Essay Question Plan1

(June 05a), genre:
"The audience may know what to expect, but are still excited by genre texts". To what extent is this true?

• The idea of repetition and variation can be employed as the same conventions are repeated but something is still changed exciting the audience.
• Audience effects theories and reactions:

1. Viseral pleasures from watching- leads to the idea of masochistic pleasures because you know you're going to get scared etc but you still want to because of the whole experience.
2. As the films in genre are aimed at a particular audience they know what they like and the audience knows what to expect in watching these films so won't be disappointed.
3. However, this may not be true at all because of the fast paced society we now live in and the competion, people want change and the reasons for HYBRID GENRES.

• Slasher genre conventions:
• The suburban setting
• The mask to strike fear.
• The phallic object to kill
• The 'final girl' (Carol Clover)
• The psychopathic killer (usually male and deprived of sexual experiences)
• Cliche lines e.g. "I'll be right back"
• Horny teenagers
• Shock and suspense

Key words:

Backlash, patriarchy, final girl, intertextuality, misogyny, phallic, feminism, the other, before and after theory-Altman, postmodern, parody, pastiche, iconography, Brophy, Neale.

Key texts to consider:

• Psycho
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Halloween
• Friday 13th
• Nightmare on Elm Street
• Scream
• My Little Eye