Sarah Sloan

About the researcher

I am a PhD researcher at Falmouth University in the School of Film & Television. My academic journey has focused on Gothic aesthetics, horror theory, and cultural studies, with a particular interest in how media reconfigures fear through visual storytelling. My research builds on my MA in Crime and Gothic Fictions from Bath Spa University, where I explored themes of obsession and criminality in True Crime Narratives, and my BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the same institution. 

Beyond my academic work, I have experience in publishing, marketing, and media consultancy, bringing a critical and creative perspective to the study of film and television. My research not only contributes to Gothic Studies but also examines the broader implications of aestheticised horror in contemporary culture.

Sloane

    PhD Abstract

    Thesis title

    Glory Gothic: The Beautification of The Gothic in Film and Television 

    Abstract

    My research examines the evolving aesthetics of the Gothic in contemporary film and television, focusing on how traditionally unsettling themes are reimagined through a stylised and visually alluring lens—a concept I term Glory Gothic. By exploring the interplay between beauty and horror, this study considers whether the Gothic’s transformation reflects a shift from visceral dread to a controlled and aesthetically refined experience of fear. 

    Through the analysis of key creators such as Mike Flanagan, Ryan Murphy, and Brad Falchuk, this research situates Glory Gothic within broader socio-cultural and theoretical frameworks, drawing on Zygmunt Bauman’s “liquid fear” and Gilles Lipovetsky’s hypermodernity. Using textual analysis, visual semiotics, and cultural contextualisation, it explores how Gothic narratives align with contemporary sensibilities, commodifying fear as an elevated aesthetic experience. 

    By bridging Gothic Studies, film and media theory, and cultural criticism, my research contributes to the discourse on beauty and horror in modern media, redefining our understanding of fear in a hypermodern world. 

    Qualifications, outputs & expertise

    Research interests

    • Gothic Studies & Horror Aesthetics – Evolution of Gothic visual culture, Glory Gothic as a new paradigm  
    • Film & Television Studies – Contemporary horror, adaptation, and cross-medium storytelling  
    • Cultural Theory & Hypermodernity – The commodification of fear, aestheticisation of horror in media 

    Qualifications

    • MA Crime & Gothic Fictions, Bath Spa University, 2020
    • BA English Literature & Creative Writing, Bath Spa University, 2018

    Areas of expertise

    • Gothic & Horror in Film and Television  
    • Aesthetic Theory & Visual Semiotics  
    • Cultural Studies & Hypermodernity  
    • Crime Narratives & True Crime