Kiss of the Vampire Flashcards
REPRESENTATION
What are some political and social context about the period KOTV was released in? (1960s)
- Boom in 1960’s for jobs outside of home for women
- The 1960s is often seen as the start of women’s sexual liberation by events such as the introduction of the contraceptive pill in 1960
- In 1962 there was more women in education/university
- Increased opportunities for women to have jobs (be more than a wife/mother)
- Women realised how bad they were being treated
- The advert for Intercity - women sing about their rights but head home before their husbands find out
- Betty Friedan (American feminist) said “women are shown solely as men’s wife, mother, love object, dishwasher, cleaner and never as a person.”
What 3 ideologies are most present in KOTV?
- Dominant ideology of beauty expectations for women
- Progressive ideology of women being powerful/in control
- Residual (traditional) ideology of blonde woman being very vulnerable
What do the codes of dress/costume connote?
Revealing dress (sexuality and reducing to an object), nude color encodes/gives the impression of nudity
How is positioning used in KOTV and what does it mean?
Having both a man and a woman above each other so it’s slightly representing equality.
- Blonde woman positioned in a more obvious, submissive, weak way
What is there to say on the choice of models?
They are two stereotypical/typically attractive white women.
- Both women (mostly blonde woman) are an example of Mulvey’s male gaze theory.
What is Stuart Hall’s theory?
Stereotyping as a form of representation reduces people to a few simple characteristics or traits
How can Stuart Hall’s representation theory be applied to KOTV?
- Blonde woman stereotyped and reduced to being submissive, weak and less than a man.
- Stereotype that vampires are villains, dangerous.
- Audience in encourage to actively decode the generic iconography of the vampire genre due to use of a castle, bats, dripping blood, cape, fangs.
What is some media language in KOTV and what are its connotations?
- Serif font gives the illusion or is made to look like wooden stakes.
- Mise en scene of costume - women are displayed in objectifying outfits (heels, skin tight, open chested dresses.)
- Rule of thirds, female vampire is in the center which is unconventional for representations of women in the 60s
How can Van Zoonen’s feminist theory be applied to KOTV?
The idea of a co-antagonist role, the female vampire is perhaps contributing to social change by representing women in non traditional roles, her body language, facial expression and outfit, however the passive female victim is actively reinforcing them.
- She is being bitten by a bat yet shows no sign of discomfort or pain.
What is Van Zoonen’s feminist theory?
The media portray images of stereotypical women and this behaviour reinforces societal views, it’s part of our everyday lives to see women as objects.
What is Gauntlett’s theory?
The media provides us with resources that we can use ‘pick and mix’ to construct our identities.
How can Gauntlett’s theory be applied to KOTV?
The female vampire acts as a role model for women struggling against male oppression, or who are part of the 2nd wave of feminism fighting for equality.
- Alternatively, male viewers may actively choose not to base their identities on the male characters in the poster due to the atypical representations of men. The male vampire, although in a role of usual authority and power, appears to be a bit more passive and afraid than the female vampire. Furthermore, the male victim is brought to his knees and positioned in a vulnerable, bare-skinned way which makes him seem weak and challenges male stereotypes.
What can you say about how the male victim is positioned?
Unlike the female victim, the man’s face is not shown; this could be to protect his image as he is going against the male stereotype of being above women, more powerful and superior.
His neck and chest are exposed and very open which suggests vulnerability.
How can you apply Barthe’s semiotics theory to KOTV?
Enigma Code
- Why are they being attacked/bitten?
- What happened to the two unconscious people and who are they?
- Are the vampires the protagonists or antagonists? (male vampire holding female victim in an almost protective, endearing or supportive fashion, female vampire holding male victim’s shoulder gently)
Semantic Code
- Bats - horror, darkness, caves
- Background, haunted house, full moon
What examples of Levi Strauss’s Binary oppositions theory?
- Male, female
- Weak, powerful
- Vampire, human
- Inferior, superior
- On top, below
- Light, dark
- Predator, prey
- Good, evil
