Monday, 20 April 2009

Essay Plans

Intro-
Introduction of slasher genre- talk about how it has improved due to change in audiences and other aspects.

Para 1:
*Changes in audience expectations & target audiences
*'Juvebtilisation'- audience become younger over the years
*In order to survive the slasher genre had to change with time to attract a younger audience
*Scary movie came out in 2000- talk about the changes in characters, iconography and themes to attract a younger audience
*Compare Scary movie to Psycho which came out in the 1960's

Para 2:
*Reason 2- Adapt to new technology
*In order to survive they need to use technology avaiable- more special effects- audience wants to see more blood and different innovative shots to attract them as the audience is more sophisticated- codes and conventions
*Compare the old and new TCM and talk about different technology makes movie better and genre survives.

Para 3:
*Reason 3: Censorship & Codes of Conventions
*Less censorship- audience want to see more development in the genre- this makes i survive e.g. more blood and violence- switch blade romance

Para 4:
*Last reason- Change in Society, Ideologies, Values & Representation
*Develpoment in what is acceptable in society- more sexual scenes
*Change in taste
*Rich Altman- before and after theory
*Change in society- Final Girl (Carol Clover)- female reprsentations change in slasher genre
*Scary movie- more sexual scenes
*Old and New TCM

Conclusion:
*Slasher genre must change due to the points made above, but similar codes and conventions from the past must be used to keep the genre the genre and apealing to the audience.

Account for the popularity of one genre of your choice. Illustrate your answer with examples. (June '03 b)

Introduction-
*What genre I choose and why and how it has become popular

Para 1:
*Start with Psycho 1960- famous shower scene and other sound and shots that made the genre which is then used in other films after.

Para 2:
*Movies from the 1970s
*TCM-very popular-why?
*Talk about sadistic voyeuristic pleasures
*Carol Clover-Final girl-very successful aspect used in many films of the genre-change in society
*TCM linked to what was goin on in society-so it was so popular

Para 3:
*Halloween (1978)
*Talk about how it was a very popular slasher film- suburburn area- 'White Flight'- the white people afraid of the other coming- they moved to be alone and thought it was safer to move to the suburbs but slasher films show it was not so safe- Psycho killer becomes 'the other'
*Final Girl used again
*Iconic images, sound, characters

Para 4:
*80's movies
*Nightmare on Elm street an Friday 13th
*NOES-blood scenes, special effects- Franchise unending fear

Para 5:
*Movies 90's+
*Scream and Scary movie, Switch Blade
*Parody and Pastiche introduced to improve the genre- Juventilisation
*Links to question because as time has change people have now started to see the popularity in slasher films as they appeal to a different part of the human psyche.

Conclusion:
* Slasher popularity = emotions, the era, 'Final Girl', iconic figures, relation to audience, technology.
*Zeitgeist