Archetypes In Horror Films

Throughout the extensive history of cinema, particularly in its inception, women had been relegated to the roles of the damsel in distress, a character which usually was kidnapped and hoped to be rescue by the male hero. Other female archetypes in cinema are the seductress, also known as the femme fatale, a character who was aware of her beauty and mystery and would use those traits to manipulate her suitors into serving her agenda, seen throughout many noir films. Lastly, as the object of desire; in simplest terms, the female serves the role of merely a prize to appeal to the male protagonist, and by extension, the audience. For years, these three archetypes would reappear across genres, and continue appearances within modern cinema. However,

This is reminiscent of films such as Nosferatu which display a similar shift in character with female protagonists, such as Nosferatu, as described in Psychological Reflections on Cinematic Terror: Jungian Archetypes in Horror Films, “It is the heroine who will be carrying the seed of vampirism throughout all of London. Yet it is also the heroine who proves to be the Count's undoing, keeping him by her side until well after the sun has risen, thereby destroying him and saving her husband and friends" (Iaccino

Simon Abrams writes when critiquing the film, "Jay and her friends try to connect with each other physically, but only wind up realizing that, while their bonds are not skin-deep, they're also not