1. Film Essay Plan: Gender/Characters
Year 12
INTRODUCTION
 Refer to the question and discuss gender representation in horror generally.
 Discuss differences between British and American horror.
 Mention the key texts - including director and year.
 Dominant ideology with specific regard to gender representation.
DRACULA
 Established classic British Horror. Produced in the 1950s.
 Gothic Horror which has strong sexual undercurrents.
 Men are strong patriarchal figures – both the antagonist and protagonist.
 Arthur and Harker as weaker men – reject supernatural/narrow-minded.
 Women are punished for their impurity and sexuality.
 Women have to be killed to restore normality.
THE DESCENT
 Goes against dominant ideology and general horror conventions (particularly American
examples). Lack of male characters. All characters are strong females.
 Strongest characters are however the more 'masculine' ones.
 Women seen as non-stereotypical characters. They are more rounded and have interests other than
just men or shopping. Not 'bitchy' stereotypes.
 They fight back. Not waiting for somebody else to help them or save them. They are resourceful.
 Ultimately however they all die. Does this affect their representation?
 Sarah as maternal – 3 births into the monster and becomes the final girl.
 British film characteristics: Pessimistic resolution, character drama, contained location, small scale,
low budget, British creative team, British actors, British iconography - absent.
28 DAYS LATER
 Selena as the dominant woman regresses into the damsel in distress
 Reversal of Jim and Selena after they become the family unit (collective) with Hannah Frank.
 Selena becomes the mother figure to Hannah when Frank dies.
 Jim becomes primitive (4 births). First kill of the boy – defends himself. Why a child?
 Exploring empty London - childlike
 Jim at first rejects masculinity (physically and mentally) but steps up to the role of father/protector
when Frank dies.
 Soldiers/Monsters
CONCLUSION
 Refer to the question. Gender rep is different in all texts.
 Personal response/engagement.
 Speak about the genre and also refer to British and American film.
 Sum up