Comparison of Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre

This is a YouTube video showing the comparisons between the two classics - Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as discussing my own view point.

https://youtu.be/wnF2uz1hEWk

Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory and Voyeurism

This is a Prezi explaining the theory of Male Gaze by Mulvey as well as the idea of voyeurism and how it may link to Male Gaze.

Camera Techniques in Horror Movies

This is a Powtoon showing the different camera techniques used within horror movies and through this I have evaluated their impact on an audience.

Levi-Strauss' Binary Opposition Theory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPdDdC4go6c (Clip for Analysis of Binary Oppositions)

This is a SlideShare showing the theory of Binary Oppositions which I have learnt are frequently appearing in horror movies in order to define the standards within the world the film is set place in.

Propp's Narrative Theory

This is a Soundcloud discussing Vladimir Propp's Narrative Theory and what I have learnt from it.

Vampires Over Time

Todorov's Basic Narrative Theory

This is a (Printscreen of a) Glogster showing the theory Basic Narrative by Todorov. I have learnt the common structure of a movie as well as learning that structures may also different to allow different elements such as a backstory from a flashback.

https://edu.glogster.com//glog/50276200 (Available on Microsoft Edge)

Horror Genre Conventions

This is a Prezi showing the common conventions within a horror movie. From studying this I have learnt what is more likely to occur within a film or be seen within a film such as the location being a home as this is more intimate to the audience by being seen as a 'safe place' as well as being around the time of night as this is when we are said to be most vulnerable to the unknown. This also means many horror movies of today and the past have similar features, themes, props etc about them.

Horror Movie Timeline

This is a timeline showing the development and cycle of horror within movies which has shown me the overall development of the genre within film. I have learnt that though starting from Gothic literature from writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, horror has changed overtime due to the interests of the audience as well as surrounding around the social anixetes of time period such as religious descent leading to The Exorcist. I have also found that horror movies tend to recycles themes, interests and movies to strike up in audiences.

https://www.preceden.com/timelines/273581-the-history-of-horror

Horror Poster Deconstruction

These are three deconstructions of horror movie poster showing the difference between each sub-genre. Though the styles differ depending on film, I have found that contempary posters are often simple and concentrate specifically on a single image to interest their audience. Additionally, horror movies often mention if the producers, writers etc have worked on other big movies in order to interest a larger audience.

Candyman

Set in 1992 starring Tony Todd, the movie follows a grad student uncovering the urban legend of the Candyman. During this time period, horror movies began to focus on the fear on the unknown; allowing the audience to doubt their instincts or minds. With the use of the protagonist Helen Lyle following the tale and being doubted as well as framed throughout the movie for the Candyman's doing, Bernard Rose (director) uses madness and the psychology of the audience's mind to interest and frighten them further. Additionally, throughout the 1990s, horror movies began to link themes to the real world. With the tale of the Candyman being centred around a slave owner's son being murdered due to being the love interest of a white woman. The movie strongly links with the idea of racism and uses the sensitive topic to make the events of the movie appear much more real and intimate to the audience in order to create more fear.

Based off an urban legend thought to have begun during the late nineteenth century, the Candyman was once a the son of a slave who had struck a fortune after producing a machine to aid the American Civil War. With their newfound wealth the Candyman, who's named is Daniel Robatille, was sent to the best schools and educated. He later found interest in being a painter where, doing a commission for a father's daughter to present her beauty and status, fell in love with his muse. After the daughter's father found out, he found a mob to chase down Robatille, saw his hand off and replace it with a hook as well as covering him in honey and letting him be stung to death by bees. His tragic past allows audience members to sympathise with his character although he is a vengeful and violent antagonist.

Throughout the plot, the Candyman is an urban legend revolving Cabrini-Green, where his ashes were scattered. However, Helen Lyle denounces the existence of the Candyman therefore provoking his spirit to harass her and therefore prove to others of his haunting. Seen as a vain and somewhat arrogant character, the Candyman relies on others to continue on believing his existence as it makes him continue haunting. He sees himself as holding immense power over the other characters within the movie.

Candyman holds the appearance of a lean and tall African-American, dressed in a large brown-fur trench coat in order to hide his mutilations resulted from his murder. Underneath his coat, the Candyman has a hollowed-out torso showcasing his organs and ribcage. Teamed with a white cravat around his neck, grey pants and shoes, he appears wealthy and intelligent to the unsuspecting eye. With a hook for his right hand, the Candyman legends follows that however chants his name five times in front of a mirror, he will appear to slash his victim violently with his hook. As the antagonist, the actions and gore that takes place throughout this movie through the deaths and injuries present it as a slasher film to many. 

Introduction

This is a YouTube video introducing myself as well as explaining the upcoming year.

https://youtu.be/3f2IMaIMdPs

Barbara Creed's Monstrous Feminine

The Monstrous Feminine c. 1993

Barbara Creed is a Professor of Cinema Studies at School of Culture and Communication.

Developing her theory through the work of Mulvey's Male Gaze before developing her theory and concentrating on horror, specifically slasher, films.

Also basing her research and theory from Freud's psychological theory, she presented the idea that women are often portrayed in the media as monstrous which is most obviously shown in horror films.

An example of the 'Monstrous Feminine' would be the villain, Kayako Saeki. Dying under the hands of her husband, Takeo after he goes insane with cheating scenarios, Kayako lives on with her child, Toshio, a curse to further haunt those who enter her house or tangles with her unrested spirit. With a similar motherly aspect turned villainous as seen in other movies presenting monstrous females such as Carrie, Kayako and her son are onryōs (vengeful spirits). With Kayako's actions throughout the movie causing the death of many, she strongly presents the character of a monstrous female as suggested by Creed.

With the power of different storylines impacting the role of a monstrous female, I feel that I may use this theory when constructing my own trailer. This is because a character such as Kayako, although presenting a fearful image, exudes power which contrasts from feeble roles women play at times in horror.