Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Characters & Representation
Within the trailer, there were 2 female characters , 3 males and 3 antagonists who were cannibals. The female characters are sexually objectified however one of them support the theory of the Final Girl by Carol J Clover as they have some form of morals which is shown through a shot of them reading an astronomy book. The three males are weak as they are killed first. The antagonists are illustrated as sinister through the use of masks and weapons that could symbolise dominance, murder and power.
Setting
Firstly, the setting consists of a farmhouse isolated from civilisation. The location of the film sets the tone of the film itself, for instance, a house that is far away from the city could imply that there is no form of escape or help, furthermore foreshadowing that something is bound to happen within this particular location. The setting is also a typical location for a slasher horror such as this one.
Narrative
From watching the trailer, i believe the narrative is about a group of young sinful teenagers who go on a road trip, supposedly against the will of their parents. They stumble upon an old farmhouse where they discover a group of murderous outcasts living next door. The group is then attacked one by one by a chainsaw wielding leather face who wears a mask made of human flesh. The leather face is also accompanied by two other villains who are also cannibals. I believe the narrative also supports Tzvetan Todorovs narrative theory of equilibrium. This is where the trailers narrative follows three different stages. This includes a state of equilibrium that is balanced, then broken and finally repaired through a solution.
Theories
The theory of binary opposition can be applied to this trailer in the form of good and evil against each other which is represented through the leather face murderers against the young naive teenagers. Binary opposition was a theory made by Claude Levi-Strauss who believed that the conflict of a film is based around the binary opposites that are also the central climax of the narrative structure.
Types of shots used
There are many shots used within this trailer that emphasise different code and conventions of a horror trailer. These shots include:
Low Angle Shot: To emphasise the inferior status of the female teenager, she is therefore portrayed as feeble and helpless , with the possible need of a dominant male figure to protect her, she therefore abides by the typical stereotypes of women.
Close Up Shot: This shot shows a skeleton hand which could imply that the household is dangerous and possibly inhabited by psychotic killers, The close up therefore signifies imperilment.
Over The Shoulder Shot: Used to show the villains from the final girls point of view, furthermore shows viewers the perspective of the woman, the shot could therefore show the pain and suffering the woman is going through, this gives an incite as to what she is going through in the hands of the leather face cannibals.
I Spit On Your Grave
Characters & Representation
From watching the trailer of I Spit On Your Grave, there are two distinctively obvious representations of characters consists of male and female portrayals. For instance, men are illustrated as quite savage and disrespectful people with no clear morals or ethics, this is show through their action of gang raping an innocent vulnerable woman. In contrast, the woman within this trailer starts off by conforming to typical stereotypes of women such as being weak and reliable on men. However, as the trailer progresses, we start to see that the woman becomes more independent and dominant, this is shown through her actions of getting revenge on the men that raped her. She therefore breaks the stereotypes that were previously bestowed upon her at the start of the trailer.
Setting
The setting of this film is located far deep into the woods of an unknown place. Woods are usually far away from civilisation but are also very isolated from the outside world. Isolation therefore can accentuate that the victim within the trailer, has no chance to break free from the antagonists, this location also emphasises pathetic fallacy as the environment of the location sets the dark and chilling tone for the rest of the film
Narrative
From watching the trailer, i believe the narrative of the trailer is quite simple. Its about a lonely innocent woman that goes on a journey to the woods on her canoe, she is then viciously attacked by a group of men in the area who strip her naked and rape her. After she is raped, she rises up from her traumatising experience by getting revenge on all the men that raped her, one by one. She then becomes a authoritative and powerful woman who kills the villains that once wronged her. This film also follows Tzvetan Todorovs narrative theory of equilibrium. This is where the trailers narrative follows three different stages. This includes a state of equilibrium that is balanced, then broken and finally repaired through a solution. The equilibrium is broken when the woman gets raped and it is then repaired when the woman kills the gang of rapists.
Theories
A theory that could apply to this trailer could be the Cultivation theory. This theory was composed by G. Gerbner and states that the more time people spend living in the television world, the more likely they are to believe social reality portrayed on television. For instance , if people watch films like I Spit On Your Grave, they will start to believe that living in the woods will consist of large groups of men that are sexual predators, people may start to believe what is shown in films like this. Another concept that could apply to this film is Sadistic Voyeurism. This is where certain viewers will find satisfaction watching someone else being sexually abused, someone people therefore take wrongful satisfaction from the plot of this trailer.
Types Of Shots Used
There are many shots used within this trailer that illustrates the different aspects, codes and conventions of horror films as well certain characters, objects and how they are presented. These shots include:
Medium - Long Shot: Is used to show a half naked man that is wearing no shirt, the shot could therefore emphasise the role that men play within the trailer, which are sexual predators. The shot could possibly foreshadow the sexual abuse that the woman experiences by the hand of a gang of men, this shot shows one of those men.
Close up Shot: Within the trailer, we see a close up shot of the main females hand gripping a knife, this shot could therefore signify a sense of uprising and vengeance as the woman uses the knife as a weapon. This furthermore illustrates the antagonists to be inferior to the female, who appears to gain power and dominance through her yielding of the sharp knife.
Long Shot: Within the trailer, there is a long shot that shows a female on a boat and a male floating in the water. The shot could emphasise the superior dominance of the female over the male, this is because the female is shown on a higher position to the male, accentuating that the male is beneath the woman, this furthermore belittles the male, implying that he is inferior. The shot also illustrates the breaking of stereotypes as the female is in fact more ascendant than the male, where as typical stereotypes would depict this to be visa versa.
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