Slasher Films

How has the representation of women changed in ‘slasher’ films, such as Creep (2004)?

My Independent Study focuses on the representations of women in contemporary texts such as Creep (2004) compared to period ‘slasher’ thrillers in the older years. This interests me, because the representation is focused through a more modern way in more contemporary films. However this theory is not proven in each and every contemporary horror film. For example, the film The Descent (2005) does not choose to compliment the idea of the woman having the ability to fight a strong villain in a film and taking on masculine characteristics. Instead the idea of a woman not being able to fulfil a mans job is being bought up. This is achieved by the way Neil Marshall chose to use women as the main focus and choosing to end the film by killing all the women, showing women’s weakness and authority in society in the pre 18th century where women played the housewife, a more passive role to society, whereas men were the breadwinners, who tend to be seen as the more proactive character in society.

This idea is contrasted with in the film, Creep where Christopher Smith decides to go against the traditional roles of men and women, and portrays a woman who has survived a terrible encounter in an underground train station. The fact that she fought the villain in order to save herself, shows a woman’s strength in modern society and that a woman is capable of being not just a woman but a hero too.

Media Language:
Camera shots - fast. Shows enthusiasm. This allows audience to relate with characters.

Low Key lighting - creates suspense.

Institution:
Sky movies. High budgeted film. British film.

Genre:
Horror films often show the typical conventions, which relate to genre.

Representation:
The women have become more powerful and they are shown to be equally as dominant as men usually are. it shows that women are just as strong as men. for example, typically in a traditional slasher genre film the man is shown to be more masculine and comes across with no fear. however this is not the case in Creep, as the female protogonist is shown to be more compelling towards the monster and therefore has the courage to fight it. the male character is not willing to help and is shown to be a 'quiter' and we see that this is going against typical impression of a man. women are suposedly the more loving character towards the abnormal however, the protogonist in Creep is not loving, nor does she show compassion towards the creature.

http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/WMNS/Projects/Wmns36/violence/murderfra.htm#fmurder

Audience:
Offers the audience sadistic pleasures. Important to audience as they are getting emotionally involved by looking into someone else’s life. They are determined to know the end result. This also attracts the audience more into the film and makes them want to watch it more and more.

Ideologies and Values:

Feminism and Patriarchy society.

Narrative:
Both are different. Creep shows a positive role of women and The Descent, shows a negative portrayal of women.

Wider Context

Social:
Nowadays there’s not much films which have only a male character as the hereon. Programmes like Xenia The Worrier Princess for example shows women to be powerless.

Historical:
The historical elements of a typical horror film portrayed the woman to be very weak or a passive character. Either that or the sexually manipulating, deceiving, lustful character who has revenge on her later on and dies at the end.

Economic:
Horror movies are seen to be low budgeted films.

Political:
The narrative reflects on the mood of the film. This is also known as Zeigeist.