TW: Horror Movie research - What Slasher films tell us about gender politics and girl power

 

The re positioning of women in Slasher Horror

Pre-1970's; women were presented as the weakest characters in the Horror genre - whereby they faced a menacing threat, and were saved by an archetypal masculine hero. However, when directors such as Wes Craven responded to the growing Feminist movement of the early 1970's; a trend began of the appearance of 'new women' in horror - women who were not only portrayed as capable of self-defense, but strong and determined characters - who replaced the male heroic role pre-1970's

The conventions of 'stalk and slash' horror

According to Mark Whitehead, who wrote a book detailing the conventions of 'stalk and slash' films - the genre is very formulaic - normally involving a group of mixed-sex teenagers going out for a night, before one-by-one they are brutally murdered - leaving just one protagonist to fight off the antagonist character, who is revealed at the end.

Slasher's original audience

The original audience for slasher horror films detailed male 12-29 year olds, largely due to these films containing scenes of sexual nudity, as well as graphic horror scenes. The increasingly popular nature of Slasher films lead to script-writers requiring new ways to kill off teenagers, such as in 'Slumberparty Massacre 2' (Bernard, 1987) - when one victim is killed with a guitar drill.

The significance of Slasher films

Slasher films were significant not least because of their deep moral tales - revealed by the fact that these killings take place due to trespassing, or vengeance for an earlier perpetration or a group that the victims represent. Generally, the murderers are brandishing punishments for immoral actions by the teenagers' that therefore dishonour their parents. Moreover, Slasher has created long-lasting icons - such as Freddy Krueger from The Nightmare on Elm Street, and has therefore established the usage of a sustained narrative in horror film franchises.

The Concept of 'The Final Girl.'

Terror Train featured a 'Final Girl'
called Alana.

Carol J. Clover coined the term 'The Final Girl' to describe the sole female survivor of numerous Slasher films, describing that The Final Girl embodied difference and drew a juxtaposition with her fellow comrades - due to higher levels of intellect, being more morally pure, and more aware. Inevitably, this is the reason why 'The Final Girl' lives up to her name. Although often distanced from the group due to her superior status, she is initially portrayed as 'powerless' as her friends seem empowered by the acts of adult life like sexual intercourse and alcohol, but as the film continues - and murders ensue; this powerless representation is replaced by a strong-minded and decisive figure, who sets about avenging her friends in the most satisfying way possible.

For Clover, this extreme case of character development is directly related to gender - there is a shift from a weak, passive female, to a strong, aggressive - increasingly masculine character. To further emphasise this - the Final Girl will often avenge with a phallic object, making the character even more masculine. Lastly, in films such as 'Terror Train' (Spottiswoode, 1980), and 'Scream' (Craven, 1996) - the Final Girl is given an androgynous name - such as Alana and Sidney respectively.

Furthermore, the extreme violence which surrounds the Final Girl at the end of the film further reinforces the fulfilment of a masculine stereotype, for example - in 'Hell Night' (DeSimone, 1981) - The Final Girl decapitates a killer with a machete.

All this suggests that there is an underlying gender stereotype in Slasher Horror films - whereby only a character who possesses masculine traits will be able to emerge triumphant.