Media Studies- Kiss of the Vampire

Representation of woman on the left

• Floppy body language + closed eyes makes her seem weak, vulnerable + victimised

• Skin-tight, silky dress, bare neck + exposed upper chest area represent her in sexualised way

1960s- time of new divorce laws, contraceptive pill, new abortion laws etc.

Meant women were less resticted to simply being wives + mothers, were increasingly more sexualised in media- Van Zoonen

Women represented traditionally as being “damsels in distress”

• In 1960s, many feminist women were demanding to change the way they were treated in society + the way they were seen in the media

• It can be said KOTV represents women in fairly old-fashioned, objectified + victimised manner (if looking at women on the left)

  • Might’ve been seen to appeal to male target audience

KOTV was produced by a maonstream horror company- Hammer Studios

Therefore might have been more liekly to present womebn in more mainstream way due to views at the time (feminism still seen as alternative)

Man on left represented as powerful + dangerous

• Seen carrying the woman on left

• Teeth make him seem dangerous/aggressive, due to black + red colours

  • Reflects patriarchal ideas men are more powerful + dominant- Van Zoonen

• Wide eyes + defensive body language connote he may also be a victim, make him seem scared/vulnerable in some ways

Man on right’s body language/positioning makes him seem submissive + vulnerable

Representations of men being victimised/weaker, might reflect shift in gender roles happening in 1960s

Other female character represented as aggressive + powerful due to her body postioning above man kneeling + her bare teeth + raised arm

• Representing women as an aggressor + potential killer would’ve been unconventional prior to 1960s

• 1960s reflects shift in society in regard to second wave of feminism

Balance of characters + roles suggests new trend for equality

• Gender not simply presented in old fashioned binary way in KOTV

• Howveer, credit block suggests due to there only being one female name, women were seen as less important behind the scenes