Kiss Of The Vampire Flashcards
(25 cards)
What year was Kiss of the Vampire released?
1963
Which studio produced Kiss of the Vampire and which studio distributed it?
• Produced by Hammer Film Productions
• Distributed by Universal
Why is ‘In Eastman Color’ a significant feature of the poster?
• connotes that this is a modern telling of an older story
• concept of vampire coined by Bram Stoker in 1897
•colour was still a novel thing at the time, so its mention was a selling point
Enigma codes in the poster
• Enigma surrounding fate of the victims, introduces narrative book and themes of violence
• Enigma surrounding relationship between male and female vampire, reinforced by ‘kiss’ in the title
•Dark mise en scene, full moon, big dark manor
What font is the title written in and how for it link to the vampire genre?
• serif, reflects gothic themes
• Wooden styling (stake, coffin) and blood dripping from letter V’s fang connotes vampire genre
Symbolic codes connoting vampire genre
Bats, castle, blood
How does the representation of the female characters on the poster reflect the historical context of the 60s?
• introduction of contraceptive pill in 1960
• Equal Pay Act 1963
• Betty Friedan Feminine Mystique 1963
• representations of women as both dominant and passive reflect period of social change
Apply Van Zoonen’s theory to Kiss of the Vampire
• by representing the female as a co-antagonist, the female vampire may be contributing to social change by representing women in a Co antagonist role
• Yet female victim sexualised, reinforces stereotypes, inhibiting social change
Apply Stuart Hall’s theory of representation to the poster
• generic iconography of bats, castle, vampire’s cape, dripping blood, form part of the conceptual roadmap that gives meaning to the world depicted
Style of main image
• In a ‘painted’ style, links to Christopher Lee’s Dracula
Hammer Film Productions previous succeed in gothic genre
• The Mummy and Frankenstein
• 60s audience will therefore recognise conventions associated with this genre - e.g composition, font, representations
Colour palette
• Gloomy, grey, brown with red accents, connoting violence and gothic genre
Actors listed
• Stars listed in order of highest paid male actor
• first listed is Clifford Evan’s, starred in Hammer’s 1961 hit Curse of the Werewolf
• appeals to pre sold fan of actor and genre
Fear/ vulnerability of victims
Highlighted through gesture codes
* female victim neck exposed
* male victim gesture codes are fearful, arm thrown across body defensively, suggesting fear of female vampire/bats
Apply Guantlett’s theory of identity to Kiss of the Vampire
Female vampire acts as a role model for women struggling against male oppression in the 60s
Dress codes of women
• Both wearing revealing pale dresses of light materials - dress code reinforces femininity
Why may Hammer film productions create stereotypical representations?
To appeal to mainstream audience, feminism still alternative and not a widely accepted view
Why may women be victimised/ sexualised in the KOTV poster?
To appeal to male audience that the horror genre primarily targets
Male character representation
- Powerful through gesture code of carrying victimised woman
- iconography of bared vampire fangs make him seem dangerous and aggressive
- black and red suit connotes power/status
Weakness of male character
- defensive gesture code of arm protecting body, facial expression of wide eyes suggests fear of female vampire/bats
male victim
- neck fully exposed, head rolled back - faceless depiction dehumanising, objectifying?
- rolled up, unbuttoned shirt - less power
- female vampire gesture code of hand on his shoulder, pushing him into her
strength of female vampire
- Evident in binary opposition between her aggressive body language of vampire teeth bared, first raised, hand on male victim’s shoulder, who is physically kneeling below her
credit block suggesting lack of female input (media production still male dominated)
- only one female name listed ‘Jennifer Daniel’
- reflects Hall’s Representation theory, stereotypes created through inequality of power
Impact of painted imagery
the use of painted imagery
signifies the text is set in
the past representing a
dated representation of
gender which is in many
ways typical of the time
reinforcing patriarchal
values
