This document discusses the backwoods horror genre and provides examples of films that fit this subgenre, including The Hills Have Eyes, Wrong Turn, and Deliverance. It prompts the reader to analyze the opening scene of The Descent, considering elements of genre iconography, character representation, landscape symbolism, and how binary oppositions are shown. The reader is also asked to consider how studied films are typical of the genre and what other scenes and theories could be used for comparative analysis.

2.  A subgenre of horror
 Deals with the collision of two cultures (past
and present)
 WildernessVS Modernity
 As the group diminishes the character that is
usually deemed to be the weakest prevails
and hunts the hunters
 The sole survivor of modernity stumbles back
into civilisation bloody and traumatised.

3.  The Hills Have Eyes (Wes Craven, 1977)
 WrongTurn (Rob Schmidt, 2003)
 Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972)
 The Descent makes several references to
Deliverance throughout the film, creating
intertextual links that foreshadow the
narrative.

4.  Watch the opening scene (6-19 mins)
 What elements of genre iconography does this scene
have?What does this mean in the narrative?
 How are the characters represented in this sequence?
 What does the landscape represent?
 How can you apply Levi Strauss theory of Binary
oppositions to this scene?
 Throughout this scene think HOW these
elements are shown.What micro elements are
used etc…

5.  What are some of the ways in which the films
you have studied for this topic are typical of
their genre?
 What other scenes might you be able to use to
write about “The Descent”?
 What scenes from “The Horror of Dracula” would
you be able to use?
 What theories could you use to compare the two?