Representation of Women in Horror
The stereotypical woman in a horror film is a dumb blonde with big breasts and a figure to make a man drool. This is your typical character who is the male gaze. The woman who will keep the attention of your average guy even if he's no interested in the movie plot. The male gaze character is a bit of a sinner; she'll have sex, do drugs and drink alcohol in the movie. And of course she dies. The perfect example of this character is Paris Hilton (Paige) in House of Wax. Okay so she doesn't have big breasts, but in the horror film her character just screams out male gaze. Paris Hilton's character (Paige) is extremely sexual in the film, whether its when her boyfriend is driving the car and she 'dropped something' which made he head bob up and down in his lap as she was looking or the strip scene in the tent, Paris Hilton (Paige) is pretty much guaranteed death.
Even Paige's death is an icredible piece of male gaze. She doesn't just die, Paris Hilton's character runs through the area in her bra and a loose shirt revealing lots of her body. If your average man isn't entertained by the awesome 'pole through the head' death then maybe he will have his eyes averted to something else.
The Final Girl theory by Carol J. Clover shows that in a horror film the final and last surviving female is more than likely to be the educated one. She will mention some sort of career or achieving some goal in the beginning of the film. Also she will most likely be middle class, had a good upbringing, a nice family, a virgin, doesn't use drugs or drinks. For example Carly Jones in House of Wax is one of the survivors because of her intellect and maturity.
In the movie Scream, Drew Barrymore's character has all the qualities for a final girl but at the beginning of the film her character is killed off. (Even though she was still quite a famous actor) This went against this convention surprising the audiences watching it for the first time.
Even Paige's death is an icredible piece of male gaze. She doesn't just die, Paris Hilton's character runs through the area in her bra and a loose shirt revealing lots of her body. If your average man isn't entertained by the awesome 'pole through the head' death then maybe he will have his eyes averted to something else.
The Final Girl theory by Carol J. Clover shows that in a horror film the final and last surviving female is more than likely to be the educated one. She will mention some sort of career or achieving some goal in the beginning of the film. Also she will most likely be middle class, had a good upbringing, a nice family, a virgin, doesn't use drugs or drinks. For example Carly Jones in House of Wax is one of the survivors because of her intellect and maturity.
In the movie Scream, Drew Barrymore's character has all the qualities for a final girl but at the beginning of the film her character is killed off. (Even though she was still quite a famous actor) This went against this convention surprising the audiences watching it for the first time.
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