Representation of woman in the horror genre

In horror films woman have been treated differently to men since the beginning of horror films. If you look back to old horror films such as Nosferatu you can see the girl in it is treated as the victim. This far back girls were traditionally the weaker sex. This is shown in Nosferatu as the girl has to be saved by a man from the monster. While we don’t know what Nosferatu is we assume that he is male by the way he acts and looks. This shows that it is a man who is powerful enough to harm the girl, and another man is powerful enough to protect the girl whereas the girl has no power at all. This trend continues of the villain being a disfigured man/monster and having the girl is the victim protected by a man. An example of this would be the original Frankenstein movie.

 The antagonist or monsters in horror films were all male until the 1930’s with the inclusion of films such as Bride of Frankenstein and Vampyr. Woman in films at this point had just started to change a little due to early feminism. A noticeable film that was due to this is Val Lewton’s “Cat People”. The main antagonist in this horror is female by the name of Irena. Irena changes in to panther when she is aroused. This suggests that the films are giving across the message that sexuality can be dangerous and can be dangerous in a conservative society. This reflects men’s fears in society of woman becoming more powerful. In the film Irena is depicted as foreign and is trying to hurt an American girl who is depicted as accepting her traditional role as a woman in 1940’s America. This shows that that the unknown and the different from the norm is be feared by society and can be dangerous. Despite this female antagonist the film still has the same premise as previous films. A man still defends a middle class white girl from Irene. In the end of the film Irene is given the choice to become the norm in society or die. She chooses to die.

in the 1950’s there were a lot more sci-fi horror films reflecting America’s fears of society as the majority of people were scared of nuclear war. In this time however woman in horror films still followed the simple concept laid out by previous horror films. An example of this would be invasion of the body snatchers where a woman is being protected by man but in this case the woman dies for not being strong enough whereas the man survives. The 60’s upped the scale as women were killed more frequently. An example of this would be the famous Pshyco shower scene where Norman bates kills a girl in the shower. The girl is suggested to be sleeping with a married man whereas Norman is oppressed by his mother. So stabbing her in the shower could be suggested to be his sexual frustration. At this point in horror films men were represented as different age race and class whereas woman fit the same simple mold which is white and middle class.

In the 70’s and 80’s the slasher genre had become the next big thing and these films were being made. In slasher films it is often the case that woman are being hunted down and brutally killed by an antagonist. This is a reaction to the feminist movement that was happening at the time. The victims in slasher films were often sexualised and the demographic was young men.

In 1992 carol clover released a book called Men Woman and Chainsaws: Gender in the modern horror film. In the book she coined the phrase “Final girl”. A final girl is as the name implies, a girl who is the survivor in horror films. She is usually depicted as being white and middle class whereas other female counterparts in horror films are shown having sex and doing drugs or other things that go against the conservative ideology. The final girl usually resembles an adolescent boy rather than a girl in the way she acts and usually has a name that is satiable for both males and females like Jesse. This done so the male audience can relate to this girl and not with the killer. A good example of this is the film “House of wax” where in the film a girl called Carly (A unisex name) she is white and middle class and is aspiring to be a fashion designer. This everything someone should be in a conservative society. Another female character in the film called Paige, she is shown performing sexual acts in the film despite not being married. She is also revealed to be pregnant in the film. All of this would be considered wrong in a conservative society and according to this theory must die(which she does). This therefore backs up the “final girl” theory.

Initial idea for horror trailer

Synopsis: A schizophrenic man escapes from a mental hospital. This causes mass panic in the local area. A group of 5 teenagers are on a camping trip and hear about it via portable TV/radio. They end up being hunted down by this person until the final girl/boy finally stops him. The murderer is a man who escapes from a mental hospital; he has schizophrenia and hears voices from objects. He hears voices from a puppet/teddy that is telling him to kill these teenagers. The initial start of the trailer will be the mental patient waking up and attacking one of the doctors. This is done from his perspective to not show what the murderer looks like. This may include an establishing shot of the mental hospital. We then see the group of teenagers seeing the short news report saying that this murderer has escaped. This acts as the signifier in the trailer. The rest of the trailer is short action/suspense sequences until the big finish were we see a glimpse of the murderer plus the teddy/puppet.

Characters needed for the trailer

-News anchor

-Doctor (Will be wearing mask so might be able to use previous actor)

--Final girl

- The “bad” girl (Drugs etc.)

-2-3 Boys (Unspecified so far)

-Murder/ Mental patient (Might be wearing mask)

Locations (So far)

-Establishing shot off a hospital at night

-News room (College green room)

-Forest (Might be both day/night)

-  Mental Hospital bed (College)

Props (So far)

-Camping equipment

-Murder prop

-Doctor coat/Mask

-Radio/portable TV

-Puppet/teddy bear

Possible names so far

-Mental patient

-Escape

-Halyes house (Name of the mental hospital)

Trailer analysis “The strangers”(2.11)         

The stranger’s trailer follows a lot of the codes and conventions that are established in horror trailers. Some of these include the fact we see the name of the film in the very last shot of the trailer. This is done to make it the last thing you see so it sticks on your mind and you remember it. Another convention it follows if the pace of the trailer. The number edits picks up pace as the trailer goes on. This is done to show intensity in the trailer and make it seem more compelling as the trailer goes on. After the “man in the mask” appears for the first time the number of edits increases for the remainder of the trailer this is done because the appearance of the “Man in the mask” is the signifier that sets of the chain of events the film is based on. After this signifier the characters in the trailer seem more intense and distressed. Before the signifier very is equilibrium in the trailer and everything is calm. This is reflected in the number of the edits at the start of the trailer as there is significantly less than the rest of the trailer. As the pace of the trailer picks up so does the music in the trailer pick up pace. This is done to show the intensity of what is transpiring in the trailer.

The trailer shows many key staples of the horror genre. One of them is there is a clear “Final girl” which is character type argued by carol clover. We get the picture that she is a middle class white girl who settling down with her husband. This is deemed a success in society based on conservative ideology. Using this theory we can suggest that this character will survive until the end of the film. Another staple of the horror genre that we see is the fact that the majority of the film is set in a lonely house in the middle of nowhere. The final clear staple of the horror genre introduced in the trailer is antagonists or “monsters”. They look like demented and mentally damaged humans which are the antagonists for a lot of films in the horror genre.

Other code and conventions

.There is no BBFC classification

.The “Big finish” of the trailer is 3 of the masked people staring at the two victims. This is a very short scene and is calm. The makes the viewer wonder what is going on.

.The trailer does not follow the narrative structure of the film.

Trailer analysis LET ME IN(2010)

Let ME IN is a film about a vampire who befriends a young boy. This film has a lot of horror influences and elements but the film does not try to scare you. In the trailer however you get the same sense of horror and suspense that you would get in traditional horror film. The trailer starts off slow but after the signifier (The vampire showing up) the trailer gradually picks up pace and becomes more intense as it goes on.

The trailer has a lot of the staples of a horror trailer. It features scenes of a vampire drinking blood from a victim. This has been a common staple of vampire/horror films since the release of the original Dracula. Even though it isn’t a gothic as Dracula it still borrows the concept and theme of the film. Another staple of horror films the trailer features is the police force that is looking for Eli (The vampire). In horror films the police are usually involved in some way. The police are usually useless when it comes to dealing with the abnormal in horror films. This is supported by the trailer as we see the sheriff of the town that this film is based in getting attacked by Eli.

The audience for LET ME IN would be an older and more sophisticated. This is because it is has a more interesting storyline compared to a teenage “slasher”. It also has more adult themes that older people would enjoy more. The U.S.P for LET ME IN is its interesting storyline and the ways it differs from traditional horror films

Code and conventions

-The film’s trailer isn’t in the chronological order of the film

-There is equilibrium at the start of the trailer

.The equilibrium starts to deteriorate as the trailer goes on

.We get the title of the film at the end.

.We get the actors names at the end of the trailer.

.The “big finish” of the trailer is a close up of someone’s eyes looking out of the corner of a doorway.

.There is no BBFC classification of the film

Challenges to the code and conventions

.There is a lot of different locations in the trailer and some are not recognizable with a traditional horror

. The hero is seen being friendly with the vampire who in most films/trailers is thought to be the antagonist

.There is no “final girl” or a girl who needs saving

 

Trailer Analysis: Scary movie

 Scary movie is a comedy horror film. Despite having the comedy element it still follows a lot of the codes and conventions featured in traditional horror trailers. The trailer starts of parodying what a generic horror trailer would be. The camera zooms in onto one of characters but the camera ends up hitting her. This is making fun of some of the cinematography of an ordinary horror shot. After this the trailer puts more emphasis on the comedy element. It parody’s other things that you would see in other horror movies.

Unlike other horror trailers the pace of the trailer doesn’t significantly pick up as it goes on. This challenges what a generic horror trailer should be. Despite this though there is a clear equilibrium at the start of the trailer.

Despite the comedy element of the film there are still a lot of staples of the horror series embedded in the trailer. An example of this is the fact that the trailer mostly consists of the teenagers being provoked and hunted by the antagonist. This is very common in ‘slasher’ movies.  Another staple of the horror genre in the trailer is that the majority of the trailer is shot at night. In horror film/trailer usually all the abnormal/scary events happen at night or in a dark area. The trailer also features a lonely house In the middle of the woods, a traditional location for a horror film. The films also feature a final girl. We can tell this because she is white and lives in a massive mansion and doesn’t do anything that would be deemed bad in a conservative society such as drinking doing drugs and have sex before you are married.

The audience for scary movie would be a younger audience. Some of the reasons for this are that it is set in a high school and features a lot of teenagers. Another reason why younger people would prefer this film is because of the parody element of the film. Younger people are more likely to appreciate this type of humour. The unique selling point of this film is the fact that the entire film is a parody of the movies “Scream” and makes fun of the horror genre as a whole.

 

Codes and conventions

.The trailer does not follow the chronological order of the film

.The trailer has a “big finish”

.Equilibrium at the start of the trailer

Challenges to codes and conventions

.No quotes from critics about the movie

.No clear signifier

.Don’t show the actors names in the trailer

.The trailer has a lot more comedy than actual tension or suspense. The unique selling point of this film is the fact that the entire film is a parody of the movies “Scream” and makes fun of the horror genre as a whole.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN FILM ANALYSIS

Film Analysis LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

Synopsis: Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982 (Source IMDB)

Notable characters in relation to props theory:

“The villain” – LET THE RIGHT ONE IN differs from a lot of horror films in relation to the characters. The only noticeable villains in this film are the bully’s that provoke the antagonist. By the end of the film it can be argued that they are actually the victims as they get killed by Eli who could be argued to be a protagonist.

“The hero”: There are two characters you could argue to be heroes in the film and they are “Oscar” and “Eli”. Oscar is a kid that befriends a vampire (Eli) and end up loving her. The film is mostly set out through his actions. The other character you could argue to be a hero is “Eli” who is a vampire who befriends Oscar and protects him from the villains (The bullies). It goes against the codes and conventions of a horror film as usually a vampire would be seen as the abnormal villain. While having all the traits of a vampire (Can’t go in the sun, Drinks blood to survive, can’t go in a house unless invited) yet in the film we as the audience still get behind the character as a hero.

These are the only noticeable characters that fit a certain archetype as there is no donor/helper/princess/father/dispatcher. This suggests that the film tires to challenge those conventions and that his film does not prove his theory.

Narrative structure in relation to Todorov’s theory

At the start of the film the not a noticeable equilibrium as the hero, Oscar is pretending to stab one of the villains with a knife. This shows that he is not happy and that there is no equilibrium in his life or in the film. Despite this everything is still calm at the start of the film so it could be argued that there is in fact equilibrium at the start of the film. Later on the film there are 3 potential signifiers. The first is when Eli first moves next to Oscar with her protector which sets the story for the rest of the film. Another signifier that could be argued is when Oscar first meets Eli as these are the 2 main characters. The third signifier would be when Eli’s protector kills a man in the woods for her blood. This is the first scene of violence in the film and opens up the suggestion that Eli is a vampire. Throughout the film Eli and Oscar get to know each other and by the end of the film after a lot of killings Eli murders the bullies and Oscar and Eli leave on a train together. There is equilibrium for Oscar and Eli at the end of the film they are at peace despite all they have done/witnessed which shows how manipulative Eli is and how disturbed Oscar has become. Despite this they still have equilibrium  t the end of the film.

Film Analysis(House of wax)

Film Analysis “House of wax”

Synopsis: Six friends are on their way to a football game. They decide to camp out for the night and continue driving the next day. The next day the friends find that they're having car troubles, so two of the friends accept a stranger's ride into a small town named Ambrose. The main attraction in Ambrose is the House of Wax. Except something is not right in this town, the wax figures are so realistic and the whole town is deserted - except for two murderous twin brothers. The six friends must fight to survive and escape from being the next exhibits in the House of Wax. (Source IMDB)

Notable characters in relation to props theory:

“The villain”: The only two noticeable villains that we see are “Vincent” who wears a mask and hunts down the group of protagonists. The other one is “Bo” though while realized to be a villain, he is a “false hero” because he originally helps the protagonists.

“The hero”: House of wax seems to go against this theory in some ways because there is arguably no hero. The 2 closest characters the hero archetype are “Carly jones” that fits carols clovers “Final girl” theory. The other character that could fit the hero archetype is “Nick jones”. He is the brother of Carly and ends up protecting her and surviving throughout the film ye at the start of the film seems to be more hostile to the rest of the characters.

“The donor”: There is no “donor” in this film which goes against props theory

“The helper”: There is no notable “helper in this film which goes against props theory

“The false hero”: The false hero in this film is a character named “Bo”. When he is first introduced he seems to be helping the protagonist but when he splits them up he is revealed to be a false hero and kills the “Wade” character. Another character that could be considered a false hero is the “Road kill driver”. He helps the hero’s get to the town but is considered odd by the protagonist’s. We see him at the end of the film smiling as the 2 heroes are rescued. This implies he knew what happened in the town but we as the audience do not know for sure.

“The princess: It is debateable that the “Carly jones” also fits this archetype as she is the person the other hero (Nick) is trying to save.

“Her father”: The person that is the closest to this archetype is the “Sheriff”. He leads the police officers that come after the villains have been defeated and the reward he brings is the freedom for Carly and Nick to leave the town.

“The dispatcher”: There is no notable “dispatcher” in the film whish goes against props theory.

Narrative structure in relation to Todorov’s theory

At the start of the film there is equilibrium as the main protagonists are on their way to an American football game. They appear to be happy in this collection of scenes as there is not much conflict between the characters. The only exception to this is the character “Nick jones” that disrupts the equilibrium by being hostile to the rest of the characters but not in a significant enough way to break the equilibrium. This equilibrium is disrupted as “the signifier” takes place.in this case Bo  shows up and scares the protagonists but does not show his identity. This brings up an enigma for the characters and the audience and sets up the rest of the film. For the remainder of the film until the end the characters are in constant danger thus there is no equilibrium. However at the end of the film when the 2 antagonists are killed and the 2 remaining protagonist are saved there is equilibrium. Even though for the characters friends have died they still seem to come to peace at the end of the film. It also significant to point out that the “Nick Jones” character becomes a much nicer character by the end of the film all of this fits in with Todorov’s theory.

Carol clovers final girl theory

In House of the wax there is clear evidence of this theory being used. The final girl in this film is the “Carly jones” character. Throughout the film she never has sex does drugs or anything that would be deemed bad in a conservative society. She also talks about the prospect of going to New York to work at a big fashion label. This seen as successful in a conservative ideology as getting a high paid job is what people should strive for in life. Carly envisions everything a girl should strive to be in a conservative society. This is in grave contrast to the “Paige Edwards” character. She is almost a polar opposite to Carly. She is seen performing sexual acts in the film and has no real prospects in life. In a conservative society this is deemed a bad or improper way of life. She is also revealed to be pregnant even though she is not married. Carols theory should suggest that the “Carly jones” character should survive until the end of the film and be the “final girl” and that the “Paige Edwards” Should die or be “Punished” for her anti conservative mentality. This is true in this film because the “Paige Edwards” character ends up getting killed by one the antagonists but the “Carly jones” character survives until the end of film thus supporting carols theory.