Kiss of the Vampire

Question 1

Which film studio released Kiss of the Vampire?

Answer 1

Universal Pictures

Question 2

When was Universal Studios established?

Answer 2

1912

Question 3

What are Universal Pictures reputable for in terms of classic horror?

Answer 3

They were responsible for producing horror films that are now recognised as the ‘classic monsters’ such as Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. They are the pedestal of the horror genre.

Question 4

Who produced Kiss of the Vampire?

Answer 4

Hammer Film Productions

Question 5

What is Hammer Film Productions?

Answer 5

A British film production company.

Question 6

When was Hammer Film Productions founded?

Answer 6

1934

Question 7

What are ‘Hammer Horrors’?

Answer 7

A series of gothic horror films produced by Hammer Film Productions from the 1950s until the 1970s.

Question 8

Why were Hammer horror films different to Hollywood horror films?

Answer 8

• The films tended to specialise in gothic horror that projected eerie atmosphere.
• Would go on the exploit violence and sexual content.
• The films are produced on a much lower budget displaying low production values.

Question 9

What is a ‘monster movie’?

Answer 9

A disaster film that focuses on a group of characters struggling to survive the attacks of an abnormally large creature. Typically, monsters are constructed as doing things beyond their choices, evoking sympathy from the audience.

Question 10

What are the codes and conventions of a monster movie poster?

Answer 10

• Contains images of the monster’s dominant threat over humanity.
• Hyperbolic and superlative language used to covey terror and emotion.
• Commercially viable so would likely feature bankable stars or certainly value a mark of quality.

Question 11

What is Women’s Sexual Liberation?

Answer 11

A social movement that challenged traditional codes of behaviours relating to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the world from the 1960s.

Question 12

What did the Women’s Sexual Liberation involve?

Answer 12

• Increased acceptance of sex outside of traditional heterosexual relationships.
• The normalisation of public nudity, pornography, premarital sex, homosexuality (and alternative forms of sexuality).
• The legalisation of abortion.

Question 13

What was a key factor that contributed to promiscuous behaviour for women in the 1960s?

Answer 13

The 1960s saw the introduction of the contraceptive pill. This resulted in men and women becoming more sexually promiscuous and was one of the contributors to the ‘swinging sixties’ movement.

Question 14

What is a feminist?

Answer 14

A person who advocates for women’s rights on the ground of equality for the sexes.

Question 15

What did feminists strive for in the 1960s?

Answer 15

• Equal pay.
• An end to sexual harassment.
• More equality between men and women in wider society.

Question 16

When was the Equal Pay Legislation?

Answer 16

1963

Question 17

What is the Equal Pay Legislation?

Answer 17

A United States Labour Law in 1963 amending the Fair Labour Standards Act, aimed at abolishing wage disparity based on sex.

Question 18

How is the out-dated stereotype of women constructed in this video?

Answer 18

The female victim is portrayed as weak and passive which alludes to the classic female character archetype of the ‘damsel in distress’.

Question 19

How are women sexualised in the poster? (From a 1960s perspective.)

Answer 19

Both women wear pale dresses made of nude, light materials. These dress codes serve to reinforce their femininity by highlighting the curves of their bodies and revealing their upper chest, neck, and arms.

Question 20

How is traditional masculinity and patriarchy reinforced via the character of the male vampire?

Answer 20

The gesture code of the woman on the left being held by the male vampire not only presents her as a stereotypical passive victim of the ‘monster’ but highlights his power and strength because he hold her with only one arm.

Question 21

What does androgynous mean?

Answer 21

The combination of masculine and feminine characteristics.

Question 22

How could we argue that the female vampire is androgynous?

Answer 22

• She bares her teeth with her arm raised almost fist-like as she is being bitten by the bat conveys a sense of aggression.
• The grasp she has over the submissive male victim represents her in an unconventionally dominant way.

Question 23

How could we argue the male vampire subverts typical masculine representations?

Answer 23

The vampire is framed as uncharacteristically fearful in his gesture codes with his arm thrown across his body in a defensive gesture, perhaps protecting himself from the female vampire.

Question 24

How does the text convey values, attitudes and beliefs occurring in the 1960s.

Answer 24

• Women were now seen as more contributable to society and were more valued in the workplace.
• The attitudes of gender hierarchy were changing drastically which in turn meant that men became resistant and sexism was not completely erased from society.
• Feminist beliefs were beginning to establish and achieve equal rights for women.

Question 25

What is David Gauntlett’s Theory of Identity?

Answer 25

The exploration of how audiences can identify with themselves and establish their roles in society all through the power of media.

Question 26

How can Gauntlett’s theory of identity be applied to Kiss of the Vampire?

Answer 26

The female vampire acts as a role model for women struggling against male oppression as she is desperate to be seen as an equal to men, whatever the narrative or environment.

Question 27

What is Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory?

Answer 27

Van Zoonen explores how femininity is a construct that has evolved massively over several decades and now offers more positive constructions in the media.

Question 28

Evaluate the effectiveness of Van Zoonen’s theory for this text.

Answer 28

• By assuming the female vampire is playing a co-antagonistic role, the female vampire is contributing to social change by representing women in non-traditional roles.
• The framing of the passive female permits the audience to see the growth and evolution of not only women in the horror genre but society in general.