The Sinful Maternal: Motherhood in Possession Films

Possession movies are closely tied to the female form, with most narratives focusing on women being overtaken by demonic entities. This trend reflects cultural anxieties about female autonomy and reinforces gender stereotypes by rarely depicting men as the targets of possession. Possession narratives and motherhood are deeply intertwined in horror cinema and television, with films such as Rosemary's Baby (Roman Polanski, 1968) and The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973) using maternal figures to explore themes of fear and control. TV shows such as American Horror Story (FX, 2011–present) and The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix, 2018) also delve into the horrors of motherhood, portraying the maternal body as both a site of vulnerability and a vessel for evil. In The Sinful Maternal: Motherhood in Possession Films, Lauren Rocha argues that possession films exploit and dramatize the fears surrounding motherhood, female bodies, and familial roles. The ten films she highlights in her text often portray possession as a threat that destabilizes traditional gender roles and maternal identities. In the book's introduction, Rocha outlines theories that the horror of possession in these narratives is deeply tied to patriarchal anxieties about female autonomy, the nature of motherhood, and the instability of domestic spaces. By focusing on the intersections of possession, gender, and motherhood in horror films, The Sinful Maternal critiques how these films reflect and reinforce societal fears and control surrounding women's bodies and roles.Rocha situates her research in The Sinful Maternal within broader discourse on maternal horror and feminist film analysis, building on the work of scholars such as Carol Clover and Barbara Creed to examine how horror films use maternal figures to address societal anxieties about gender roles and identities. By focusing on possession films such as Rosemary's Baby, the book connects with feminist and psychoanalytic theories, including those of Sigmund Freud and Julia Kristeva, to explore how these narratives critique patriarchal structures and societal norms. Using textual analysis, Rocha scrutinizes the portrayal of women's bodies and roles within the family, which reveals how these films reflect and challenge cultural fears about female autonomy, maternal responsibilities, and gender identities, all of which offers a critical perspective on the intersection of horror and societal expectations.The book is broken down into an introduction, eight chapters, and a conclusion. In summarizing the book, I have created thematic groups to demonstrate the main topics of the text. The first theme is the horror that comes from the societal expectations placed on maternal figures. The first chapter delves into Rosemary's Baby and explores how the film uses maternal horror to address feminist themes. It examines Rosemary Woodhouse's (Mia Farrow) experience of pregnancy and the anxiety surrounding her role as a mother; throughout the film, Rosemary struggles to establish her own identity first as a wife and then as a mother. The chapter highlights how supernatural elements in the film critique both patriarchal structures and the tension between personal agency and external control. The sixth chapter analyzes Jennifer Kent's 2014 film The Babadook for its depiction of maternal horror through the mother Amelia's (Essie Davis) struggle with grief and her relationship with her son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Rocha's research explores how the film uses the monstrous Babadook as a metaphor for the internal and external challenges of motherhood, which includes mental health issues and going against societal expectations. This chapter looks at what happens when a mother goes against the nurturing expectations society places on her as Amelia struggles to connect to and care for her son. The seventh chapter examines The Witch (Robert Eggers, 2015), which focuses on the portrayal of maternal figures in a historical and supernatural context. One fear of motherhood is that the mother's child (particularly her daughter) will grow up to resent or even reject her, reflecting poorly on the mother. Rocha discusses the pressures on Katherine (Kate Dickie) as a mother in a puritanical society and explores themes of isolation, religious extremism, and the impact of supernatural forces on maternal identity and family cohesion.The second major theme I witnessed involved analyzing maternal struggles in relation to the mother's role within the family unit. The second chapter focuses on The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973) and analyzes how despite the film's focus on the young Regan (Linda Blair), the possession actually represents the home and its impact on the maternal figure, Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn). In the film, Chris goes against traditional family models by being a single parent, leading Regan to become possessed. Rocha explores themes of maternal suffering, loss of control, and the amplification of fears about female power and the maternal identity. The third chapter discusses The Amityville Horror (Stuart Rosenberg, 1979) and examines how the film portrays the influence of supernatural forces on the family; however, this chapter does not quite live up to the book's theme, given that most of the analysis focuses on the father, George Lutz (James Brolin), instead of his wife Kathy (Margot Kidder) or her children. The chapter does explore themes of domestic disruption and anxieties surrounding the stability of the family unit, but with only a small emphasis on the maternal role. The final chapter of the book explores Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018) and focuses on the traumatic and supernatural elements affecting a family. It delves into Annie Graham's (Toni Collette) experiences with the loss of her mother and daughter and analyzes how grief, family secrets, and demonic possession influence her role as a mother, which eventually leads to the breakdown of familial and maternal roles in the face of overwhelming horror and psychological distress.The third and final thematic category involves the mother as a protector against supernatural encounters. The fourth chapter examines James Wan's Insidious (2011) and Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) and touches on how these films depict maternal figures confronting supernatural forces. Although the chapter focuses heavily on the role of the father Josh (Patrick Wilson), there is still some strong analysis of Renai Lambert's (Rose Byrne) struggle to protect and save her children from malevolent entities. Rocha also explores themes of maternal sacrifice, fear, and resilience. The fifth chapter analyzes Wan's The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016), focusing on the portrayal of mothers within haunted families. It examines how supernatural events affect maternal roles and highlights themes of maternal strength, maternal fear, and the impact of external threats on the family dynamic, portraying the maternal figure as both a protector and a victim of supernatural forces. In these films, the possessing spirit threatens not only a serious disruption to the family but the destruction of the mother as well.One of the book's strengths is its integration of foundational feminist theory and its critical examination of how these theories apply to maternal horror narratives. By connecting films with feminist and psychoanalytic perspectives, the book deepens the understanding of how maternal figures in horror films reflect societal anxieties about gender and identity. However, the book has notable weaknesses. One major shortcoming is the lack of engagement with female directors, which could have provided a more inclusive perspective on how women filmmakers approach and represent maternal horror. Out of the ten films explored, all but one are directed by men, and four of these films come from the same director, which further limits the actual scope of maternal-possession representation. This omission limits the breadth of the analysis and overlooks the contributions of female directors who may offer unique insights into a gendered reading of possesion. Additionally, the book's reliance on lengthy summaries of scenes and extensive block quotes from scholars is a drawback. These elements disrupt the flow of the analysis and detract from the author's original contributions, overshadowing the critical arguments and insights the book aims to offer. This makes it harder for readers to engage with and evaluate the author's interpretations, resulting in a less dynamic, less original scholarly discourse and reducing the impact of the book's findings.The Sinful Maternal primarily targets scholars and students in women and gender studies who may not have extensive experience in film analysis. The book's strength lies in its exploration of maternal horror through feminist and psychoanalytic frameworks as it offers valuable insights into how these films engage with societal perceptions of motherhood and female identity. Although the book provides a structured analysis of gender dynamics and cultural anxieties, it may have limited appeal to film scholars or those with a strong background in cinematic analysis because the chapters emphasize thematic and theoretical perspectives over detailed examination of cinematic elements and techniques. Nonetheless, for its intended audience, the book serves as a useful introduction to the intersection of horror films and maternal themes within feminist film studies.