kiss of the vampire

Question 1

context of KOTV- time period

Answer 1

• hammer horror genre is popular
• ‘swinging 60s’- emphasis on new and modern
• released in 1963
• beatlemania

Question 2

context of KOTV- film

Answer 2

• intended as 2nd sequel to Dracula but there was no mention of this in the film
• could be to distance from unfavourable comparisons to the superior Christpher Lee who starred in the original
• hybrid of horror and romance- views women as submissive

Question 3

Steve Neale’s genre theory

Answer 3

• believes films of a certain type should include features that are similar
• this is so that the audience can recognise what type of film it is
• it should also include features that are different to keep the audience interested (repetition and difference)
• audience expectations=genre conventions

Question 4

Steve Neale argues that audiences like genres because:

Answer 4

• allows them to make informed choices
• understand a text more readily
• gives familiarity and comfort
• audiences gain gratification from recognising genres

Question 5

Propp’s character theory

Answer 5

• there is always a damsel in distress within a piece of media

Question 6

Hammer Horror genre- context and conventions

Answer 6

• a sub-genre of horror which is more exaggerated
• a series of gothic horror films made by hammer between the late 60s and early 70s
• codes and conventions: the conventions generally include a damsel in distress, a male hero who saves her, dramatic acting and music, vulnerable women in silky nightgowns who have their chest exposed
• iconography: bats, haunted mansions, blood, low key lighting, gothic styles of costume eg black cape for dracula
• hammer horror uses repetition and diference by adding in comedic and romantic elements to keep the audience invested
• dominated the horror genre until the late 1980s when they stopped producing films due to financial issues

Question 7

key terminology: representation

Answer 7

the proportion to which or way in which something is shown in media (gender is most important in KOTV)

Question 8

key terminology: stereotype

Answer 8

• a type of person represented in the media which is often based on assumptions and generalisations, often harmful

KOTV:
- submissive women
- the blonde woman is submisive- dumb blonde, only for looks
- femme fatale “fatal woman”
- generic vampire with long cape and gothic iconography

Question 9

Stuart Hall: femme fatale (how does this relate to KOTV)

Answer 9

• female power is villified, the bat is holding her back from being violent
• the word ‘kiss’ also sexualises her
• sexualised gestures: hair, dress off the shoulder, dominance over the submissive male
• submissive female is viewed as acceptable because she is not being attacked by the bats

Question 10

enigma code

Answer 10

an element within semiotic codes to create mystery and suspense

• the vulnerable man
• mode of address in typography isn’t very straightforward
• contrast between kiss and vampire

Question 11

Gilroy

Answer 11

• absence of POC represents how marginalised they were in the 60s
• reinforces his ideas about ethnicity and the racial hierarchy
• the names on the KOTV poster are mostly male, showing how the industry was dominated by white males

Question 12

Levi Strauss structuralism

Answer 12

• the idea that texts are constructed through the use of binary oppositions

binary oppositions in KOTV
- masc vs fem
- strong woman, weak man etc
- good vs evil
- conscious vs unconscious

Question 13

“Eastman color” being used in the poster

Answer 13

• eastman colour (1950) is a more affordable version of the earlier technicolour (1935)- Becky Sharp
• shows advancement in film

Question 14

KOTV follows genre conventions by:

Answer 14

• having a beatiful, young, blonde, submissive ‘damsel in distress’ woman (she has her neck exposed, costume, swoons into the male vampire’s arms)
• sexualised costumes for the women (quite tight fitting, high heels etc)
• dominant male hero and male villain who is often conventionally unattractive
• has gothic iconography (bats, castle, full moon, red, blood)
• dracula’s costume is a long black cape
• very dramatic art style, reflective of how dramatic the style of hammer horror films are (the background is dark but the characters have a lot of colour contrast, making them stand out and making the women’s bodies noticeable especially)
• gothic typography- connotations of horror genre
• vampires are quite gothic, black hair etc

Question 15

KOTV breaks genre conventions by:

Answer 15

• featuring the dominant women, the femme fatale (although villified for this- she is not seen as being as attractive as the other women, baring her teeth in a non ladylike way and having black hair instead, feet are out.)
• submissive and partially sexualised male, who has his shirt unuttoned and neck exposed
• the male vampire looks quite scared, it is enigmatic whether he is trying to save the woman or keep her captive
• the woman grips her male tightly and has her arm up as if to fend the bats off from her prey, she seems aggressive