Kiss of the Vampire Representation Flashcards
what’s the political and social context?
1960s was the start of women’s sexual liberation, aided by events such as introduction to contraceptive pill. more women were entered into the paid workforce and 60 feminists were campaigning for equal pay, end to sexual harassment. equal pay legislation was passed in 1963.
how do old and new stereotypes of women differ?
older stereotypes of women as passive victims to men and more modern male fears of women challenging male dominance are both encoded.
how does the dress code represent women?
both women wear pale dresses made of light material and these dress codes reinforce their feminity by highlighting the curves of their body and revealing the flesh of their upper chest and arm.
what do the gesture codes represent of the male vampire and female victim?
the women victim is a stereotypical passive victim of the vampire, his power is highlighted by him holding her with 1 arm.
what are the gesture codes of the female vampire and male victim?
baring her teeth and arm raised fist-like, her gesture codes are more aggressive and the submissive pose of the male victim represents her in a non-stereotypically dominant way.
how does Hall’s reception theory apply?
the images of a castle, bats, capes and dripping blood form part of the ‘shared conceptual road map’ that gives the meaning to the ‘world’. the audience is encouraged to decode with this familiar generic iconography.
how does Gauntlett’s theory of identity applies?
the female vampire acts as a role model for women struggling against male oppression and desperate to be seen as the equals of men.
how does Van Zoonen’s feminist theory?
by assuming this co-antagonist role, the female vampire is contributing to social change by representing women in a non-traditional roles through the passive female victim does reinforce this.
