VODCAST: Slasher Genre Conventions

 

Transcript: 

In this vodcast I will analyse the following slasher conventions: the killer, the setting, character archetypes, character separation, signals, jump scares, illogical thinking, sounds, shots, and lighting. 

What is slasher?:

A slasher movie is a horror sub-genre that features a killer murdering people in a brutal manner. The genre is also nicknamed as "slice and dice". 

Rather than complicating the narrative through psychological or paranormal activity, slasher movies reduce the genre to simple terms, of a killer on the hunt for blood. 

In his book; "Horror, the Film Reader", Mark Jancovich says that "The films of this sub-genre are supposedly concerned with a process of terrorisation in which a serial killer methodically stalks a group of teenagers who are killed off one by one, and it has been presented as deeply conservative, particularly in its attitudes toward women."

A killer:

The killer is seen as superhuman, and impossible to defeat. They are usually serial killers with a revenge plan and choose their victims carefully, sadistically stalking and torturing for their own pleasure. A common trope is the use of a mask, especially in franchises; e.g. Ghostface in Scream, Micheal Myers in Halloween and the baby mask in Happy Death Day. Another element in creating a character is having a distinct weapon, such as Leatherface's chainsaw in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The motive is usually split; either its a psychopathic killer with a will to murder, or a killer with a revenge plan. The revenge trope is often used with female rape victims turned killers, like Jennifer in Jennifers Body or Lora Lee Sherman in Cherry Falls. 

Slasher films often show the villains development and backstory, for example Micheal Myers' childhood bloodlust, or Friday the 13ths Jason Voorhees' bullying. Another trope is a connection to the protagonist, such as Ghostface and Sidney Prescott in Scream, or Lora Lee Sherman and Jody Marken in Cherry Falls. 

The use of a backstory creates further fear with The killer's motives, making the killings more believable rather than a two dimensional character. 

Setting:

The settings of slasher films attempt to convey mystery or isolation. This makes it hard for characters to escape the threats of the killer. 

Some cliches are an isolated cabin like Friday the 13th or The Cabin In The Woods, or a forest like in The Ritual or Eden Lake. 

Another trope is a suburban house, like in Scream or Halloween. This furthers the fear and pushes the conservative values of horror as a warning for the audience. 

As most slashers follow a group of teenagers, using a trip or party is an easy distraction for characters, as well as isolating them from the world but having a plausible excuse to group together the different archetypes. 

Another key element of setting is the time. Often the killings take place in a short amount of time, such as one weekend or one night, often halloween like in Halloween or Ginger Snaps. The night time setting adds more mystery and fear to the killings and identity of the killer, and having the short time span heightens the tension. 

Character archetypes:

In slasher films there are often a group of around five teenagers, each representing a different stereotype. The most narrowed down versions I found were the jock, the fool, the whore, the virgin and the nice guy. 

The jock: A popular boy playing sports of being physically strong. He tries to fight the killer, but ends up dying. He is usually presented as the boyfriend of the scream queen, and is envied by men and wanted by women. He is often presented as rude, and the audience ends up rooting against him. 

The whore or the scream queen: She is popular, conventionally attractive and typically blonde. Characterised as an air headed bimbo, and usually the virgin/final girls best friend. Known for her hysterical screaming when confronted by the killer, she is nicknamed the scream queen. Similarly to her male counterpart, she is also an object of lust and envy, as well as being disliked by the audience. In her essay, "Refusing To Refuse To Look", Brigid Cherry writes "one participant (in the study) described her feelings about characters she referred to as "the stereotypical bimbo": "I tend to find that I don't mind these women being victims- they deserve to be killed off!"" The scream queens are brutally killed off, for audience pleasure rather than plot. 

The fool: Also known as the nerd or the stoner, the outcast of the group. They are present due to a longtime friendship or family relation with one of their more popular friends. Used as comic relief throughout the film, and often inferior in intelligence or physicality, they create sympathy within the audience. Mocked by the popular protagonists, the fool is a relatable character the audience roots for, before his death often due to his stupidity. 

The nice guy: Also known as the scholar, he is usually the love interest of the virgin/final girl. Tied to the group as the best friend of the jock, creating binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) with the two male characters. He is seen as kind compared to the other male characters. The audience roots for him, but acknowledges his sacrifice in order to defeat the killer. He is the last one to die, and only survived due to his allegiance with the virgin/final girl. 

The virgin: Also known as the final girl, the trope was coined by Carol Clover in 1992, who defines it as "the final girl is a female who is the sole survivor of the group of people being chased by a villain, and who gets a  final confrontation with the villain, and who has such a "privilege" because of her implied moral superiority." She is typically a brunette, being the binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) of the whore, as well as academically driven and reserved. As the film progresses, and she witnesses the murders of her friends, she build up her strength in order to defeat the killer, while being the protagonist the audience roots for. 

These tropes are best presented in the 2011 film, The Cabin In The Woods, as well as 2017s The Babysitter, both postmodernist films critiquing and exaggerating these representations. 

The two other tropes I saw in characters were the overall incompetence of adult roles such as police officers or teachers, as well as the murdered minority, a queer or ethnic character dying first in the film. 

Character separation:

The films usually follow a group, a key element of the slasher, but the tropes of the characters and the group dynamics are usually exploited by the killer in order to separate the characters. 

The characters are killed individually, with each killing being unique. This also escalates the tension within the film. 

Often the group splits on its own accord, either for the misbehaving characters to indulge in their behaviours while the others stay behind, or to investigate the suspicious activity around them. 

Signals:

Signals are often placed in the film and recognised by the audience, but ignored by the characters. The example of the sign in Eden Lake (2008), where turn back is written in the view of the audience, but not the characters, signals this danger.

There is also poor communication, often due to the isolated locations or created by the killer. Phones are usually out of battery or disconnected, heightening the tension and the characters vulnerabilities. 

Jump scares:

The jump scare is about involvement for the audience. By scaring the audience, it extends the idea that no-one is safe, even in a seemingly protected environment. By having a physical reaction, the heart rate is raised, and reflects the feelings on screen within the viewer. 

Jump scares can be obvious and set up, or unexpected and end up with a brutal murder. If a jump scare is a prank or nothing comes of it, it is known as a false scare, and a way of further increasing tension. 

Illogical thinking:

Often causing audience frustration, characters display illogical thinking patterns. We often see them making bad choices, such as entering an abandoned house, opening the door, etc... Although the audience typically roots for the protagonist, these illogical decisions create a sense of voyeuristic superiority, with the audience believing themselves more capable of survival than the character they view onscreen. 

These decisions create direct conflict, and the villain confronts the characters, leaving them no chance to escape, and often ending in their death. 

Sound:

Sound is characterised as non-diegetic or diegetic. 

Non-diegetic sound is not heard within the film. Classical examples of this is the use of themes like in Psycho and Halloween. This is created through electronic or instrumental strings, with a mixture of long or short drawn out notes. This makes the audience hold their breath as it mimics the heartbeat, and increases the tension. 

The diegetic music heard within the film is typically related to the killings. These are usually sounds of slashing, stabbing, and the allusions through sound allow for less graphic deaths, as the audience's imagination is often more gruesome and effective than a films visuals. 

Shots:

The two most common shot types are

Dutch: Dutch angles are commonly used in horror to create discomfort and denote that something is wrong with the audience. 

Pov: Shots can be taken from the killer's point of view, creating more audience immersion and voyeurism. In Mark Jancovich's "Horror: The Film Reader" he says, "It is argued that these films encourage the audience to identify with a killer and his violence. This is supposedly accomplished through the use of POV camera shots, most famously used at the opening of John Carpenters "Halloween", in which we see the action as though through the killers eyes."

Lighting: 

Often, a blue tint is added to shots, denoting coldness and discomfort, and are often seen in horror, like in Bride Of Chucky. Another use of lighting is the lack of it, as many killings or events typically take place at night. The darkness and little lighting allows for more cryptic shots and adds to the mystery of the killer.