Amy Gannon 

This thesis aims to answer the question as to whether or not the dark representations of angels within horror are reflective of true angels that have been depicted in the bible. Or, have these creatures been exaggerated in order to instil fear into an audience as a way to selfishly profit from them.

Angels in horror often appear sinister and monstrous, far different from the holy angels that the average person grows up learning about in school or church. This may be done to frighten viewers, allowing creators increase the profit made from these films. Despite this, many filmmakers have written their films in a similar manner and have not received any negative press on their usage of angels. And considering that audiences have been building a more critical mindset over the years in relation to the realism being presented in films, it makes one wonder if filmmakers have been taking the time to research the character of an angel so they can present them in this fashion.

This will be done by analyzing the relationship between horror and religion over the years as a way to understand the reason behind this portrayal. Also, a study of angels in general will be taken in an attempt to understand the world’s view of them and to learn what the role of an angel is in society. This will include examining the narrative side of the bible to understand the actions and appearance of angels that have been reflected. In addition, works of art will be looked at to understand the visual construct of angels that has been manifested over time. Afterwards, these findings will be compared to mainstream films and television programmes prominent in the horror genre that feature an angel.