Representation of women the horror genre.

1. REPRESENTATION OF
WOMEN IN HORROR

2. In this essay, I will be investigating the representation of women
in the horror genre of films, from some of the earliest films
created up to the most modern works. Within this, I will be
looking at character types, morals, values, ideologies, theories and
changes that have undergone throughout time. I will also look at
how these changes represent the society and contextual thoughts
of the time. In order to aid my studies, I will analyse the
observations of theorists who have made significant
contributions to this topic, such as that of Jeremy Tunstall, Laura
Mulvey and Caroline Clover.
INTRODUCTION

3. The 'Male Gaze' term was first coined by Laura Mulvey in her essay 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative
Cinema' (1975). She wrote about the idea that in film, women's primary role is to act as an object
for the male audience and males characters in the films themselves. Because of this, scenes,
camera shots, and visual choices are all geared towards the attractiveness of a woman; focusing on
their curves, lips, body and other sensual features. Conventions of this may be the use of slow
motion, cut away’s and close up shots of female characters, all from the point of view of the male
character (or characters) looking at the woman. The theory suggests that a woman's personality,
intelligence and thoughts are all subordinate to their exterior, and that they only 'exist' in relation
to the male characters around her. Supporting this, in the top 500 films between 2007 and 2012,
28.8% of the female characters wore sexually revealing clothes, while just 7% of men did.
Statistics also show that as men age, the more dialogue they are given in films, while women are
subjected to the exact opposite - 22 to 30 year old females had 38%, while 42 to 65 year olds had
just 20%. Meanwhile men saw a 19% increase in dialogue during the same ages. This shows that
women are given the most speaking roles, and thus seen as most important, when they are young,
and typically thought of as most attractive, but lose these significant opportunities as they age and
lose their looks (while men gain more respect and dominance as they age). Mulvey argued that, as
a result of being presented from the view of males so repeatedly in the media, that women
themselves start taking on this 'gaze', comparing one another, their attractiveness, and thus
objectifying each other just as men do.
LAURA MULVEY

4. In 1983, Jeremy Tunstall released 'The Media In Britain' in which he studies
television, newspapers, magazines, films and radio. He wrote about the
position of women in the media and concluded that there were four distinct
'categories' they fell in to; domestic, sexual, consumer and marital. By
conforming to this, the media presents the female gender as incredibly one
dimensional, and as if they have to fit perfectly into one of these four 'types'
instead of being 'well rounded' character who can (or cannot) 'fulfil' as many
of these as she so desires. A study in 1992 also showed that the number of
men on screen compared to women was double; this shows how the media
still revolves around men, male characters, and that females are seen as of less
importance. Within the female gender, we can also see further limitations and
imbalances - for example, in 2016 76% of all Hollywood female characters
were white, while 14% were black, and Latina's were most under-represented
at just 3% (this is all despite that 52% of movie audiences are female).
JEREMY TUNSTALL

5. Carol Clover also looked at the representation of women, but more specifically of
those in films and cinema. In her 1992 book 'Men, Women and Chainsaws: Gender in
the Modern Era', she wrote about a trope she spotted in many horror films - a term she
coined 'the final girl'. Clover suggests that in films of this genre, the middle class, well
educated, virginal, law obeying female is the last to survive, confront, and often 'beat'
the protagonist (who is often a male psychotic murderer). Compared to the commonly
blonde characters in films, who have a frequency to be the first to die, the final girl is
often brunette, and with a unisex name (suggesting that she is less feminine and that
only less feminine characters are strong enough to survive). She also suggested that the
audience undergoes a change in perception through the film; from that of the male
killer, to that of the 'final girl' hero. This is often done using the camera and shot types,
for example, at the beginning the film may use lots of 'point of view' shots from that
of the killer, and the male antagonist often has more screen time. However, as the film
progresses, more emphasis may be on close ups of the 'final girl, During the final girl's
confrontation, she becomes 'masculinised' through her use of weaponry (which often
has a phallic symbol, such as a knife), but that the last survivor must be a women, as an
audience would fail sympathise as much with a man in distress (this also relates to how
women are commonly presented as the more emotional, weaker gender).
CAROL CLOVER

6. One way to analyse the roles of women in horror movies is by looking at the
promotional posters released; the following are from ‘Frankenstein meets The Wolf
Man’ (1926), ‘The Return of the Vampire’ (1944) and ‘The Screaming Skull’ (1958)
POSTERS

7. Despite spanning from across four decades, all of the women in the three posters
are presented in very similar ways; their bodies are quite exposed with little
clothing, they are being attacked by inhuman monsters/aliens and in weak,
vulnerable positions. The only characters shown taking any action against the
monsters/antagonists are male, suggesting that they are the superior, stronger
gender. Every one of those subjected to these 'villains' are young, attractive, and
the type of 'voluptuous' women that stereotypically heterosexual men find
appealing; all of these suggest that their role in these films is as the vulnerable,
'damsel in distress' character whom needs rescuing. As they are presented in a full
face of makeup and provocative clothing, it could also suggest that the audience
will only feel an emotional connection with them, feel sympathy or want to help
them, if they are simultaneously attracted to them at the same time. This relates to
Laura Mulvey's idea of the 'male gaze', as the female characters are primarily on
screen to please the male's watching, and that films themselves are filmed from the
male perspective (whom enjoy looking at such females in these half naked,
vulnerable positions).
POSTER ANALYSIS

8. Progressing into the 1960s and 1970s, many films still objectified women and
focused on their looks and exterior appearances. 'Countess Dracula' is a 1971
British Hammer horror based off of the legends surrounding Elizabeth Báthory.
The story centres around the Countess who uses the blood of virgin women in
order to maintain her youthful looks; this could be argued as progressive as it
acknowledges females sexual activity, and even the title character has a lover and
another affair at the same time. However, you could also say while it does have a
women in the leading role, this women is also a murderous antagonist, and cursed
as a 'devil woman' at the end (which could be seen as 'punishment' for her sexual
activity, as out of wed lock intimacy was still looked down upon by many). Despite
being a seemingly powerful countess, it is still her lover Captain Dobi who
murders the women, which suggests that women are reliant on the opposite
gender and cannot 'provide' for themselves. Also, the male characters appear to
have no interest or concerns about their appearances, while the Countess is willing
to break the law for it - this suggests that women feel more pressure of their
exterior appearances, while men are likely to be successful (in both relationships,
careers and personal life) in spite of what they look like.
1960S/1970S

9. Released in the same year, 'Twins of Evil' stars real life twins Mary and
Madeleine Collins as 'innocent' Marie and 'evil' Frieda Gellhorn; the
two were real life Play boy models, and even named 'Playmate of the
Month' in October 1970. During the film they are commonly
objectified and sexualised, with their clothes frequently falling off,
positioned in provocative ways, and even their casting itself supports
Mulvey's male gaze theory. The producers clearly knew that the two had
this modelling background, and by casting them would have increased
publicity but also suggested the type of characters they were to be
playing. Additionally, those who knew of the twins before and found
them attractive would increase the chances of them going to watch the
film, and 'gaze' upon these two young women on the screen.
1970S

10. By the 1970’s and early 80’s the ‘second wave’ of feminism has spread across
the world, and this could be seen as one of the influences for the ‘rape and
revenge’ subgenre that became popular at the time. ‘I Spit on your Grave’
(1978) shows a young woman who gets rape by a group of four men, but
survives and goes on to kill each of her perpetrators in incredibly gruesome
manners. It’s violent nature led it to be branded a ‘video nasty’ in the UK and
some protested believing it presented rape as ‘entertainment, however, critics
such as Julie Bindel have more recently commented how the film exploits the
weakness of the criminal system (in how easily the rape if carried out), and
shows a strong, independent women ‘taking matters into her own hands’. This
film also deviates from many of the others I have looked as it Julie does not
fit into one of the four of Tunstall’s female roles, she is not the ‘final girl’ in
that there are no other significant women in the film, and after the first rape
scene she is not ‘objectified’
1970S/1980S

11. The 1980’s saw an trend in ‘morality’ plots, ‘sex by death’ and the firm
establishment of the slasher genre; female characters were repeatedly
objectified, presented in little clothing, and killed imminently after
sleeping with someone (prime examples of this can be seen in
‘Halloween’ (1978) and ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984). However,
some media entertainemnt did start to deviate from these horror plot
conventions; ‘Scream’ (1996) stars one of the most famous ‘final girls’
as the films main female character Sidney Prescott survives her
confrontation with the masked killer even after sex, and characters such
as Buffy in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (while a TV series running from
1997 to 2003 as opposed to a horror film), go against the traditional
female protagonist as she is attractive, blonde, sexy, and still manages to
defeat the villainous characters.
1980S

12. 'Psycho' is one of the most iconic psychological horror films, released in 1990 and
directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. It is often considered the earliest
example of the slasher genre; the story centers around a secretary seclude in a
motel after stealing from money from her employer, where she eventually meets
her death during the infamous ‘shower scene’. A shadowy figure violently stabs
Marion to death while she is washing; appearing both vulnerable and sexual in her
bareness. Marion steals the money as she feels her relationship (where she only
meets her boyfriend in hotel rooms and sleep with each other), is undignified, and
Norman kills her as he is ashamed of his own sexual feelings towards her, and
would feel his late mother would also disapproval. The film presents women with
both conservative, ‘traditional’ beliefs, against the younger, liberal generations (and
Marian guilty about her own sexual relationships suggest she herself is battling
these views). This could reflect the ‘swingy sixties’ movement, in which sex
became less off a ‘taboo’ topic, and people started enjoying intimacy outside of
wed lock more freely. ‘Psycho’ conforms to the male gaze theory, as Marian is
presented as a pretty young women whom Norman attractiveness (and many male,
heterosexual viewers would as well), and we even see her getting dressed through a
hole from Normans view point.
1990S

13. The last decade or so has seen an increasingly liberal portrayal of
women in the horror genre; this could be from an increasing feminist
movement, more publicity surrounding gender inequality and the
increase in trying to get women more interested in the cinema industry.
Some examples of modern horror films with female leads include; 'The
Descent' (2005), 'Carrie' (2013) and 'The Witch' (2015). 'It Follows'
(2014) is a supernatural psychological horror by David Robert Mitchell,
in which Maika Monroe (as Jay Height) has sex with a date, and then
has to battle an anonymous, unknown predator. The film challenges the
final girl theory as Jay is not 'punished' for her sexual activity, but rather
she investigates, fights back against the antagonist and survives.
2000S

14. One example of a movie that conforms to the male gaze is the 'House of
Wax' (2005) in which the Paris Hilton plays Paige Edwards and is frequently
seen running from the murderer in her underwear, make up, her hair nicely
done and looking generally attractive. Paige is presented crying, screaming,
wearing little clothing and as a very vulnerable, weak character whom does
little to move the plot forward or show any intellectual thoughts; her primary
role in the film appears to be as an object for men to look at with pleasure.
This movie also supports the final girl theory; as Paige is just about to have
sex with her boyfriend before he is murdered, and then undergoes a chase
scene before being kills herself. Paige is also blonde, with little examples of
intelligence throughout, conforming to the 'blonde dumb' character
stereotype, while her friend Carly is never seen on screen in such provocative
clothing or positioning, has an internship at a magazine (showing her to take
her education and career more seriously) and shows independence and
strength as she fights off various antagonists.
HOUSE OF WAX