A2 Friday's lesson

Here as a recap for all of you was the focus of our lesson on Friday.

1: The main area which you need to develop as students is in connecting statements made by theroists with evidence from texts studied. So – we looked specifically at Atman’s statements and discussed social ideologies and fears. Does the Vampire sub-genre respond to social issues in a way that is predictable? I look forward to YOUR research on this and how you analyse the two vampire films you select.

2: We also looked at the opening of Interview with a Vampire – discussed and noticed the homosexual referencing within the narrative and connected that with the convention of vampire as a sexual predator. We also revisited (for those who were not there) the opening of The Hunger (1983 Tony Scott) which also plays on the sexual predation of two Vampires, though their vampiric identity is initially masked. How are these two films responses to the sexual liberation of the times, the fear of STDs and acceptance of alternative sexuality?

We also of course noted the conventions and counter conventions in both; the gothic music with its expectation of period setting counterpointed with the modern cityscape – San Francisco significantly – in Interview.

The nightclub setting of The Hunger and the intertextuality of the music by Bauhaus ‘Bella Lugosi’s dead’ – are its deliberate references clues to the genre of the film? The nightmarish vision of the opening, smokey like hell, the lead singer making bat shapes behind a wire screen. As a pre-AIDS film what is it responding to if anything?

To improve your grades you need to be working at bringing accurate micro-analysis into your essay writing to illustrate the theroetical points you wish to make.

How would you answer the question below?

The vampire sub-genre has evolved in direct response to the western societies changing attitudes towards sexaulity. Discuss.

Well, to begin approaching such a question you would need to selct a few key texts. Twilight, Interview with..., The Hunger, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Let the Right One In, etc. Your choice.

Now which moments have a direct relevence to the question?

Which theoists are relevant to this discussion?

What other SHEP influences might be at work within these text and how do they epitomise their time?

Were the films successful at the time and if so why?

Plan it carefully. Then write -

You NEED to become experts on your GENRE and SUB-GENRE so do the work, please.