What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to explore how ageing female bodies are rendered horrifying in horror films, focusing on narrative and visual strategies.

March 1, 2026American Journal of AI Digital Transformation and Regenerative Pharmacist

The Face of Horror: Ageing Anxiety in Horror Cinema and the 'Hag Horror' Tradition

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This article examines how ageing femininity becomes a source of horror in cinema, suggesting a persistent cultural anxiety about older women.

The study aims to explore how ageing female bodies are rendered horrifying in horror films, focusing on narrative and visual strategies.
Qualitative textual analysis of three horror films from different decades: The Leech Woman, Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?, and X.
Examination of cinematic strategies used to depict elderly female characters in the context of hag horror.
Comparative reading to analyze thematic elements such as bodily decay, loss of youth, and psychological instability.
Identifies recurring themes of fear linked to ageing femininity in horror films.
Highlights how elderly female characters symbolize societal anxieties related to ageism and patriarchy.
Finds that despite changes in cinematic styles, the core narratives of hag horror persist, reinforcing fears about ageing women.

Serhat ERDEM (2025) studied this question.

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This article examines how ageing femininity becomes a source of horror in cinema, suggesting a persistent cultural anxiety about older women.