KISS OF THE VAMPIRE -
REPRESENTATION Female character on the left is being
carried and supported by male
Representations of women being weak
and vulnerable is conventional for the character. This floppy body language
time period that ran up to the 1960s. makes her seem unconscious, or
Women were often represented as The lady on the right has also been sexualise. Her dress potentially dead. This makes her seen
‘damsels in distress’ in films and is form fitting, especially around the bust area, and it is weak, vulnerable, victimised and like
someone who needed rescuing by a form fitting. This makes her look sexy. She is also a ‘damsel in distress’. Her head is
hero (male character). But in the 1960s, wearing high heels, which creates quite an objectified back, and her neck is exposed, as
there was a second wave of feminism view of this woman. This representation links to well as some of her other skin,
where women started to become more historical context. The poster was made in the 1960s, adding to her sense of vulnerability.
powerful and demand equal rights in which was a time where women started to become But this also makes her seem quite
the home, workplace and education. In objectified in the media. People living in the 1960s were sexualised due to her skin-tight silk,
society, a lot of women were fighting going through a period of sexual revolution, with the bare neck and exposed upper chest.
for more rights as they didn’t want to introduction of divorce laws, abortion laws and This creates a sexualised
be seen as the victim and sexualised contraception. These meant women became free and representation of this woman
the whole time. However, the film were less restricted to being mothers and wives, and
poster still represents them in this way. were seen as partners, girlfriends and people who could
This could be due to the fact horror be objectified by men and the media. The
films have a mostly male audience, and representations of women being sexualised and
perhaps they might be more interested objectified were common for the 1960s The man is seen in an alternative fashion,
in seeing women represented in this his arm is back as though he is trying to
traditional way. The poster also protect himself from the bats. This
represents women in this way due to defensive body language makes him seem
the fact the film was made by a victimised and scared and vulnerable. The
mainstream horror company (Hammer audience are unsure if he is a villain or a
Studios) in the 1960s, so their hero from the picture along. This acts as a
viewpoints and representations are proeretic code as the audience are forced
likely to be mainstream. These to question who he is. There is also a male
traditional representations might have character at the bottom right-hand corner
also been included in the poster of the poster, who is clearly semi-
because feminism was quite new and conscious or in an unconscious state. He is
certainly the second wave of feminism kneeling on the floor with his head back,
was only starting to become more which seems a submissive pose. He looks
popular. Feminism was seen as as though he is going to get eaten or bitten
alternative and taboo. The film poster at some point. The use of body language
is representing mainstream ideologies and positioning create representations of
in terms of representation men being weaker and victimised. These
representations of men being victimised
might reflect those changing social norms
about gender in the 1960s, where men
were starting to be seen in a slightly less
Traditional representations of women
patriarchal dominant way
might reflect the fact that there is a male
character holding a female. He has got
vampire fangs suggesting he might be a
villain, or certainly makes him seem
aggressive. The fact he is wearing dark The shift in gender roles in society
clothes and a cape acts as a symbolic code can be seen in the film poster of the
that he might be a vampire. This is further female character in the centre. She
highlighted by the colour red which makes looks aggressive. She has her fist
him seem dangerous. This patriarchal and raised and her teeth abed. It looks
typical representation of men being like she has vampire fangs, which
powerful and dominant was common until puts her in a position as a villain or
the 1960s, although at the time, it would as potentially an aggressive violent
still have been seen as a mainstream The billing block at the bottom of the killer in the film. She looks as though
ideology, even though society’s views on poster features a lot of male names, and she is going to bite the man in the
gender were just changing in the 1960s only one female name. this suggests that floor, showing he is the victim. This
in terms of credit for the film, it was places her in a dominant position,
more important to give male actors which would have been
credit, rather than the female actresses. unconventional prior to the 1960s.
This suggests that women were seen as Having a female villain would have
There are an equal number of male and female
less important behind the scenes. In been unconventional at the time. This
characters in the image of the film poster. This
addition, all the crew names, such as the reflects the way gender roles were
suggests there is some equality in terms of
director, producer and writers, all seem staring to change in the 1960s due to
gender, there is one male victim and one female
to be male in terms of face values. This feminism
victim and one male vampire and one female
suggests that there might have been a
vampire. The poster is not trying to create a
heavy representation of men within the
binary and old-fashioned view of gender. There
film industry roles
is some diversity in terms of gender on this
poster
