how women are portrayed in horror films, and would like to hear some different views of how people think women are represented and how they think women should be represented in films
Hi, thanks for the invite. Personally i feel there are horror films and then there are horror films. I've recently stopped going to watch some of the more popular horror films as i feel they portray not just women but also men and children in unhelpful ways. Why should i watch women be slaughtered or raped. If I do and i watch to be entertained, then does the reality of such violence be acceptable to me on the regional or national news. NO! then why should i approve of violence toward women on the cinema?
Theres different types of women who are portrayed in Horror films Sometimes the woman can be the main character or 'soul survivor' and through these types of characters, women are represented in a positive view as the strong brave people. Then there is also women represented in a more negative way as the 'whores' (excused the language but its the only way to described them :P) Its a true convention of horror film, especially identified in teen horror slashers then the girl having sex or engaging in parties ect. will always be killed. So there are two portrayals of females in horrors, up to you to decide which you are interested in discussing =]
Originally posted by daveyg60: . . . does the reality of such violence be acceptable to me on the regional or national news. NO! then why should i approve of violence toward women on the cinema?
Answer: Because it's make believe, the movies.
An as for women or men being tortured in horror films it's to provoke a reaction. It's the director trying to do his/her job to the best of his/her abilities.
And by the way, since the 80s women have learnt how to run, when chased by a protaganist, without falling down.
First let me say I love the Genre. Secondly, I think women are represented in horror as they are in society. there is the maternal warrior archetpye, the damsel, the sex object, the bi itch they want you to hate, and the big breasted runner who must eventually fall because everyone wants to see her breasts. The issue is how graphically a womans distress may be depicted in horror. And with regard to that it's horror so anything can happen to her there unlike many other genre's which is why horror most imitates life in that respect. Anything could happen man woman child no one is safe and that's personally what I love about it.
Originally posted by Sumthin4Me: First let me say I love the Genre. Secondly, I think women are represented in horror as they are in society. there is the maternal warrior archetpye, the damsel, the sex object, the bi itch they want you to hate, and the big breasted runner who must eventually fall because everyone wants to see her breasts. The issue is how graphically a womans distress may be depicted in horror. And with regard to that it's horror so anything can happen to her there unlike many other genre's which is why horror most imitates life in that respect. Anything could happen man woman child no one is safe and that's personally what I love about it.
