Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Horror Genre Typically the Horror or more specifically Vampire genre will have the theme good vs. evil where the hero represents good and the villain represents evil. This is consistent in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy is the hero and the evil vampires she slays (in this episode Glory/Ben) represent evil. There is also a cliché within this genre where good is always triumphant over evil. Buffy in this episode conforms to this cliché but with a twist; which is also typical of the Genre, good triumphs over evil in the end but not without a sacrifice. Although Buffy contains many of the conventions that are typical of the horror genre it also contains many conventions which are associated with other genres making it multi generic. From this episode we can see that it contains references to the Kung-Fu genre from the fight scenes and also the Teen Genre as there are romances between characters and typical teen language is used 'smart chicks are so hot'. Obviously as the hero Buffy is the main character in this programme. However, a superhero is normally a man in his mid 20s-30s who tries to save the victim the victim who is stereotypically a teenage girl. This is Ironic as Buffy is that innocent looking Blonde teenage girl. In this episode Buffy tries to save her sister Dawn for Glory/Ben who wants to bleed her to death in order to open the portal between our world and the evil dimension. There is also a romance within this episode of the Horror genre. Typically a romance takes place between the hero and the victim but in this case the hero rescues her sister and the main romance occurs b... ... middle of paper ... ...cal symbols of fear and of the horror genre. The purple tinted lighting and purple coloured portal are typical of the horror genre as purple is strongly associated with Vampires and it also gives the viewer further connotations of horror. Buffy the Vampire Slayer subverts the horror Genre by being multi-generic. This means it adopts the conventions of various other genres i.e. Kung-fu and horror. It is aimed at a young adult/teen audience and it appeals to this audience by being multi-generic (and more interesting) as people of this age need to have their mind stretched to keep them engaged within it. It also has slightly different appeals to each of the sexes; it appeals to teenage boys especially as Buffy is an attractive woman and it may appeal to girls as they may aspire to be like her 'an independent woman'.
Imagine a life in the 18th century when a revolution is taking place that exercises freedom, emotional liberty and importance of oneself. When the Romantic Era hit many individuals were becoming aware of a movement of intense emotion and became interested in unfamiliar and exotic experiences. Many of these experiences in which, brought to light a whole new world of darkness and strong emotions such as apprehension and terror. Romanticism in the 18th century sparked imagination; Imagination that was perceived as the “ultimate power” (see reference). Fast forwarding to contemporary culture, many of these examples of romanticism are seen in shows such as True Blood, American Horror Story, and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
home. Aubrey falls in love with a Grecian girl who he tries to save from the
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer series is a very popular show that engages well with most youthful audiences, including teenagers and young adults. Teenagers are quickly captivated by the show’s great amount of comedy, adventure, and science fiction. Although it is remarkably entertaining, the show also teaches important life lessons pertaining to love, friendship, and family. In the episode “Hush” from the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the theme that through clear acts, one can develop clarity in relationships is presented.
In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the main character Buffy Summers is the chosen Vampire Slayer, even though she does not want to be the chosen one, but there is always some type of danger in her town. As she is battling demons and vampires, she is struggling to live a normal life, but soon learns to embrace and accept her destiny. Buffy was a very popular show with seven seasons won two Emmy awards a Golden Satellite award and multiple Saturn awards. In every season Joss Whedon was able to incorporate something different to make each season stand out. A recurring theme throughout the episode “Hush” is that sometimes talking is not the most efficient way of communicating or showing affection.
The vampire genre is today’s most popular form of pop culture. Vampire movies and literature have risen to fame in American popular culture today, but vampire genre popularity dates back further than many people realize. Sprouting from humble origins of fireside lore, vampire fiction has been a mainstay in the literary realm. It is in literature today that we see this ever-popular fragment of popular culture truly blossom in Stephenie Meyer’s hit-novel series, Twilight. In the novels, Meyer’s characters display an incessant whirlwind of complexities involving the rare, seemingly non-existent, romantic bond between vampire and human. Most importantly, she influences American culture by tempting readers, and eventual viewers of the film version of the series, of an almost tangible adolescent fantasy of undying adoration, romance, and lust that vicariously plays out through the vaunted fictional vampires. Meyer’s popular novel series and films have ignited a craze that has stormed American popular culture and reshaped the perspective of the vaunted vampire entirely.
In a society dominated by male superheroes, it is not that often that a female character is able to step forward and defend the world. There have been quite a few female superheroes throughout the ages of popular culture, including the Canadian Marvel super-heroine, Aurora ("Marvel"), and DC Comic's character, Black Canary (Kanigher, and Infantino). Yet for every one female superhero that is encountered, there are at least a dozen more male superheroes to stand around—and often in front of—her. Even more frustratingly, the female superheroes are often merely there to be the gendered counterpart to the much more powerful, dominant male superheroes. There have been few women who have stood out as being independent, admirable sources of female empowerment for their fans throughout the generations of superheroes. Perhaps one of the biggest cultural sensations that does just this is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the main title character of the series, Buffy Summers herself. Yet is Buffy really as admirable as she seems to be on the surface? The fact is that for all the good that Buffy appears to do for her fans, there have been some very crucial issues in Women Studies that she has failed to lend her empowering nature to. This paper will discuss the powerful influence that Buffy the Vampire Slayer has over its viewers, and some of the problems that arise from this power.
A girl runs frantically through the woods trying to escape an axe wielding villain. The defenseless victim suddenly trips and collapses to the ground. The villain laughs wickedly as he lifts the axe above his head. The girl releases a final scream as the weapon quickly ends her life, causing the audience to go silent as they watch the villain drag away the lifeless body. Death, blood, guts, suspense, screaming, and terror are all just a few things to expect when watching a modern day horror film. What is horror? Horror can be defined as an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust. (Wilson) The description of horror is not very pleasant, but for some reason horror films are extremely popular. Why is this so? People are addicted to the synthetic feeling of being terrified.
For several years, there has been a dispute when it comes to the similarities between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the latest vampire infatuation. Many television shows and films have been compared to the iconic vampire slayer. Although, it is The Vampire Dairies that is constantly scrutinized among admirers. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Vampire Diaries have several similarities, but the way each show is written and executed set them apart.
In Bram Stoker's Dracula, the most blatant and powerful symbol is blood. He takes the blood that means so much to the believers of this legend and has it represent more than even they could imagine. Blood is the main object associated with vampires and vampirism. From a mythical standpoint, it is the basis of life for the vampires as they feed off of the blood of young, vibrant souls. From a more scientific standpoint blood is what would drip out of the corpse's mouth when family members would dig up their dead kin to check for the dreaded disease. Stoker takes the significance of this symbol and puts his own unique twist to the meaning of blood. He combines the traditional folklore of vampirism and the immense sexual undertones of the Victorian era to create a simply horrific tale which completely confuses the emotions of his readers. Stoker knew bloods importance in vampire history and used the overwhelming symbolism to convey his own personal lust and sexual obsessions. The scenes where Lucy is receiving transfusions; first from Holmwood, then from Seward, and the unforgettable vampire baptism between Dracula and Mina all have these very erotic, sexual feelings associated with them. What makes these so powerful is the combination of violence and sex. As a reader, you know that what Dracula is doing are horrific and wrong, but because they are so sexually described and associated you think you should enjoy them, but you can't. This is the confusion which stoker implements into his readers minds, especially ones of the Victorian era. This is why stoker used blood as the most important symbol in the novel; to create an intense horror that was not just in the words of the book, but in the minds of the reader.
Murder. Revenge. Gore. All of these come to mind when we think and hear about horror. What should also come to mind is the Father of Modern Day horror, Stephen King. In his essay, “Why We Crave Horror” he explains that we love the thrill that we get when we watch horror film. He believes that watching the gory action packed film is like riding a roller coaster that’s doing some really great 360 degree spins. In other words, were daring the nightmare. Many believe the horror genre to be diabolic, but King’s overview on the topic are accurate because many scenarios can be realistic with the use of human experiences, just featured in an over exaggerated way.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer has broken many barriers in its seven-year stint, creating new genres and enabling innovation in a previously barren area of television. The largest leap the show has taken though, has been in the way it has embraced its fandom, creating a symbiotic relationship between Buffy the show and Buffy the fanfiction. Not only does Buffy fanfiction seize upon unexplored areas and inconsistencies inherent in the text, these forays are often paid homage to by the show, and in some cases, even made part of the canon itself. Ideas and fantasies created by the fans can impact upon the show in a way that has never been seen before.
Stephen King believes that we are naturally attracted to the horror genre because we can identify with it to some degree and it is also considered a challenge by some to be able to withstand horror. I find it slightly unsettling that to some degree we are all insane according to King, however, I find this to be very believable.
In his book, Horror and the Horror Film, author Bruce F. Kawin remarked “horror itself resists formulation and can be difficult and unpleasant to contemplate.” This year was a phenomenal year for both horror and contemplative movies. Two prime examples: Get Out and mother!. Despite being both horror films with subliminal messaging and allegories, they had drastically different reactions and box office performances. To understand why this happened, it is imperative to analyze marketing, storyline, climate, and audience interpretation.
Gothic literature can be described as literature that is used to terrify people by portraying situations that border between reality and unreality. The purpose of Gothic literature is to terrify people, not to horrify them. The definition of horror and terror is often misunderstood, many people think they have the same meaning. Devendra Varma, in the Gothic Flame described the difference between these words as "an awful apprehension and sickening realization." A situation that is horrifying is usually described very distinctly. It usually deals with something that is grotesque and may be so appalling that is it unrealistic. It gives an exact portrayal of what is being described, usually by physical characteristics. Its intention is to appall and scare the reader. A situation that is terrifying is also used to frighten the reader, but it instead suggests something that will happen instead of describing it exactly. It allows the readers imagination to determine the story so that there is a sense of uncertainty. It seems to give a feeling of dread instead of an alarming feeling as with horror. William Faulkner, in "That Evening Sun", uses the distinction between the words terror and horror to portray Jason's, the child, feelings of terror concerning racial differences by creating a situation that would be terrifying to the reader.
Horror literature has been around since as long as man has been on earth. While usually in the form of ghost stories, many have often told stories orally, or on paper, to play on the horrors and darkest fears that we as humans face. While large populations of people do not like the horror genre, some get a satisfaction or enjoyment at looking at some of their worst fears being played out in front of them via a book or movie. As the stories have advanced through history and been examined and read through many different lenses both by history and literature experts, one aspects remains to be examined, and that is the changing role on of women in the story. While many of the early stories early stories portray them as simple, one-dimensional characters, weak and unable to help themselves, they evolve into more complex and eventually pushing through the damsel in distress mantra into the complex villain or hero.