Slasher Films

Question 1

What can a movie do to encourage a viewer to forge a significant identification with a movie character?

Answer 1

• try to survive
• selfless — help friends
• relatable
• fully-developed
• make smart choices
• rarely trip/fall
• nice/smart
• aware of the danger

Question 2

What can lead to a viewer losing a possible identification with a movie character?

Answer 2

• cause pain to others
• not kind
• make foolish choices
• not aware of danger
• annoying
• stereotypes

Question 3

What does loss of identification with a character lead to for the viewer?

Answer 3

When a viewer loses or never creates identification with a character we actively hope he/she dies.

Question 4

Ending A

Answer 4

The heroine fights killer and escapes.

Question 5

Ending B

Answer 5

The heroine fights killer and kills the killer.

Question 6

Psychosexual Fury

Answer 6

When the WARPED or DAMAGED mind deals with sex or sexuality, FURY and ANGER is the result

Question 7

“Psycho”

Answer 7

Refers to mind, psyche, psychology.

Question 8

“Sexual”

Answer 8

Refers to sex, sexuality, understanding of one’s sexuality.

Question 9

Gaze = Power

Answer 9

To look into; to stare

The people involved in a slasher movie who have THE GAZE are the killer, the final girl, and the viewers (us!) of the film.

Question 10

THE KILLER: FEMALE KILLERS

Answer 10

• fewer female slasher killer
• no female franchise (series) killers

*Motive: revenge for a traumatic moment that happened in her adult life (17 & up)

Question 11

THE KILLER: MALE KILLERS

Answer 11

• no normal side — ALL monster ALL the time
• large
• masked
• superhuman strength
• recognizably human
• outsiders of society
• rarely speak — when they do it’s only violent or sexual words -> impossible for us to identify

*Motive: Psychosexual Fury

Question 12

THE TERRIBLE PLACE

Answer 12

*HOUSES or tunnels

Houses- relatable setting for viewers -> increases our fear

• what makes a place “terrible”
  1) terrible people NOW occupy the place
  2) terrible past history
  3) OFTEN not home to the victim

Question 13

THE PENETRATION SCENE

Answer 13

To ESCAPE the killer, victim locks herself in a room/car/closet but she has just trapped herself. Now she MUST FIGHT BACK or DIE. If she fights like WE THINK WE’D FIGHT we will identify with her.

Question 14

WEAPONS

Answer 14

• NO GUNS
  1) the won’t work when needed
  2) too loud -> alert other victims
  3) to fulfill the killers need for psychosexual fury he needs to be CLOSE to the victim in proximity

Weapons used:
- knives, axes, chainsaws, power drill
• require close contact between victim to kill
• penetrating weapons

Question 15

Why and how they are killed: MALE VICTIMS

Answer 15

Why:

1) tries to stop killer
2) trespass on killers turf
3) “wring” sex -> - wrong time - wrong place - wrong person
4) get in killer’s way

How:

• short scenes
• often shot from a distance
• tend to not be very graphic
• of filmed in close-up, often dark/fog/rain
• sometimes off-screen death

Question 16

How and why they are killed: FEMALE VICTIMS

Answer 16

Why:

1) tries to stop killer
2) trespass on killers turf
3) “wrong” sex -> same as male victims
4) get in killer’s way
5) DIES BECAUSE SHE IS FEMALE -> sparks killer’s fury

How:

• longer scenes
• stalking/chase scene before death
• gory/graphic
• ALWAYS on screen
• often shot in close-up

Question 17

THE FINAL GIRL

Answer 17

• she lives -> • fights and escapes • fights and kills killer
• she’s “boyish” -> • not conventionally “feminine” • more conservative clothing • unisex name
• smart and resourceful
• she actively fights back
• fight scene — 10-20 minutes
• not sexually active
• unattached as character
• WE IDENTIFY WITH HER!! (everyone)
• aware of the danger signs (The Gaze)
• sees dead friends
• she’s our final girl (we know) at start of the film
• fully-developed character