After All Is Said And Done...

[dotinthesky]

Most girls and women I know hate horror movies. I'd say almost all women don't like horror and make a point of never watching scary movies. It's also interesting to notice that almost all good scary movies (slashers included) have a female protagonist who goes through hell, is traumatized, sees all her friends/family die, before she manages to defeat the monster and survive. A lot of them end up in psychiatric wards afterwards.

My question: are most women turned off by horror because they feel, when watching these movies, that they are being called upon to relate to the main character and go through her ordeal?

In contrast, men don't seem to mind horror. I quite like a scary movie. But, if you look at the victim's list, men seem to die in the following manner:

- very quickly
- having sex with someone very hot
- saving the heroine/protagonist

And what about women who do enjoy watching horror? Are they smarter, or stronger, and can enjoy the genre without getting subconsciously sucked into it? Are they survivers themselves in real life, thus the movie parallels real traumas they suffered in life?

Comments

[icymorning.livejournal.com]

i've always wondered about the strangely important place of women in horror movies compared to other kinds of movies. is it because women are supposed to be / connected with evil ? is it because women are more sensitive ? is it because in real life women are more often victims of crime ?

regards of one of my favourite movies ever, the 1997 Japanese hit Ringu, i've seen the trilogy, and compared with the american remake, and looked for sources (http://ringworld.somrux.com) and it's true that this story is only women-based. men there play more than second roles, they aren't of much importance - and when they play a role, it's a role of betrayal. they're the trigger of hate, of crime, of curses. the place made to the sensivity of women, their empathy and their compassion, their need for vengeance and their inferiority complex is an utter center to the movie and all the movies it inspired.

if you look at the TV, same thing : horror/futurist sitcoms are more often led by women (Buffy being the most evident example. Buffy dies, but lives again ; Buffy is in love with a vampire ; Buffy decides to be independant from the century-long authority supposed to watch over her ; Buffy makes hard decisions. Buffy defeats evil) Buffy, Dark Angel, Charmed, etc ... Though they're produced by men, and screenplays are written by men. Why is there so many powerful female characters ? Maybe because there's an audience for them.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

And let's not forget the Scream trilogy! Apparently, most of the audience consisted of young girls and women.

I have so many ideas about this... I was making a list of the great horror movies of all times, and they all have main female protagonists! I was even thinking about Psycho, and of how the main female dies half-way through... it must have been such a shock to the audience at the time, because he was clearly subverting the convention... and not only that, she was killed by a man in drag!!! (but we only find that out in the end...)

I also like how the Aliens franchise plays with that idea of the defenceless female victim, turning her into this butchy fighter who must defeat the Queen Bitch. It's as if, like you said, men are irrelevant and the true mosters and heroes exist only in the female realm.

[missarrow.livejournal.com]

There is some sort of formula for Horror flicks, and having a woman protaganist is a part of it, as you've noted.

I think this serves two purposes:
1. Makes a "getaway" harder since the monster/bad guy is probably a man, and therefore "stronger" and more "powerful".

2. Adds a bit of latent sexuality to each film, through shots of flesh and agony. Sick, I know, but latent.

I like horror movies, but mostly in an ironic way. I never really get scared, though, so maybe that disqualifies me.

:)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Has there never been a horror movie that scared you? Or gave you nightmares?

I think you are very right about the sexuality bit... those slashers, carrying huge knifes which can cut through you - it's such a corny example of the phallic destroying the woman. I'm surprised they don't have more scenes of killers inserting their spears into a woman's genitals, or chopping their breasts off. I think in Japanese culture, there is more expression of this kind of horror in their Mangas.

And it's also very interesting that all killers are usually men, or genderless/genital-deficient monsters (like the Aliens one.)

[missarrow.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's sort of classic "Strongest v. Weakest" most of the time.

There was one.."Don't Answer the Phone" it creeped me out but I wouldn't say I was scared. :)

[peraventure.livejournal.com]

I just watched Dawn of the Dead last night. I must say, it completely ruled!! I'll probably go see it again in the theatre, and that's a high compliment from me - I rarely find it worth it to spend the money.

I was all shrieking and jumping and scared and holding my friend's hand and I loved it!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I want to see that too! I have a thing for zombies, specially because I have so many dreams with them.

[peraventure.livejournal.com]

really? like tell me one! oh gods, I just totally sounded Valley there.

but yeah, good morning! school for me....and a date-thing afterward! meeting a guy I saw on the subway and left a msg for on Craig's List. whoa!

[kurwa.livejournal.com]

Actually, I really like scary movies. In fact, I heard scary movies turn people on because they raise your heartbeat and direct blood flow to your genitals. And that theory has been proven with me...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

lol... but what exactly attracts you to it?

[sbeth76.livejournal.com]

I used to hate them. Like I couldn't even watch Silence of the Lambs all the way through. My Mom said that my mind was a beautiful garden and I should be careful about who I let in there because some people will plant flowers and others will leave their trash all over the place.

About 5 years ago I dated a straight edge boy and he wouldn't make a move so we would watch horror movies so that I could squeal and we could cuddle. We watched the classics. Children of the Corn. Carrie.

I watched some Dario Argento movies and they are fucking cool. I love the soundtracks and the fashion and the sets.

I don't know why I watch them now. I feel dirty sometimes after I see them. I close my eyes and I see the images and I'm afraid!

yeah. uh. huh.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Do you think the change happened when you hit puberty?

[sbeth76.livejournal.com]

no no! long after! When I was 22.

[dilvalicious.livejournal.com]

ell, i like horror movies...and I was sexually molested...so maybe?

!!

[i-am-scowling.livejournal.com]

I love your icon; it owns mine, hehe. Mmm. Brilliant movie.

& who knows if Ollie's theory is right. Maybe being a survivor, or just being stronger, does make you tolerant to/ like horror movies. Or maybe not.

Re: !!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

i'm sure it's very subjective, and also highly influenced by the culture you are raised in... I've been reading about "the gaze" and how spectators approach film. I was just curious because most horror movies seem to be about perpetuating cliches, specially of the "woman-survives-it-all" kind.

Re: !!

[dilvalicious.livejournal.com]

why thank you! I loved that movie so much!

And I think I just like trying to be scared...cause i am also obsessed with the paranormal

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

But when you watch them, what do you take from it? So you agree that the horror of a main female protagonist might parallel what you felt/feel?

[dilvalicious.livejournal.com]

no, i just like seeing if it can scare me

[retellit.livejournal.com]

all I know is that after I saw The Ring I cried myself to sleep.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

why? out of fear or because of the choice the main character had to make in the end?

I'm seeing it vice versa

[i-am-scowling.livejournal.com]

See, I like a good horror movie, and I can definitely name males that don't like them...because they're scary.

So, it really depends on the person, methinks.

Re: I'm seeing it vice versa

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

what exactly do you like about them? Is there a particular kind that appeals to you more?

[ickycrawlything.livejournal.com]

It's funny how us women are always targeted in these movies b/c we're the weaker sex(?) but then ultimately are the stronger of the two....it's the whole inferiority thing with men, you want to be stronger and push us down but in the end you know there is no survival without us. Woah...I'm sounding more and more jaded these days ;p heehee

I love horror movies but find that I'm never the same after them...I have nightmares for days and it sticks in my mind for weeks...I kid you not. It's not all horror, mainly the stalker kinds...and this unhealthy attraction to them is fueled by life experiences.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

It's funny you mention the nightmares afterwards... i was just thinking how, when I was younger, I seemed so much more jaded to horror - i loved it! But these days I get very affected by horror/terror and even movies like Dogville, which are not exactly genre horror, can make me want to throw up.