Cult and Camp Criticism to Acafandom”