Film Studies Essay Example

virgin/whore binary where sexually active women are brutally killed on camera. This is connected to the feminist movement of the 1970s and 80s, where it was theorized that men become psycho killers due to resentment towards women from failed relationships with their mothers or ex-girlfriends. As a result, women are portrayed as the cause of this resentment and are subsequently punished throughout the film. - item 5Presenter

This excerpt discusses the portrayal of female characters in horror films. In "Psycho," item 11, the character of the mother is analyzed. In "Halloween," item 12, the final girl, named Laurie, challenges traditional female stereotypes in horror movies by displaying masculine traits and being portrayed as virginal. Some feminist critics have criticized slasher films, including the Halloween series, for their treatment of female characters. However, the director of Halloween, John Carpenter, argues that it is simply a horror movie and that the character of Laurie is seen as sexually frustrated but also empowered through her actions.

According to item 12's presenter, the woman in question killed the man not because she was a virgin, but because of pent-up sexual frustration manifesting through using phallic symbols. This is an example of women being objectified in slasher films, as argued by Laura Mulvey. Mulvey claimed that heterosexual male film audiences viewed female characters as objects of desire and that the passive and submissive nature of female characters in horror movies provided pleasure through scopophilia or voyeurism.

The central figure in slasher movies is usually a man who faces a crisis related to his masculinity. To reclaim his manliness, he embarks on a killing spree. In Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, the "Shower scene" exemplifies this

trope. Laura Mulvey contends that women are primarily objectified in classic Hollywood films for the male audience's visual satisfaction. The audience is intended to be predominantly male, and the male gaze that dominates the screen is both voyeuristic and fetishistic. In Nightmare on Elm Street, the last surviving victim of the murderer Freddy Krueger is known as the final girl.

According to Carol Clover, the final girl in horror films is usually depicted as a virgin – which is applicable to Nancy in the movie. Throughout the film, Nancy's character becomes more masculine and phallic. Initially, she is scared of her attacker, but towards the end, she fights back. When Nancy is attacked in the bathtub – an embodiment of masculine power – it evokes rape imagery as she is completely nude. The villain drags Nancy underwater against her will, while his hand with sharp blades penetrates her skin, emphasizing his overpowering strength.

Item 8: Play the "bath scene" and Item 9: Play the "ending scene" from Nightmare on Elm Street. The presenter discusses Clover's "final girl" theory and argues that Vera, the investigator and Marion's sister in Psycho, does not qualify as a true "final girl" because she needs the help of the hero, Sam, to defeat the killer and doesn't physically overcome him. When Vera sees that Norman Bates' mother is a corpse, she screams, fitting into the "damsel in distress" character type. Sam is shown restraining Norman Bates, highlighting his patriarchal power and dominance. The film "Psycho" opens with a shot of Marion lying on a bed with a male figure above her.

The scene immediately implies gender and power dynamics by portraying

the male character as dominant. Marion's discussion of marriage implies that women require male companionship for happiness, and the hotel bedroom setting carries sexual connotations. Marion's choice of black lace underwear further emphasizes the horror aspect of the film, suggesting that she is in danger. Shots focusing on female body parts also contribute to the objectification of women and male dominance.

According to popular opinion, ‘Psycho’ is considered to be the forerunner of slasher movies. Alfred Hitchcock’s films established the sexual objectification of women as a common feature in slasher movies. From the outset, Hitchcock portrays women as objects of sexual desire to be pursued. In fact, Marion is seen topless twice within the first eleven minutes of the film. It is a convention of the slasher genre for women to be depicted screaming, with a high-pitched and shrill sound. The scream of a woman has become an iconic symbol for slasher movies.

The subordinate position of women in horror films is highlighted through the use of close-up shots that depict fear on their faces. The term "scream queen" is commonly associated with the typical 'damsels in distress' in the genre. In conclusion, the portrayal of women in the 'slasher' genre has diversified from the conventional roles of helpless victims and masculine heroes. Women have been represented in several ways in horror films. 'Halloween' and 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' demonstrate female empowerment through the characters of Laurie and Nancy, respectively, whereas 'Psycho' lacks a definitive final girl.

Despite the impact of feminist theories on modern horror movies, female characters are often portrayed as promiscuous and punished for their sexual behavior and drug use.