Section B: British Film and Genre - The Final Girl in Other British Horror Films

In your essay on the representation of gender for Section B: British Film Topics - British Film and Genre, you may want to mention the inclusion of the final girl character type in other recent British horror films such as Mum and Dad, Eden Lake, Triangle and Donkey Punch.

This is likely to only take up a small paragraph towards the end of your essay - just after you have introduced the concept of the final girl character type in relation to The Descent (it could go just before you talk about Sarah in The Descent in detail OR after you have discussed the ways that Sarah conforms to the conventions of the final girl). You do not have to include it BUT you may find that it enhances your essay by making brief reference to one or two other films.

Whilst none of the women in the aforementioned films are perfect archetypes of the final girl (certainly not in the same sense as Sarah in The Descent), they all do possess recognisable traits that we expect to find in this type of character.

In Mum and Dad, directed by Steven Sheil, Lena (the central female protagonist) is initially portrayed as vulnerable - she is taken under the control of the parents of two fellow workers she meets at Heathrow Airport. As an immigrant, she has no family in this country, which immediately establishes her isolation and vulnerability, and once she is taken prisoner by the twisted family (who torture her, repeatedly) she appears as the typical damsel-in-distress figure. There are also frequent shots of her semi-naked, in her knickers - and it could be argued that she is objectified by both the characters and the audience.

Despite these more stereotypical representations of gender within the genre, Lena displays many attributes of the final girl character type that we saw in The Descent. As the narrative progresses, she shows resourcefulness a number of times: as she realises the seriousness of her situation she begins to be more compliant with the parents in order to win their trust, which she hopes will offer her an opportunity to escape (she massages both of their feet, hugs Mum, and tells on Birdy); she finds a phone and hides it in her knickers (hoping to be able to use it to contact the outside world); she throws a human tooth out of the bathroom window to try to catch the attention of a man who is outside the house; she slips her straps and explores the house looking for a means of escape, before stealing a weapon she uses later to stab Dad.

She also shows bravery and strength, enduring terrible torture before overpowering Birdy, Mum and Dad and escaping (having defeated the 'monster').

In Eden Lake, directed by James Watkins, the character of Jenny has many of the attributes we would expect to find in the final girl character type. Despite the fact that she is sexualised and objectified towards the beginning of the film (shown in a number of shots in a bikini as she sunbathes around the lake) she is shown primarily as brave (she watches her boyfriend tortured and die, yet carries on regardless trying to defeat the youths that have killed him, and trying to escape), strong (she tackles the youths killing two of them) and resourceful (she uses her Bluetooth to connect to her boyfriend's phone whilst he is tied up with barbed wire and being stabbed by the gang, she hides her boyfriend under the floorboards of shack that she finds in the woods, she follows the powerlines to try and find a way out of the woods, and she hides in a bin when she hears some of the gang approach).

Despite the fact that it is implied that she dies at the end of the film, Jenny is, for the most part, a positive representation of women in the genre and has many of the traits we would expect to find in the final girl character.

Two final films that you may wish to mention very briefly are Triangle, directed by Christopher Smith and Donkey Punch, directed by Olly Blackburn. At times, the female characters in both films are sexualised and objectified (particularly in Donkey Punch) BUT both films contain central female protagonists that can be considered to have traits that we would expect to find in the final girl.

In Triangle, Jess (the central female protagonist) is the only character to realise what is happening on the ship (regarding the time loop) and she shows bravery, strength and resourcefulness throughout the film - she fights the 'monster' on a number of occasions, disposes of the bodies of her friends and leaves a message on the mirror for her future self. She also has a name that has masculine qualities.

In Donkey Punch, Tammi (the female central protagonist and sole survivor at the end of the film) is the only woman who is hesitant about boarding the yacht with the boys that they meet on holiday (like Sarah in The Descent, she suspects that something is wrong and is ignored by the other characters). She defeats the 'monster' and shows resourcefulness by hiding the incriminating tape, tricking the killer as he attempts to stab her and firing a flare into the sky so that she can be rescued.

Just remember that the focus of your essay is on Dracula and The Descent - you should only reference any of the films above very briefly (possibly in bracket with a short supportive point). You do not have to discuss these films BUT the briefest of mentions will enhance your essay and show that you understand that the final girl character type and the more positive representation of women is becoming more common in British horror films.

Section B: British Film and Genre - the Representation of Women in The Descent

For the second half of your essay on Section B: British Film Topics, it is essential that you discuss, in detail, the ways that women are represented in Neil Marshall's film The Descent. In the first half of your essay, you will have outlined the ways that gender is presented in Dracula (1958, directed by Terence Fisher) and the point of the essay is to show how the representation of women in British Horror films has changed.

  

As before, you must use plenty of detailed examples from the film to support the points that you make - below are a number of useful clips from The Descent for you to make reference to, focusing on aspects of mise-en-scene, such as props and costume, which emphasise the changing representations of women.

There are also a number of clips that you can use when making the crucial points about the final girl character type.

Study these clips closely, making any extra notes that you feel will enhance the points you make in your essay - just remember that you should point out that the stereotypical representations of women that you found in Dracula (such as vulnerable victim/damsel-in-distress, sex object, duplicitous/deceitful/untrustworthy, domesticated) have largely been replaced with more positive representations of women as strong, brave, independent and resourceful.

In this part of the essay (the second half, after you have discussed Dracula), you may like to start with a paragraph that acts as an overview of the changes in representation of women in films like The Descent (also mentioning other British Horror films such as Mum and Dad, Eden Lake, Triangle and Donkey Punch) - outlining the fact that the stereotypical representations that you found in Dracula have been replaced with less stereotypical representations. You may want to briefly mention aspects of mise-en-scene and the introduction of the final girl character type in this connecting paragraph, alongside the ways in which films like The Descent appeal to a broader audience (one that has moved away from the perceived audience for horror movies - adolescent males) BEFORE writing lengthier, separate paragraphs on costumes/props and the final girl.

In the paragraph about costumes and props, you must discuss the fact that throughout the film the women are shown wearing costumes that DO NOT sexualise or objectify them - instead, they are shown wearing more functional clothes (and using more functional props) that are suitable for the masculine pursuits that they are undertaking - such as white water rafting and caving.

In the paragraph about the final girl character type, you must outline the traits that are common to this type of character and give examples of each of these from the film - remember that you should suggest that Sarah fits the character type of the final girl almost perfectly, before discussing each of the following traits in detail: boyish attributes, strong and independent, intelligent and resourceful, brave, serious. Again, some of the clips below will outline this more clearly, and will support the notes we have discussed in the handout that I gave you.

Look carefully at each of the following clips (and the notes that accompany them) and remember that you will need to give detailed examples of scenes that emphasise the changing representations of gender (such as costume props and anything related to the final girl character type).



The opening scene of The Descent is a useful one to discuss with regards to the representation of women - you can use it to support points about the costumes that the women wear in the film (here, the outfits are functional and appropriate for the activity that they are engaged in, rather than sexualising/objectifying them) and if you want to discuss the ways that the women are seen as brave and adventurous rather than weak and vulnerable.

The scene shows them white water rafting - an extreme sport that may be more commonly associated with men. The amplified sound effects of the women whooping, which starts the scene, indicates that they are skilled and in control - enjoying the experience. The idea that they are brave and skilled is supported by various shots of them navigating through crashing torrents of water - their figure behaviour here establishes them as different from the more vulnerable women we witnessed in Dracula, and creates certain expectations about how they will behave later in the narrative when they are put in danger. The rapid editing and canted angles shows how dangerous the activity is. The scene also sets up the idea that Juno and Sarah's husband are having an affair - an important plot point that is not clarified until later in the narrative.



The scene in the hospital shows Sarah as fragile and vulnerable - a more typical representation of women within the horror genre. Contra-zooms and canted angles are used to unsettle the audience (useful if you want to discuss techniques that the director uses that are associated with the horror genre) and we see Sarah in a distressed state as she realises that both her husband and young daughter are dead.

You do not need to discuss this scene in detail - BUT you may find it useful to mention when discussing the change in Sarah as a character as the film progresses, outlining her transformation from an archetypal vulnerable victim (understandable, considering what she has been through) to the warrior-like final girl that we witness as the narrative progresses.



It is crucial that you discuss the costumes that the women wear in The Descent, and contrast these with the costumes the women wear in Dracula (and within the genre generally). Remember, that one of the stereotypical representations of women within the horror genre is as a sex object, and this is usually promoted through the mise-en-scene of costume which is used to accentuate the female figure or to show off flesh. By now, you will have made comments to this effect in your discussion of Dracula and it is vital that you say that the costumes the women wear in The Descent DO NOT present the women as sex objects - they are NOT used to encourage the objectification of the women.

In this scene, as Sarah and Beth arrive at the isolated log cabin ahead of their caving trip, they are wearing heavy sweaters and jeans rather than costumes that emphasise their figures. The high angle shots, sinister non-diegetic music, loose framing, animal skulls and the isolated setting are all typical aspects of film form that audiences will associate with the genre - what is significantly different, however, is the costumes that the women wear - jeans, jumpers, jackets and scarves. You must strongly make the point that these costumes do not sexualise the women at all.



The clip above, inside the log cabin, reinforces the sense of togetherness or unity of the women BUT also shows them all wearing costumes that do not present the women as sex objects.



Often in the horror genre there are scenes that are included for no real narrative purpose and seem to be there simply to show women gratuitously - countless scenes in horror films have women undress simply so that they can be objectified by either male characters or a predominantly male audience. Here, the women have changed out of their functional jeans and sweaters into unflattering pyjamas and dressing gowns. This kind of scene would have been the perfect opportunity for the director to present the women as sex objects through costume, dressing them in skimpy nightwear such as negligees or having the women wander around in their bras and knickers. Marshall, in fact, does the opposite - reinforcing that this is not a film wear the women are sexualised and objectified, and highlighting the changing representations of women within the genre.

This is emphasised as Beth enters the sitting room wearing black flowery pyjamas, that hang off her rather than clinging to her figure. The dialogue even draws attention to just how unflattering and unsexy her costume is - Beth claims the pyjamas were a Christmas present as the other girls howl with laughter at her.

The beginning of the scene is also useful if you want to discuss one of the traits of the final girl character. Some of the girls are shown outside - they are clearly drunk and they are smoking what appears to be pot (hiding it from Juno when she appears to remind them they have an early start). The final girl character in horror films isn't interested in superficial pleasures such as drinking and partying, and is instead presented as more serious and focused: noticeably, Sarah, the final girl, is absent - this represents her as more serious and focused than the others.



This scene begins with sinister non-diegetic music, mise-en-scene and certain camera shots that are typical of the horror genre (high angle extreme long shots of the isolated setting, slow zooms, loose framing of the cars on the road) BUT it is most useful in reinforcing the fact that the women are adventurous. They drive at pace towards their destination, their journey taking them off road - Sarah is shown as skilled and fearless as she confidently navigates her way across the dangerous terrain (the thrill of the drive reinforced through the use of tightly framed shots inside the vehicles, fast tracking shots, rapid editing and point of view shots).



In this scene, the costumes that the women wear and the props that they use are not stereotypically feminine. The outfits worn (including beanie hats, waterproof jackets and trousers, heavy sweaters) are not used to objectify the women or present them as sex objects - once again, they are functional and have masculine connotations (associated with extreme sports - as are the props of helmets, ropes and caving equipment).

Once more, the non-diegetic music is dramatic and sinister (pointing forward to the horrors the women will experience once trapped in the cave) and Marshall uses a range of shots that we would associate with the horror genre such as high angles and extreme long shots (that show the women loosely framed, and therefore vulnerable, tiny against the vast and imposing landscape).



As the women enter the cave, we are reminded of their skill and bravery (attributes associated with the final girl character type). Once again the costumes (this time, functional caving outfits, including unflattering helmets that help de-sexualise the women) and the props (ropes, carabiners, harnesses, torches) are more commonly associated with men and help reinforce the changing representations of gender.

Don't feel that you have to keep repeating these points in your essay - rather make the point once BUT give lots of examples (describing the scenes in detail) from a number of different points in the movie.



The notes that I have already given you on the final girl character type are pretty comprehensive - you must learn them and discuss the attributes of the final girl in relation to Sarah in The Descent in detail. This discussion should form the bulk of the second part of the second half of your essay and must be supported with concrete examples from the film.

Remember - you should have a mini paragraph on each of the following attributes, with at least one detailed, well explained, example from the film:

• BOYISH ATTRIBUTES
• STRONG AND INDEPENDENT
• INTELLIGENT AND RESOURCEFUL
• BRAVE
• SERIOUS

You should focus on The Descent (remember that the syllabus states that you should discuss a minimum of two films, and you will already have discussed the representation of women in Dracula) BUT you may like to briefly mention examples of the final girl character type from other British Horror films (see separate post, which briefly discusses the appearance of this character type in Mum and Dad, Eden Lake, Triangle and Donkey Punch). Just remember that any discussion of these other films should be brief and that you are much better off discussing The Descent in detail!

One of the characteristics of the final girl is that she is the first to realise that something is wrong. Conventionally, she will bring her concerns to the others and they will ignore her. Ultimately she will be proved right and a number of the other characters will die as a result of failing to heed her concerns.

In the scene above, we witness Sarah hearing the noises of the crawlers (something that confirms her suspicions that the women are not alone in the cave). Frequently, she catches a glimpse of something in the cave with them, or senses the presence of some thing other than her fellow cavers, yet her concerns are repeatedly ignored (the other women put her 'paranoid' behaviour down to Sarah's struggle to come to terms with the tragic deaths of both her husband and daughter at the beginning of the film). In the distance she sees the crouching figure of a crawler. When she frantically mentions it to Juno she dismisses it with the words 'there's nothing there' - the implication that it is a figment of Sarah's anxious imagination.



Once the crawlers attack, the girls become separated from each other (making them more vulnerable to being picked off one by one - as is typical in narratives from the horror genre). Sarah shows intelligence and resourcefulness a number of times in the later stages of the film and the clip above should be discussed in detail to support the points you make about this attribute of the final girl.

Hiding from the crawlers, Sarah turns on the video camera so that she can see what is happening around her (scanning the area through the night vision feature on the camcorder). Holly (who is the first to die) has had her broken leg splinted with the handle of an axe and Sarah takes the handle from her leg (showing bravery as she does so) and uses it to make a torch so that she can navigate her way around the pitch black cave system. She displays resourcefulness by cutting items of Holly's clothing and wrapping them around the axe handle (covering the rags with fuel she has found in an abandoned jerry can left by previous cavers). Quickly thinking on her feet, Sarah lights the fuel-soaked rags by creating a spark by bashing her carabiner against the rocks. Despite the obvious distress removing the splint from Holly's leg causes her, Sarah shows bravery by overcoming her fear and quickly and quietly constructing the makeshift torch.



One trait that is repeatedly shown by the final girl is bravery. In the scene above, Sarah puts her best friend Beth out of her misery, despite the fact that it is incredibly distressing for her to do so. Typically in the horror genre, the final girl sees the rest of her friends die BUT continues to pursue the monster despite the fact that the odds of her survival are unlikely. She tries to save Beth, but once it becomes apparent that she will not be able to do so she shows bravery and strength by killing her (using a rock to swiftly crush her skull and put her out of her misery).

Once she has killed Beth, Sarah is attacked by a crawler and shows her new-found strength by fighting it off and stamping it to death. Almost immediately another crawler attacks Sarah and she displays both bravery and resourcefulness by hiding by submerging herself in what appears to be a lake of blood. When she is spotted by the crawler, Sarah shows strength by holding her off, and resourcefulness by grabbing the tooth of an animal that is on the rocks and stabbing it through the crawler's eye.

As she crawls out of the lake of blood and onto the rock, Sarah displays a further act of resourcefulness and intelligence as another crawler approaches. Realising that the crawlers are blind, Sarah lies still on the rock whilst the crawler crawls over the top of her - managing to stay motionless and silent while the crawler literally sits on top of her. As the crawler moves off, Sarah carefully picks up a weapon, killing the crawler with it as it turns to face her. This scene shows just how far Sarah has transformed from the fragile and vulnerable woman we saw in the hospital at the beginning of the film.

You may want to use other clips from the film to support the points you make about the changing representations of women in the film and the final girl character - feel free to do so BUT there are more than enough examples above.

Once you have discussed costume and the final girl in relation to The Descent, you can conclude with a short statement that outlines just how far the representation of women has changed in the horror genre in the fifty years or so between Dracula and The Descent.

Section B: British Film and Genre - the Representation of Women in Dracula

As outlined in the previous post (on the way that you should structure your answers for Section B: British Film Topics - British Film and Genre), it is essential that you discuss, in detail, the ways that women are represented in Dracula.

This should take up roughly the first half of your essay (after the introduction) and you must emphasise that women are presented in a number of ways in Terence Fisher's 1958 horror movie, and that none of these representations are particularly positive.

Women are often portrayed in the following ways in horror films (and all of these representations are present in Dracula):

• Vulnerable victim/damsel-in-distress
• Sex object/lustful
• Domesticated
• Duplicitous/untrustworthy

You should emphasise that the ways in which women were represented in horror movies in the 1950s and 1960s, may have been a reflection of attitudes held in wider society with regards to gender. You may also like to suggest that women have often been represented in this way in cinema in general - and not only within the horror genre. In many modern horror films (particularly those made in the US, but also many produced in the UK) women are still represented in one or more of these ways - films like The Descent (and to a slightly lesser degree, Eden Lake, Mum and Dad, Triangle and Donkey Punch) turn many of these representations on their head, particularly as a result of the introduction of the final girl character.

The clips below, taken from Dracula, all highlight the differing ways that women were presented in the film and you must make sure that you discuss a number of these scenes in detail. Watch the clips and make your own notes on elements of mise-en-scene (such as costume and figure behaviour) and make sure that you use them as examples to back up your points in your essay. Remember, this is a Film Studies essay NOT a Sociology essay - you must reinforce your arguments with detailed examples from the films you have studied!



The instant that Harker meets the unnamed female victim in Dracula's castle, the audience are made aware of her duality - she may appear, from her facial expressions and figure behaviour, to be a vulnerable damsel-in-distress BUT the fact that we see her shadow cast across the floor before we see her, implies that she may not be what she seems - hinting that there is a dark and deceitful side to her personality. The fact that she begs Harker, a man, for his help in rescuing her, reinforces gender stereotypes regarding heroic masculinity and weak femininity - she needs a man to save her as she is incapable of doing it herself (contrast this with the resourceful, brave and independent final girl character of Sarah in The Descent).

As the camera tilts up the women, we see her in medium long shot - enabling us to see her figure behaviour but also her costume. Holding her hands loosely by her side, her stance is submissive, suggesting her vulnerability. The negligee she wears reveals her bare shoulders and arms, as well as her cleavage - whilst this costume may not be particularly revealing to a modern audience, the woman is clearly being objectified and portrayed as a sex object. Remember, that in 1958 this costume would have been particularly revealing (Dracula was sold to audiences as much on sex as it was on horror and violence) and whilst modern audiences are familiar with outfits in horror films that sexualise women much more, you should talk about this costume in terms of how it makes the woman appear to be a sex object.

Closer shots, such as medium shots and medium close ups, repeatedly emphasise the woman's cleavage and the high angle from which she is shot reinforce notions of her vulnerability (as does her figure behaviour, as she moves towards Harker and desperately pleads for his help).



In the second clip featuring the unnamed woman and Harker in Dracula's castle, the director hints at the woman's deceitful, sinister and dangerous side through the use of creepy non-diegetic music, that plays as Harker enters the great hall (she shuts the door behind him as he enters the room, as the music builds to a crescendo). Again, the shots of her (first, side on, followed by a medium close up) accentuate her figure and, in particular her breasts and cleavage - once more objectifying her for both Harker and the (predominantly male) audience, representing her as a sex object.

The camera tracks her as she runs desperately towards Harker, again pleading for his help; once more she is presented as being vulnerable and in need of saving (relying on a man to rescue her). During a lengthy two shot of Harker and the unnamed woman, she is shown in medium close up, a distance of shot that again sexualises/objectifies her by drawing the audience's attention to her cleavage. Again, the director uses high angle shots of her to emphasise her vulnerabilty - reinforced by the high-pitched desperate tone of voice as she pleads for Harker's assistance. The woman becomes more and more hysterical, grabbing Harker as she begs for help - at this point she is being represented as the archetypal damsel-in-distress. As the scene ends, however, we see a different representation of the woman - as deceitful, untrustworthy and duplicitous. As she clings desperately to Harker, thanking him for agreeing to help her escape Dracula, the director cuts to a close up of her face (over Harker's shoulder) - this enables the audience to see her facial expression change from timid, fearful and desperate to sinister and evil (the tone of the non-diegetic music changes to reflect her deceit). A look of lust covers her face as she bites Harker.

As the scene concludes and Dracula returns, the woman is again shot from a high angle and is once more represented as vulnerable, particularly compared to the strength that Dracula shows (he throws her to the floor like a rag doll, before easily picking her up and carrying her out of the room).



Stereotypical representations of women often found in older horror films include servants and housewives, domesticated and subservient to the male characters. Mina is represented in this way later in the film, as is Inga, the barmaid, in this scene. As she enters the inn, she is seen putting on her apron - immediately identifying her as a domesticated servant. During the conversation between Van Helsing and the Innkeeper, Inga is in the background, subservient to the men. When she speaks to Van Helsing, confirming helpfully that she remembers seeing Harker, she is instantly put in her place by the Innkeeper who demands that she "hold her tongue". Immediately, her figure behaviour and facial expression changes and she pretends not to remember seeing Harker - her change in demeanor reflects the male Innkeeper's power and her respective submissiveness. She instantly scurries back into the kitchen when ordered to prepare a meal by the Innkeeper - reinforcing masculine dominance.

As the scene ends, Inga secretively defies her boss by giving Van Helsing Harker's diary, which she has hidden beneath the napkin - this could be read as a moment of defiant courage OR as another example of a woman being deceitful.



When the audience are first introduced to Lucy, Harker's fiancee, she is instantly presented as vulnerable - she lies, ill, in her bed - we don't know it yet BUT she has become yet another victim of Count Dracula. The non-diegetic music that accompanies the early moments of the scene is sad and melancholic, reinforcing the representation of Lucy as a vulnerable damsel-in-distress. As Holmwood and his wife, Mina, leave the room, the non-diegetic music changes to a more sinister tone - revealing Lucy's duplicitous and deceitful nature; it seems that she was desperate for Holmwood and Mina to leave so that she can welcome Dracula into her bedroom.

As she rises from the bed, the medium close up of Lucy allows us to see the change in her facial expression as she looks longingly towards the French doors where she knows Dracula will appear. She throws her covers off and almost glides towards the door, secretively listening for Holmwood and Mina and locking the door - actions that again show her as duplicitous and deceitful. As she removes her crucifix, she is shown in medium close up and we can see her lustful facial expression - we get a sense of her sexual longing for Dracula's return. The camera pans, tracking her movements - she moves as if in a trance, under Dracula's control (again, a representation of women as weak and controlled by men). Lucy lays down on the bed, in a submissive position, as if welcoming Dracula for a sexual encounter. We see her look towards the door again (as the music heightens), followed by a point of view shot. When the director cuts back to a close up of Lucy, her facial expression shows fear and vulnerability - as she strokes her neck, it becomes apparent to the audience that she has been bitten by Dracula, and that she is now totally under his control.



In this scene, as Dracula dramatically appears at Lucy's doorway, the medium close up of her shows her breathing heavily - lustfully waiting for her encounter with Dracula; her facial expressions are a mixture of trepidation and sexual longing - both representations in keeping with the presentation of women in horror films from this era. As Dracula moves, he is dominant and powerful - Lucy's vulnerability is again reinforced by high angle shots of her on the bed. She twitches fearfully as Dracula envelopes her with his cloak.



In this scene, we see Lucy represented as deceitful and duplicitous - ordering Gerda (the maid - another representation of domesticity) to remove the garlic from her room and to open the windows, so that Dracula is free to visit her again. Medium close ups of Lucy looking towards the window (again, in a submissive position on the bed) show her facial expressions - a mixture of fear and sexual longing. You could use the scene to reinforce points that you have made about Lucy (and the representation of women throughout the film as being untrustworthy) BUT also to mention how Gerda is another stereotypical representation of women - both domesticated and incompetent (her decision to remove the garlic flowers and open her windows leads to Lucy's death).



Up until this point in the film, Mina Holmwood has been presented as the archetypal dutiful wife, a picture of obedient domesticity. In the notes, we discussed duality as a typical convention of the Gothic Horror sub-genre - the change in Mina from a reserved subservient wife to a sexually charged and lustful mistress of Dracula, is a perfect example of this.

The opening medium close up of Mina enables the audience to see the lust in her eyes, and the fact that she holds her collar up around her neck, as if to hide the bite marks on her neck, is an indication of her deceit. Her tone of voice has changed considerably from the earlier scenes, where her delivery was much more prim and reserved. The way that she wantonly flicks her head as she talks, further reinforces the change in her, and the glazed look in her eye suggests that she has experienced a level of sexual fulfillment previously alien to her.



Interestingly, as this scene begins Mina is dressed in black - the colour of the costume can be read as a representation of her descent towards evil now that she is under Dracula's control. The opening medium shot of Mina shows her in a domestic situation, sewing, as her husband and Van Helsing discuss business. As the men talk in the foreground, we can see Mina in the background trying to listen in to their conversation - when she asks the men what they are discussing, Holmwood patronisingly dismisses her, telling his wife that "we will be with you in a minute, darling".

As the scene progresses we see examples of both Mina's vulnerability and her deceitfulness. Holmwood asks her to take a crucifix for protection and her reluctant, nervous figure behaviour shows that she has something to hide - the fact that she is under Dracula's spell is revealed as the cross burns a mark into her hand.



Mina's deceitfulness is shown in this scene as she waits for Dracula to visit her. Her husband and van Helsing keep guard outside the house, in an attempt to protect her from Dracula - though she has deceived both men by allowing Dracula sanctuary in the basement of the house. Whilst they wait for Dracula outside, Mina is shown prowling around the house (again, her movements suggest a mixture of fearful vulnerability and sexual longing).

Her outfit is intended to portray her as a sex object (remember, for a contemporary audience, her nightgown may not seem particularly revealing BUT, at the time, it would have seemed more risque) - her hair is down and she has applied bright red lipstick. These elements of mise-en-scene are intended to present her to the audience as lustful and wanton. Close ups of Mina's face, as Dracula appears in the hallway below, again show a mixture of fear and lust, as does her figure behaviour as she backs away from Dracula towards the bed (a prop that reinforces her portrayal as lustful). Low angle shots of Dracula show his masculine dominance whilst high angle shots of Mina reinforce representations of her feminine vulnerability, as she submissively lies back on the bed.



This short scene, as Mina is thrown into the grave by Dracula, reinforces both his strength and her weakness and vulnerability - the message is clear: she is not powerful enough to resist or fight him, and she needs a masculine hero to rescue her from her fate. Her fragility is shown as Dracula easily picks her up and dumps her into the grave and her vulnerability is emphasised by the high angle shots, her figure behaviour and her screams.



As the film reaches its climax Mina is saved by the heroic actions of Van Helsing. Without the intervention of a masculine hero it is almost certain that she would die. The final shot of Mina shows her in Holmwood's arms, with her husband's coat draped around her shoulders - she is being protected by a more dominant, masculine figure.

Remember - you do not have to use all of the examples above NOR do you need to go into quite as much detail BUT it is important that you give examples from the film to clearly support the points you make.

Keep an eye on the blog for a similar post on the differing ways that women are presented in The Descent.

Answering the Question - Section B: British Film and Genre

For Section B: British Film Topics - British Film and Genre, I want your essay to focus on the ways that the representation of women in British Horror films has changed over time.

The first half of your essay should focus on the ways that women were represented in Dracula (1958) directed by Terence Fisher, whilst the second half of your essay should suggest that the representation of women has significantly changed within the British horror genre - you should use Neil Marshall's The Descent (2005) as an example of a film that shows just how far the representation of women has changed in horror films. In the second half of your essay, you may also want to make reference to films such as Mum and Dad (Steven Sheil, 2008), Triangle (Christopher Smith, 2009), Eden Lake (James Watkins, 2008) and Donkey Punch (Oliver Blackburn, 2008) when discussing the emergence of the final girl character type (i'll put up a post showing how to incorporate these films into a brief paragraph about the final girl, that can be added towards the end of the second half of your essay).

Look out for future posts that discuss the representation of women in both Dracula and The Descent in detail - you already have notes on this BUT I have included video clips and detailed descriptions to help you when constructing your points (remember, that for every point you make you must have DETAILED examples from the films to support your point).

The notes I have given you on British Horror include many ideas and issues outside of the representation of women within the genre - whilst you may want to mention some of these points, your focus should always be on the ways that the representation of gender has changed. Many of these other points about genre may well be condensed into an introduction - this is particularly important if there is not a question that explicitly references gender.

There is usually a question in the exam that explicitly references gender - the question may actually use the words "representation" and "gender" - if this is the case, then simply write the essay you have prepared, outlining in your introduction that the representation of women has changed in the 50 years between the release of Dracula and the release of The Descent. Once you are happy with a brief introduction, write about the differing ways that women are presented in Dracula (with detailed examples/descriptions from the film).

In the second half of your essay, write about the ways women are presented in The Descent - mention clothing and props that rather than sexualise or objectify the women, presents them in a stronger, more independent (more stereotypically masculine) way. Here, you must have a detailed discussion of the final girl character type - with detailed examples from the film (and maybe references to the other British horror films mentioned above). You have good notes on the final girl - but you may want to click on the links below for more information.

Wiki Definition for the Final Girl

The Final Girl - Gender in Horror

Examples of this kind of question, taken from previous exam papers, include:

"How are either female or male characters represented in the horror or comedy films you have studied for this topic?"

"Using particular sequences from the films you have studied for this topic, explore the representation of key characters."

"How is gender represented in the horror or comedy films you have studied for this topic?"

This kind of question comes up frequently, so it is likely that you will get a question that directly references gender representation. Even the ones above that do not say the word "gender" will ask you to discuss certain characters - here, you just outline that the characters you want to discuss are the women - then just write the essay as planned.

It is also possible, however, that you may get other types of questions - I still want you to write an essay about the ways that the representation of women has changed BUT you may need to tweak parts of your essay (particularly the introduction) OR turn the question around so that you can write the essay you have planned. Here's how you do it.

The other common question that appears will ask you to discuss the ways that the films you have studied follow OR break from the typical conventions of the genre. 

Here, you need to outline in your introduction that there are a number of similarities between Dracula and The Descent in terms of genre (for example the isolated settings of Dracula's castle and the log cabin/cave in The Descent, the use of eerie non-diegetic music in both films to create suspense and to unsettle the audience, the monster character type of Dracula and the Crawlers, the fact that the intended effect of both films is to scare the audience) BEFORE stating that there is one major difference between the two films in terms of genre conventions - the ways that women are represented in the films. Now you can go on and write an essay that focuses on the differing representations of gender!

Examples of this type of question, taken from previous exam papers, include:

"What are some of the ways that the films you have studied for this topic are typical of their genre?"

"Explore how the films you have studied for this topic use genre conventions?"

Try to write some practice essays for each type of question - ones that explicitly reference "gender" and ones that reference "genre" (which will, therefore, need tweaking).

Finally - avoid any of the questions that ask you to discuss what is typically British about the films you have studied. If a question asks you to discuss the "messages and values" of the films however, this can easily be adapted so that you write an essay about the ways that gender representation has changed.

Email me any practice essays to alexmorphey@btinternet.com, and i'll mark them as soon as possible!

Hollywood and the Importance of Global Box-Office

When discussing the dominance of Hollywood films in Section A: Producers and Audiences on the FM2 paper, you may want to discuss the importance of success for US produced films at the global box-office.

Remember that Hollywood films are incredibly expensive to produce and market, and without success outside of the US market many of these films would struggle to recoup their investment at the cinema (though many would inevitably make their money back through DVD/Blu-ray sales, sell-through to TV and video-on-demand).

You should include statistics in your answers, relating to budgets but also to the revenue generated in the US, the UK and the film's overall worldwide gross. One or two examples from your case studies will be enough.

Click on the link below and read the article about the success of Captain America: The Winter Soldier outside of America. The film had an estimated production budget of $170 million and it is likely that between $150-200 million was spent on marketing the film. Released onto 3,938 screens in the US, the film took a staggering $95 million in its opening weekend in the US, whilst it also took nearly $40 million in its opening weekend in China.

Article on the Global Dominance of Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Please read the article and think about how you could use some of the facts and figures to support any point you make about Hollywood's global dominance and the need for US produced films to be successful in territories outside America.

Viral Marketing - Elysium

Here are some links to elements from the excellent viral marketing campaign for Elysium, the science-fiction movie produced by Sony, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.

It is likely that you will want to discuss the importance of viral marketing as part of your essay for Section A: Producers and Audiences on the FM2: British and American Film paper. Remember that, whilst older examples are certainly valid, it will be useful to mention contemporary examples in your essay.

Elysium Citizenship Initiative

Elysium Viral Marketing - Armadyne Website

Welcome to Elysium Mocked-up Webpage - Elysium Viral Marketing

Elysium Viral Marketing - Civil Cooperation Bureau

Elysium - Official Website

The links above direct you to a range of sites that were created by the distributors marketing the film, in attempt to create a buzz ahead of the film's release. These include creating fake websites for companies that are referenced in the film and for the place Elysium itself. You should think about the reasons behind creating fictional sites and how this may generate interest for the film.