THEORIST ASSOCIATED WITH OUR HORROR
Wes Craven
Wes Craven is an American film director and producer, most famous for the 'Scream' Franchise (1996-2011) and 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984). His theory states the absence of parents is a representation of current world issues. The older generation has made this world dysfunctional and polluted and so it is up to the new generation to make up for this. Often in horror, the victim is young and adolescent with no adult figure involved. They have to rely on themselves or die.
The absence of authority also includes parents as well as the 999 emergency services. Ils (Them) is a French horror film displaying how unreliable these services are. When the victim finds herself alone in the car, she tries to call the police but is put on hold. His theory also says that horrors are more effective in stereotypically safe places, such as family homes, which is where Craven usually sets his films. In ' A Nightmare on Elm street' a death scene occurs at the police station. Noel Carroll Noel Carroll, an American philosopher, describes the defining feature of horror being the audience's reaction. They often mirror what is shown on screen such as the victim's actions. Cowering in fear, covering their face and screaming is all part of this. Carol J. Clover Clover is a slasher theorist most known for her final girl theory. The final girl acts as the hero and survives the movie. She is depicted as tomboyish, virginal and morally virtuous such as Sydney Prescott from Scream. She also discusses how cars, phones and fire alarms never work in the time of crisis. This is a stereotypical scenario in many horror movies. Stuart Kaminski Kaminski's theory relates to the types of weapons the killer uses. Very rarely do they use guns and instead use 'personal extensions of the body' such as chainsaws and knives. They are part of the killer's identity, most notably Freddy Cruger. Wheeler Winston Dixon Wheeler Winston Dixon theory states that often men and women in horror movies are not characters but are just there to be a 'sight of activity'. Therefore, the audience only sees them as victims and don't get to know them as people. |
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