Kiss of the Vampire: Media Language Flashcards
1
Q
Typography
Conforming to conventions
A
- The capitalised, serif font of the title creates connotations linked to the vampire film genre with its ‘wooden’ styling ( referencing the vampire’s coffin or the stake needed to kill him perhaps) and the blood dripping from the letter V’s ‘fang’ or tip.
2
Q
Artistic style
Conforming to conventions
A
- The use of a ‘painted’ main image is highly conventional of films of the period and links to the poster for Christopher Le’s Dracula, but the fact that it’s in colour ( anchored by the text “In Eastman Colour”) connotes that this is a modern tellung of an older story.
3
Q
Colour palette
Conforming to conventions
A
- The gloomy grey, black and brown colour palette reinforce the film’s dark, scary conventions while the red highlight colour draws attention to the attacking bats , the vampire and the blood - all key visual signifier for genre.
4
Q
Cast List
Conforming to conventions
A
- Conventionally, the stars are listed with more highly paid male actor first and in order of fame, Clifford Evans having starred in Hammer’s 1961 hit ‘Curse of the Werewolf.’
5
Q
Universal Logo
Conforming to conventions
A
- The Unversal Logo in the bottom right hand corner describes the international distributor - and as such reinforced the popularity of this type of genre in relation to the monster promoted within (Vampire, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, etc.) This logo was (and still is) a trademark of quality in this realm.
6
Q
How does ‘In Colour’ challenge typical horror film posters of the 1960s?
Challenging conventions
A
- ‘In Colour’ was still a relative rarity in cinema still in 1963. There is an Americanised spelling firmly placing this film poster within the US marketing materials.
7
Q
Positioning of characters
Challenging conventions
A
- The background nature of the male antagonist in favour of the female counterpart taking centre stage on the poster itself.
8
Q
Code of expression of the male vampire
Challenging conventions
A
- Antagonist also fearful of something seemingl MORE powerful and unstoppable than himself.
9
Q
Colour Palette
Challenging conventions
A
- A more subtle colour palette than usual horror film posters of its kind.
- The pastel shades of blue and red oppose the conventional deep ‘bloood’ red and blacks used stereotypically in horror posters of this era.
10
Q
Relevant Theory: Roland Barthes Semiotics theory
A
- Suspense is created through the engimas surrounding the connoted relationship between the male and female vampires. (emphasised buy the Kiss of the title) and the fate of their two victims (Barthes’ Hermeneutric Code.)
- Barthes’ Semantic code could be applied to images of the bats and their conventional association with vampirism and horror in general.
- The Symbolic Codes of horror, darkness and rear are more widely reinforced through signifiers such as the moon and the male victim’s submissive sacrifice’ gesture code.
11
Q
Relevant Theory: Steve Neale’s Genre Theory
A
- Neale argues that audience’s pleasures are dervived from generic repetition and difference.
- This film poster repeats much of the symbolism associated with Hammer and Universal horror films and the wider ‘monster’ and vampire genres, but adds difference through the connoted power of the female protagonist and the implied romantic narrative.
12
Q
Relevant Theory: Claude Levi-Strauss’ Theory of Binary Opposition
A
- The idea that texts are constructed through the use of binary oppositions could be applied to the opposing representations of the vampires and their victims, and the romantic connotations of “kiss” opposed in the film’s title to the stereotypical “vampire” monster.
- At a broader level, it could quite simply represent the gender battle between males and females from a feminsit perspective as patriarchy and matriarchy are starkly contrasted within the confines of the poster’s visual imagery.
