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MayhemDespiteEverything:UnderstandingtheSlasherSubgenreasanInherentlyPostmodern
EvolutionofClassicalHorrorCinema
Analyzinghorrorcinemaisnotnewacademicexercise,norisitaninterestingone.As
ourtechnologicalmilieuhasincreasinglybecomeonetrendingtowardtheproliferationof
screenmediatedinformationexchange,scholarshavebeengenerousinusheringsocalled
mediastudiesintoseriouscriticismforsometimenow,withwholejournalsandacademic
departmentsdedicatedtothefield.Horrorfilmsandtheirsensationalisticportrayalsofmisogyny,
violence,andgore,holdaparticularlyirksomeesteemamongscholars.Inthem,thereismuchto
bediscussed,butlittletobeadmired.Forthisveryreason,criticalstudiesonthegenretendto
excoriateratherthanappreciate,butitisimportanttorememberthathorror,afterall,isagenre
asoldasfilmitself,beginningin1896s
TheHauntedCastle
andextendingprofitablyintothe
present(Hardy3),andfilmcriticRobinWoodregardshorrorascurrentlythemostimportantof
allAmerican[film]genresandperhapsthemostprogressive,eveninitsovertnihilismina
periodofextremeculturalcrisisanddisintegration,whichaloneoffersthepossibilityofradical
changeandrebuilding(Wood17).Inshort,thismuchmalignedgenrehasbeen
wellrepresentedinacademiadespiteitsshortcomings,withmajorworksfocusingonthe
representationofgender,peopleofcolor,terrorism,andmentalhealthissues,amongmany
others.
Yetadeepstudyofwritingsfocusedontheintersectionofhorrorcinemaand
postmodernitywillshowthatmostscholarsreferenceonlyahandfulofnoteworthyfilms,most
oftenWesCravens1996slasherparody
Scream
,whichiscitedasaprimeexampleof
postmodernfilmwritlarge,wherethecharactersthemselvesknowtheyexistinaworldof

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overarchingconventions.Here,wewatchagroupofteenagersdiscusstheexistenceofruleson
howtosurviveahorrorfilm
within
ahorrorfilmrulesthattheythemselvesbreakattimes,
sometimesmeetingthemandatedpunishmentandsometimesnot,consummatelyeffacingour
expectationsoftheestablishedtropeswhichmaybethegenresmostovertattemptat
selfreferentiality.Atthetime,
Scream
servedasaremindertofansandartistsalikethat
contemporaryhorrorhadlostitspunchtoendlessvariationsonthesamethemes,tableaus,and
conventions.Newfilmsbecamelittlemorethanthenecessarysteponthewaytomoreprofitable
sequelfranchises,andaudiencessettledfortheirrecycledtropes.Becauseofitsparodichandling
ofthesubgenresdownfallanditsimmediateboxofficesuccess,forthepurposesofscholarly
inquiry,
Scream
mightaswellbetheonlypostmodernslasherfilmworthdiscussing.
Thispaperproposesthattheslashersubgenreitselfnotjust
Scream
andits
imitatorsservesasaninherentlypostmodernreactiontoclassicalhorrorfilms,anoutgrowthof
thepostmodernperiodasperFredericJamesonsconception.First,Iwillbeginbydiscussingthe
differencebetweenslasherfilmsandtheirclassicalhorrorpredecessors.Next,Iwillhighlight
severalaestheticconventionsofpostmoderntextsandmakeconnectionsbetweentheseconcepts
andthestructureofquintessentialslasherfilmsandtropes.Finally,Iwillofferapossible
directionfortheslashergenreinlightofitsrecentmanifestations.Asmentionedabove,critical
studiesofslasherfilmstendtoexaminethenarrativerepresentationofparticulargroupsof
people,butforasubgenrethatisasapocalypticandnihilistic,ashostiletomeaning,form,
pleasure,andthespeciousgoodasmanytypesofhighart,itmaybemoreappropriatetoview
theslashermovementasanimportant,subversivereflectionofpostmodernaesthetics(Modleski
291).

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ABasicDefinition
Forthepurposesofthispaper,Iwillofferarathersimplisticdefinitionofslasherhorror
filmswithwhichtoidentifyapplicableexamples,asthesubgenreoffersendlessvariationsona
basictheme.Slashersgenerallyfeatureaserialkillerwhoisspreadingfearinamiddleclass
communitybykillinginnocentpeople(Petridis76).Whatisimportantinslasherfilmsisthat
theaudienceiswilling,ifnoteager,towitnessextremeviolence,asmanyscenesinslasherfilms
foregroundthefearofmurdervictims,theattackitself,anditsaftermath.Themaintensionina
slasherfilmiswhowillthecentralvillaingetnextandbywhatmethod?(Tudorqtd.in
SapolskyandMolitor38).Wecanfurtheridentifyslasherfilmsbasedontheirportrayalofthe
antagonist,akillerwhoisknownfromthebeginning,asin1984s
ANightmareonElmStreet
,or
onewhoremainsunknownuntiltheendofthefilm,asin1980s
Fridaythe13th
,inwhichthe
killersidentityisfinallyrevealedviaawhodunnittwist.However,notallhorrorfilmsthat
featureserialkillerscanbeconsideredslashers.Instead,wecanseethebreakbetweenclassical
horrorfilmsandpostmodernslashersthroughtheriseoffilmsusingcontemporarysettingsrather
thangothicones,theerosionofthegoodvs.evilgrandnarrative,andonscreenviolencerather
thanimpliedviolence.
Gothicvs.Contemporary
Classicalhorrorfilmsgenerallylooktowardthepastformaterial,reworkingcanonical
worksofliteratureandsituatingnarrativesinanidealizedgothichistory.Theseclassicalhorror
filmslike1931strioof
Dracula
,
Frankenstein
,and
Dr.JekyllandMr.Hyde
,tendtolocatethe
threatofevilinmonsters,ghosts,andothermythicalbeings.Thenarrativefollowsagroupof
peopleastheyineffectuallyfightoffsaideviluntilthepatriarchalauthorityfiguremostoftena

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memberofthewealthyupperclass,likeVanHelsing,Dr.Waldman,andDr.JohnLanyoninthe
aforementionedfilmsrespectivelyfinallydefeatsthemonsterandrestorespeacetothe
kingdom.Here,wespendmuchtimeskulkingaroundcastlesandmoorsastheevilotherlurks
intheshadows.Onlywhenthismonstrousotherisbanishedcanpeoplereturntotheirnormal
lives.Evenwhenclassicalhorrorfilmsaresetinthepresentday,asin1954s
Godzilla
and
Them!
,evilislocatedinfantastic,impossiblebeings,inthiscasealargereptilianmenaceora
nestofgiantmutatedants.Thereisalwaysasenseofremoveinclassicalhorrorfilmswhat
happensonscreencannotfindatotalcorrelateinreallife,andaudiencesareallthemore
comfortedbythatfact.
Incontrast,contemporaryorpostmodernhorrorfilmslookattheuglypresentfor
material,portrayingamoretypicalcastofmiddleclassteenagers.Slasherfilmslocateevilin
theeverydayworld,wheretheefficaciousmaleexpertissupplantedbyanordinaryvictimwho
issubjectedtohighlevelsofexplicit,sexualizedviolence,especiallyifthevictimisfemale
(Pinedo20).Slasherfilmstakeplaceinthepresent,whereevilisabletoinvadethecomfortof
suburbs(
Halloween
),summercamps(
Fridaythe13th
),placesofworship(
Alice,SweetAlice
),
andschools(
ANightmareonElmStreet
),institutionswhereaudiencesarelessabletoremove
themselvesfromthespeculativethreat,sincetheyremainsoclosetoordinarylife.Structuring
narrativesaroundrealisticcontemporarysettingsratherthanidealizedgothicones
demonstratesafundamentalphenomenologicaluncertaintyabouttheapparent,familiarworld
aroundusandourperceptionofit(Syder81),andsuchashiftfromfantasytorealityrestson
thepremisethatinlightofhistoricaltraumas,includingworldwars,genocides,nucleartesting,
andtheassassinationofpeaceactivists,anidealizedgothicpastistoofarremovedfromthe

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locusoftrueevil,which,inthepostmodernslasherfilm,ishumanityitself.
Goodvs.Evil
Inclassicalhorrorfilms,audiencesandcharactersalikeareabletoeasilydrawthe
boundarybetweengoodandevil.Dracula,Frankensteinsmonster,Mr.Hyde,andImhotepare
allmarkedlydifferentbeingsthantheheroeswhodefeatthem,andthesefilmsallowaudiences
toprojecttheirfearsupontheseothers,whoremaininstarkcontrasttoushumans.While
audiencesmaybeabletoidentifywiththemoresympatheticmonsters,goodalwaystriumphs
overevilintheclassicalparadigm,andthesocialorderisonceagainrestoredaftertheinitial
disruptionofnormality.Withagoodbitofromance,fightscenes,andhumor,theseUniversal
Studiosmonsterflicksofyoreendonahappy,unambiguousnote:Wesavedthedayyetagain.
Whereasaclassicalhorrorfilmconstructsasecureuniversecharacterizedbynarrative
closure,oneinwhich(hu)managencyprevailsandthenormativeorderisrestored(Pinedo24),
apostmodernhorrorfilmmakesitdifficulttosoeasilyrecognizedistinctionsbetweengoodand
evil.Filmslike
ANightmareonElmStreet
,
Halloween
,and
TheTexasChainSawMassacre
all
endwiththeirantagonistsmeetinganambiguousoutcome.Ateachfilmsclimaxthe
protagonist(s)putsupanhonorablefight,andthefoeisvanquished,yeteachfilmsclosing
momentstakestheclassicalparadigmastepfurtherbyinterjectingahealthydoseof
apprehension:Didwekillit?Theanswerinpostmodernslashersis
no
moreoftenthannot.
Antagonistsremainontheloosebythetimethecreditsroll,returningsooninacoterieof
bastardizedsequels.Byerodingourfaithintheideathatgoodwillalwaysprevail,postmodern
slashersproclaimthatevilcanbecontained,ifanything,butneverdestroyed.
Whatsmore,slasherfilmsgenerallyportrayhumanantagonistsinsteadofthose

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markedlydifferentbeingsofthe1930s1950s.MichaelMyersisbutamancondemnedtospend
therestofhislifeinahighsecuritymentalhospital.Leatherfaceisanoutofworkfarmworker.
FreddyKruegerisaformerhandymancomebackasadreamdemon,andJasonVorheesisa
supposedlydrownedchildwhosurvivedafterall.EvenNormanBatesof
Psycho
fame,the
predecessorofallpostmodernslasherfilms,isabashfulhotelclerkwithmommyissues.In
slashers,humansdonotfightanexternalizedevilthreat,butratherthemselves.Isthereaforce
anymoremonstrousthanthehumanrace,inlightofhistory?Violenceatthehandsofourfellow
humansismoreinlinewiththepostmodernperiodspessimism,whichproposesthatwecanno
longerprojectourfearsontomythicalbeastswhensomuchviolencemotivatesandsurroundsus,
especiallyinanAmericanculturewhoseundersideiscomprisedofblood,torture,death,and
horror(Jameson57).
ToldViolencevs.ShownViolence
Finally,wecanseehowpostmodernhorrorfilmssplitfromtheclassicalhorrorformula
inregardstothehandlingofviolence.Inclassicalhorrorfilmsofthe1930s,40s,and50s,
violenceisimpliedoffscreen,asseenin
Dracula
,wherebitescenestastefullycuttoblack
beforethevampiresteethmeetflesh.Victimsinthesefilmssimplyfalldownorarefoundby
othercharactersafterthefact,andtheaudienceislefttofillinthegapswiththeirimagination,
includingtherequisitegore.Itmakessensethatinclassicalhorrorfilmslike
Frankenstein
,
Dr.
JekyllandMr.Hyde
,and
TheMummy
,strangulationisthepreferredmethodofdisposalno
mess,andittakesonlyamotionlessbodytoimplydeath.Whilemostofthisintentionalveiling
canbeexplainedawaybytherigorousMotionPictureProductioncode,whichspecifically
restrictedbrutalityandpossiblegruesomeness(Lewis301302),wecanalsoattribute

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puritanicalcodesofconducttohowthesefilmsdealwithdeath.Inclassicalhorror,weneedonly
the
idea
ofviolence,notthespecifics.
Eversincetheinfamousshowerscenein
Psycho
,whereaudienceswatchedbloodspill
downthedrain(itwasinfactBoscochocolatesyrup),postmodernhorrorfilmsandparticularly
slashershavebeenobsessedwiththespectacleoftheruinedbody.In
ANightmareonElmStreet
,
ateenissuckedintohisbed,afterwhichoverfivehundredgallonsoffakebloodspewoutofthe
mattressandcoathisroom.
Fridaythe13th
isastoryinserviceofitselaboratemurdertableaus
withoutthem,theplotismeaningless,forallisdisjointedfortheshockina[slasher]film,and
spectacleofviolencereplacesanypretensionstonarrativestructure,becausegoreistheonlypart
ofthefilmthatisreliablyconsistent(Arnzen).Intheopeningsceneof
TheTexasChainSaw
Massacre
,authoritiesencountertheposedcorpsesofrecentlyrobbedgravesthesebodiesare
splayedandmanipulatedingrotesqueposesthatmimicasculptorspointedvision.The
postmodernhorrorfilmseesthedeadbodyasacanvas,andslasherfilmshaveahistoryof
oneuppingpredecessorsinthesubgenretocreatemorenuancedvisionsofart.
Wherebeforeinclassicalhorrorfilmswewereallowedtoimaginethebloodyhorrorsin
thedarknessofourownminds,slasherfilmstakeawayourcomfortinthelightbymakingthe
visible,knownworldtheprimarysourceofterrorprimarilythroughgrotesquelyrealisticgore
effects(Syder83).SoldiersreturningfromVietnamhadseentruehorror,andspecialeffect
artistslikeTomSaviniusedtheirexperiencesoverseas,alongwithrapidlyinnovatingfilm
technologies,tocraftstomachturningrecreationsofhumandismemberment,whichinturn
producedhugeboxofficereturns(SapolskyandMolitor35).Therageandterrorthat
accompaniedthepost1960slandscapeseemedtodictatewhatconstitutedrealhorror,andin

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responsehorrorfilmsbegantomoveawayfromtheshynessofclassicalhorrorfilmsandintothe
firstslashermovement.1960markedtheintrusionofthepostmoderneraintohorrorfilmswith
thereleaseof
Psycho
,andineffect,filmmakersbecamemuchlesscoyinregardstothe
presentationofviolence,ultimatelyabandoningtheclassicalhorrormodelinfavorofgraphic
depictionsofgore.
PostmodernTraitsoftheSlasherFilmModel
Nowthatwehavemadeadistinctionbetweenclassicalhorrorfilmsandslasherfilmsand
lookedatsomeoftheculturalfactorsbehindsaidparadigms,letusturntounderstandingthe
slashermovementasaparticularlypostmodernresponsetoclassicalhorrorfilms.Iwillnow
identifysomeoftheoverarchingpostmodernconcernsoftheslashercanon,particularlythe
prevalenceofparanoia,audienceparticipation,andpasticheinitsrepresentativefilms.
Paranoia
Inthepostmodernslasher,protagonistsspendamajorityofthetimerunningfortheir
lives.ThelastfewscenesaloneofJohnCarpenters
Halloween
,whichmanycriticsbelievetobe
thefirstslashersuccessthatcodifiedmanyoftheslashersubgenresconventions,equateto
fifteenstraightminutesoftheprotagonistteenbabysitterLaurieStrodemovingfromhouse
tohousetryingtooutrunherkiller,discoveringthehiddencorpsesofherclassmatesalongthe
way.In
TheTexasChainSawMassacre
,Sallymeetsasimilarfateassheescapesfromher
cannibalisticcaptorsonlytoberecapturedagainandagain,andmuchof
ANightmareonElm
Street
ssuccesscanbeattributedtoitselaboratedreamsequencesthatallowedfilmmakersto
morphtheknownworldintoanuncannysimulacrum,wheretelephonesgrowtonguesandwalls
pulse.Inthesefilms,thesuburbs,ruralTexasfarmland,andsleeparerenderedstrangeand

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antagonistic,astheyprovidetheshadowsinwhichbadmenareallowedtomoveandhide.
Slasherfilms,then,canbesaidtoevinceaparanoidatmosphereofdistrustforfamiliarity
andcomplacency,sincetheyusuallyillustratethestrange,unexpectedandhorribleturnof
eventswhichthreatenourpowersofreason(Manchel111).Charactersin
Fridaythe13th
no
longerfindsolaceinthepastorallakeside,andthesororitysistersof
BlackChristmas
learnto
distrustthequietoftheirownhome,wherethekillerhasbeencallingthemallalong.Underthis
framework,itiseasytoseehowslasherfilmsrevolvearoundaparanoiathatthelawsofthe
universearenotenoughtosavegoodpeoplefromrandomdestruction.Infact,themodernist,
utopianworldofforwardprogressisaltogetherrejectedinslasherfilms,astheirfundamental
preceptseemstoarguethatourlogiccannolongerfunctioninaworldwherechaosisallowed
primacy(Spencer220).AsMichaelMyersinvadesapreviousstalwartofcontemporarysociety
(thesuburbanmiddleclass)andpicksofftheirmostcherishedpossessions(theyouthofthe
community),theslashersubgenretakesafirmconservativepositionthatourcontemporaryworld
isnottobetrusted,andourfutureisnotabrightone.
Slasherfilmsalsoharboradistrustofauthorityfiguresandinstitutions,anotherformof
paranoia.Becauseslasherfilmsgenerallytargetteenaudiencesandfeatureteencharacters,the
politicalvisionofthesefilmstendtoalignwiththoseviewsheldbyteens(SapolskyandMolitor
34).Thestereotypicalrebelliousnatureofteensandyoungadultsfindsitscorrelateinthe
structureofslashernarratives,becauseDespitethepostmodernhorrorfilm'sinsistenceonthe
useofforce,copsandpsychiatristsarelargelyabsentorineffectual.Thenihilisticuniverseof
postmodernhorrorcannotrelyontheefficacyofscienceorauthorityfigures(Pinedo23).In
A
NightmareonElmStreet
,protagonistNancysownfatherisalieutenantinthelocalpoliceforce

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yetwhenshetellshimofhersuspicionsaboutthelocaldeathsandtheirpossiblecoverup,he
placesherunderhousearrestbyinstallingironbarsoverherbedroomwindowsultimatelyher
boyfrienddiesasaresultofherinabilitytowakehimupacrossthestreet.Here,thefilmdirects
anassaultonfundamentalideologicalinstitutionslikethesuburbanfamilyunit,thepoliceforce,
andthebourgeoisculturethataffirmsboth.Neitheroneissympathetictotheneedsofyoung
people.
Similarly,
TheTexasChainSawMassacre
isathinlyveiledcritiqueofcapitalism,afilm
aboutthehorrorsofpeople
literally
feedingoffoneanotherwhenafamilydrivenoutofworkby
technologicalprogressmustturntoeatingandsellinghumanmeatforsustenance.Thepolice
forceiscorruptedbymurderousfamilymembers,andtheteensareunabletoescapeduetoa
gasolineshortage(thefilmwasreleasedayearafterthe1973gascrisis).In
Halloween
,
psychiatristDr.SamLoomissavesLaurieatthelastmomentbyshootingMichaelMyers
multipletimesatcloserange,yethedoesnotdefeattheantagonistwhosubsequentlyescapes.
Theworldofslasherfilmsisonewherecharactersarebetteroffdistrustingallauthorityfigures,
whomoreoftenthannotareeithercorrupt,unbelieving,orimpotenttothegreaterthreatsofthe
villainousuniverse.Sincetheslashersubgenrefoundprominenceonlyafewyearsafterthe
Watergatescandal,itisnotdifficulttocontextualizethesefilmsasonesthatplacenofaithinthe
powersthatbe,andthroughouttheirheydeytheyremainsubversivecritiquesofdominant
ideologies.
Afurtherexampleofoverarchingparanoiawithintheslashercanonisthefactthatslasher
narrativesarestructuredinsuchawaythatanycharactercandiewithoutamomentsnotice.
Whilelaterconventionsofthesubgenrerequiredafinalgirltosurviveonewhoisbookish

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andsexuallychaste,whoabstainsfromthealcoholanddrugsherfriendssofreelyingestinorder
tooutsmarttheantagonistintheendvirtuallyeveryoneelseinaslasherfilmisupforgrabs,
includingparents,clergymembers,policeofficials,teachers,andtherequisiteslewofcardboard
cutoutteenagers,i.e.thejock,thenerd,thestoner,etc.Thoughwecanoftensingleoutthemost
honorablefemaleasthehero,wevicariouslywitnessthesheerrandomnessofdeaththrough
hereyesasshebecomesabjectterrorpersonified(Clover201).In
TheTexasChainSaw
Massacre
,wewatchaderangedcannibalcarvethroughayoungmanwhoremainsboundtohis
wheelchairwithouttheuseofhislegs.In
Halloween
,anystrangerwhoisunfortunateenoughto
crosspathswiththemaskedkillermustdieathishand.Slasherfilmsarenotablefortheir
narrativesimplicities,inwhichcharactersarekilledoffonebyoneinincreasinglyelaborate
scenarios,andthereforethefocusofthefilmliesinwatchingpeopledie.Thesedeathsare
executedbyasuperegoonsteroids,whopunishespeopleforcrimessuchasunderagedrinking,
premaritalsex,andthesinsofonesancestorsaudiencememberslookingforcomeuppancein
slasherfilmswontfinditeasily.
Historicallyspeaking,theslashersubgenrecametoprominenceimmediatelyafterthe
VietnamWar,andthesefilmsreflectthaterawiththeirwantonmayhemalongsidethegruesome
deathsofyoungpeople,butslashersgainedimmediateboxofficereturnsintheearlytomid
1980s,duringatimewhereserialkillersinNorthAmericawerecomingintothecultural
spotlight.Slasherfilms,featuringoverthetopviolencealongwiththechangingculturaltidein
America,proclaimthatnooneissafefromrandombrutalization(avulnerabilitythatis
exacerbatedbymassmediastoriesofserialmurders,assassinations,rapes,missingchildren,and
othercrimesthatseeminglylackamotive),plustheuncertaintyoflivinginasocietywherethe

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linesbetweengoodandevilincreasinglybecomeblurred(Russell69).
Inarelatedvein,thereliesaparanoiainslasherfilmsthatanyonecan
kill
withouta
momentsnotice.WhenstoriesofTedBundy,JohnWayneGacy,andRichardRamirezcameto
light,lawabidingcitizenswerestartledatthegoodlooksandfriendlinessofthesesupposed
monsters.TheretoowasamediafrenzysurroundingtheexploitsoftheZodiacKillerandthe
BTKkiller(lateridentified),whobothremainedunknownduringtheircrimesprees,incitingfear
thatsaidkillerswerestillafoot.Regardless,horrorcinemaevolvedduringanerawhereit
seemedlikebehindanyrandomdoorontheblocktherecouldbemurderershiding(asinthecase
ofFredandRosemaryWest).Comparedtoclassicalfilmslike
Frankentstein
and
Dracula
,
killersintheslasherperiodlookmuchmorelikeourselvesindistinguishable,even.
In
MyBloodyValentine
,welearnattheendofthefilmthatthekillerisagoodlooking
highschoolboyallalonghekillshisclassmatesinrevengeforhisfathersdeathinthelocal
minesdecadesago.In
Fridaythe13th
,thekillerisrevealedtobeamotheravenginghersons
deathandnotthesonhimselfaswehadbeenledtobelieve.
Fridaythe13thPartII
thengoesa
stepfurtherbyincorporatingthelongsincedeadsonbackintothenarrative,aninnocentchild
whowethoughttohavediedwhenhiscampcounselorsignoredhisdrowningthroesinfavorof
sex.Ineachcase,audienceshaveverylittleconfidenceastoguessingwhothekillermightbe,
becauseanyone,itseems,iscapableofthemurderousact,preyingonthefearoftheknownas
muchasitdoestheunknown:Dowe
really
wanttoknowwhatourneighborsarecapableof
(Syder83)?Theparanoiaoverwhowilldieandwhowillkillinslashersstemsfromthe
increaseddocumentationofviolentactsinthemediathatwere,likenow,becomingsocommon
astoroutinelygounreportedbythemediaunlessaspecificviolentactincorporatesa

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mindboggling,grislyvariationtheretoforeunheardof,orsomespectacularlyhighbodycount,in
whichcasethemediaexploitstheviolencein
GuinnessBookofWorldRecords
style(Derry
119).Ultimately,theatergoersaresubjecttotheparanoiawithinslasherfilmsnotsimplyby
absorbingthefearofcharactersonscreen,butbysimultaneouslycontextualizingonscreen
violenceinaworldwheresuchactsarenottoofarfromtherealmofpossibility.
AudienceParticipation
Slasherfilmsarenoteworthyfortheirinnovationswithpointofviewcinematography.In
BlackChristmas
andlater
Halloween
,whichcodifiedthepractice,webegineachfilmstalking
victimsfromthekillersperspective.Atthistime,wedonotevenknowwhowearebeingasked
toidentifywith,sincewefeelforthevictim(s)whilesimultaneouslykillingthem.Shifting
betweenidentitiesisacommonpracticeamongslasherfilms,asThepostmodernhorrorfilm
repeatedlyblurstheboundariesbetweensubjectiveandobjectiverepresentationbyviolatingthe
conventionalcinematiccodes(lighting,focus,color,music)thatdistinguishthem(Pinedo22).
Whetherlookingthroughthekillerseyes,intentionallyobscuringthekillersface,orchanging
nondiegeticsoundwheninthekillersshoes,thesestrategiesinciteaschizophrenicbreakinthe
ideathatidentityissingularandunifiedinthesamewaythatthekillersthemselveslivean
ambiguousidentity(untilitisrevealedtous):Weneverreallyknowourroleinthefilm,since
weareaskedtoplayseveral.PostmoderntheoristFredericJamesonbreaksdownthis
schizophrenicbreakinidentityasamatteroflinguisticcontinuity:
first,theeffectofacertaintemporalunificationofpastandfuturewiththepresentbefore
meandsecond,thatsuchactivetemporalunificationisitselfafunctionoflanguage,or
betterstillofthesentence,asitmovesalongitshermeneuticcirclethroughtime.Ifwe

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areunabletounifythepast,presentandfutureofthesentence,thenwearesimilarly
unabletounifythepast,presentandfutureofourownbiographicalexperienceorpsychic
life.(72)
Becausethecameraisatonceoureye,thekillerseye,andtheeyesofvictimsonscreen,wecan
neverbesureofourcomplicityinthestalkingandkillingofvictims,especiallyinaslasherfilm
wheretheredherringasplotdeviceisimmenselypopular(Muir32).Sometimeswerealizewe
havebeenlookingthroughtheeyesofadogorapracticaljokerinsteadofthevillain.Finding
outwhoswhointheslasherfilmispartofthefun,butfirsttheaudiencemustparticipateinsuch
awaythatwetryonthedifferentcostumesofthefilm,neverremaininginoneortheother,a
practicethatleadstolargerquestionsofourownpsychiclives.
Shiftingidentitiesintheslashercanonsupportsthepostmodernviewthatthereisno
unifiedsenseofself.Classicalhorrorfilmsmakefirmdistinctionsbetweengoodandevil,killer
andvictim,normalandabnormalslasherfilms,ontheotherhand,makesurethereisambiguity
astoeveryonesroleinthefilm,includingtheaudience.Infact,theveryactofwillfully
watchingourselvessliceupinnocentvictimsrevealsthataudiences[can]bejustasindifferent
andcallousasthecharactersinthefilms(Karnick).Asmentionedpreviously,manyofthe
subgenresmostsalientantagonistsarentmuchdifferentthantheprotagonists(and,by
deduction,ourselves).Evilinthesefilmscomesfromwithinthehumanexperience,andoften
saidevilisaproductofourculturesownpitfalls:domesticabuse(
Psycho
),poverty(
TheTexas
ChainSawMassacre
),mentaldisorderssuchasPTSD(
Fridaythe13thPt.II
),voyeurism(
Black
Christmas
),andmore.Admittedly,therearemanyproblematicrepresentationsofmental
disordersandsexualpoliticsinslashercinema,butthereisaclearbreakfromclassicalhorror

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thatdemandsaudiencememberstostepintoseveralrolesatonce.Dowerootforthekillers,who
havetheirowncultsofpersonality,orthevictims,whoweononehandenjoywatchingsuccumb
toslaughter,andontheotheridentifywithastheyovercomethevillain?Slasherskeepaudience
membersinaconstantstateofflux,muchcloserinlinetothepostmodernconceptionofthe
fragmented(ornonexistent)self.
Inmanyways,theslasherfilmisaformofgameplaybetweenaudienceandfilmmaker,
andthisparticipationisinherentintheformofthesubgenreitself:Thecontemporaryhorror
film
knows
thatyouveseenitbeforeit
knows
thatyouknowwhatisabouttohappenandit
knowsthatyouknowitknowsyouknow(Brophy279).Becauseslasherfilmsareatonce
entirelyformulaicandyetendlesslyvaried,theyteaseourabilitytopredictwhatmighthappen,
similartoawhodunnitmysterythriller.Weareaskedtoonsomelevelcareaboutcharacters
whoareatbestflat,atworststock,yetourheartspumpforthemnonetheless.Villainsthatnever
diefurtherreduceourabilitytopredicttheoutcomeoffamiliarnarratives.Slasherfilmsare
uniqueinthattheyengageaudiencesinadialogueoftextualmanipulationthathasnotimefor
thecriticalordinancesofsocialrealism,culturalenlightenmentoremotionalhumanism(Brophy
278279).How,then,dosuchgrotesqueandshallowfilmsdosowell?Preciselybecausethe
intendedaudienceforslashersis
expected
toknowtherules,andwiththatknowledgetheycan
findcomfortwhenfilmsmeettheirgenreexpectations,ortheycancacklewithgleewhena
recognizabletropehasbeenmanipulatedorabandoned.
Pastiche
JamesonconceivesofthepostmoderneraasoneinwhichThedisappearanceofthe
individualsubject,alongwithitsformalconsequence,theincreasingunavailabilityofthe

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personalstyle,engenderthewellnighuniversalpracticetodayofwhatmaybecalledpastiche
(64).Inaconsumptionorientedculture,artistshaveproducedsomuchworkthatindividuals
mustnowturntothepastandcannibalizethestoresofprevioustextstocreatesomethingnew.
Nolongeristheonusonartiststocreateanindividualstyle,butrathertoplagiarizeinsucha
selfawarewayastocallattentiontotheconstructednessoftheworkitself,aprocessthat
activelyencouragescreativeartiststoraidthepastinordertosetupasenseofdialogue
betweenitandthepresent(Sim231).Whenviewingapastichedtext,thereaderisnotonly
lookingatthesingletextbutthemyriadofallusiveworkscontainedwithinthattextaswell.
Slasherfilmsthen,itwouldseem,areparticularlywellsuitedtotheaimsofpostmodern
pastiche.Thesubgenresmostsalientconventions,havingbeensolidifiedinthelate1970s,are
sorecognizablethattwoentirefranchiseshavebeendevotedtopointingouttheartificebehind
thoseestablishedtropes(
Scream
and
ScaryMovie
).Toanalyzethesubgenreatfacevalue,one
mightconcludethatslasherfilmsaredebasedcinemaatitsworse,whereaudiencespaymoney
fortheprivilegetowatchpeopledieinagony,preferringthosemethodswhicharemost
overthetop.However,thepastichednatureofslasherfilms,whichborrowheavilyfromother
filmsinthesubgenre,leadsaudiencestoviewtheviolenceironically.Genreenthusiastshave
becomesoinuredtothelaboriousmentalprocessoffilmicsurvivalstalkingvictims,killing
victims,beingstalked,beingkilled,defeatingthekilleronlytolearnthatthekillercannotbe
defeatedthattheyexpecteachslasherfilmtohitcertainnotesmandatedbytheearlysuccesses
of
Halloween
and
Fridaythe13th
,andmuchoftheviewingexperienceislessconcernedwith
thequalityofindividualfilmsandmoreconcernedwithhowsaidfilmsparticipatewiththe
subgenreatlarge(Russell61).Becauseofthesheeramountofrepresentativefilmsinasubgenre

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thatisnotedforitsnarrativesimplicities,thereisonlysomuchindividualitydirectorscaninject
intotheirslasherfilms,andthereforeonemustrelyonaknowledgeofwhathascomepreviously
inthesubgenretofullyenjoysingulartextsinordertopickuponapatentedselfawareness
evidentinmanyslashers.
Afilmlike
Fridaythe13thPt.VIII
isparticularlyforthrightinitsexpectationthat
audiencesviewthetextnotsingularlybutaspartofaparticularfranchiseandsubgenre.After
JasonVorheeshopsacruiseshipandhitchesaridetoNewYorkCity,hecomesacrossa
multitudeofcityfolkthatwereheretoforeabsentinpreviousfilms.Duringalengthyrooftop
battleofnearlythreefullminutesinwhichaboxerthrowshisbestpunchesatthevillain,Jason
simplyabsorbsthepunches,andwhentheboxerrunsoutofsteam,Jasonlandsonepunchthat
literallydecapitatestheboxerwithsuchforcethathisdisembodiedheadfliesofftherooftopand
intoadumpster,whichslamsshutinresponse.Intheslasheruniverse,audiencemembersknow
thatwheneverabraveandconfidentcharactertriestogotoetotoewithavillain,thatcharacter
willmostlikelydie.However,thefilmmakersbehind
Fridaythe13thPt.VIII
wentsocomically
abovewhatwascalledforthatwecannottaketheviolenceseriouslyweexpectadeath,andin
lightofpreviousfilms,ourexpectationisnot
willhedie?
butrather,
howwilltheyoneup
themselvesaftereightfilms?
Pasticheintheslashercanonisadifferentpasticheusedinthe
horrorgenreasawholethepostmodernaimofslasherpasticheincludestheprominenceof
graphicviolencetoproducegoryhumor(Pinedo29).Inanotherscene,Jasonseeshisfirst
billboardadvertisement,onwhichisfeaturedahockeyplayer.Havingacquiredhissignature
hockeymaskfivefilmsprevious,Jasonstopsmidstride,cockshisheadeversoslightlyinsalute,
andcontinueshismurderousrampageonthecity.Thesesmallwinksattheaudiencereveala

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fundamentalconcernofslasherfilms,thattheyassumeaudiencescometoeachrepresentative
filmwithafairlydeepknowledgeofthesubgenreshistoryandconventions,whichfilmmakers
willcobbletogetherromasneeded.
Slasherfilmstrafficintheadeptmanipulationofviewerexpectationsbased(ironically)
onpasticheandoutrightappropriationofscenesfromothertexts(Arnzen).Itisnotan
uncommonexperienceforaslasherfilmtoreferenceanotherfilmfromthecanonslasher
directorWesCravenand
TheEvilDeads
creatorSamRaimihaveapracticeofincludingone
anothersfilmpostersintheirownfilms,andslashervillainsareoftencomparedtootherhorror
villainsintheirownfilmsin
TheTexasChainSawMassacre
,onevictimdescribeshis
antagonistassomekindaDracula.Slasherfilmsmakenopretensionsthattheirnarrativeevents
aresingularevents,butratherendemicofsomeuniversewheremassmurderspreesarecommon
occurrences.Viewersareexpectedtotakesuchviolenceinstridewhenweexpectgoreandthat
goreisgiventous,wearesatisfied.Ifthatexpectationisdeniedwithafalsesetup,thena
knowledgeofthesubgenresconventionsmaketheredherringthatmuchmorecomical.Itis
oftensaidthatearlyslasherfilmsunabashedlystealtheirkeymurderscenesfromtheItalian
giallo
subgenre,eveninthesubgenresfirstbigfilms.Plagiarismhasexistedinthesubgenre
sinceitsinception,andconsequently,informalritesofinitiationexistamongfanstoseewhocan
catchthemostinjokesinserializedfranchiseslike
Fridaythe13th
,
ANightmareonElmStreet
,
and
Halloween
.
.Whatmakesslasherfilmsparticularlyuniqueinthehorrorgenreisthattheyareprone
tothisserializationandfranchisementatamuchhigherfrequencythanothergenrefilms
(Arnzen).Aftertheindependentsuccessesof
Halloween
and
Fridaythe13th
,studioshitcheda

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rideontheslashercoattailsbyreleasingthinlyveiledripoffsintheformofformulaicslashers
basedaroundholidays,including
AprilFoolsDay
,
ChristmasEvil
,
MyBloodyValentine
,and
GraduationDay
.Eachsubsequentripoffsolidifiedslasherconventionsthatmuchmoreat
currentcount,
ANightmareonElmStreet
hasspawnedninefilms,includingtelevisionand
comicseries,andthe
Fridaythe13th
franchisehastwelvefilmstoitsname.
Halloween
isnotfar
behindwithtenfilmsofitsown.Thesenumbersremindusthataslashersindividualstyleis
muchlessimportantthanitsmarketability,leadingtothesubgenresrelianceonpasticheto
createanatmosphereoffamiliarityforinitiatedfans.
Finally,slasherfilmsincorporatepasticheintotheirrepresentativefilmsbymashing
highandlowformsofart.Inrelationtohorror,thiswouldbethedifferencebetweenfear
anddisgust.Filmcriticshavenotbeenkindtohorrorfilms(RogerEbertgavepositivereviews
tolessthantenhorrorfilmsoverhislengthycareer)however,positivereviewsoftenfocusona
filmsabilitytocreateatmosphereandgenuineterror,andthesefilmmakersareapplauded
fortheirdeftskillsinconstructingtension.Slasherfilms,ontheotherhand,arepittedin
oppositionaslazytextsthatstooptocheapthrills,preferringtheexposed,bloodyhearttoa
racingone.CarolCloverseesthemashupofhighandlowformsofartasaninherentconvention
oftheslashersubgenre:
Audiencesexpressuproariousdisgust(Gross!)asoftenastheyexpressfear,anditis
clearthatthemakersofslasherfilmspursuethecombination.Moreparticularly:the
spectatorsfallsilentwhilethevictimisbeingstalked,screamoutatthefirststab,and
makeloudnoisesofrevulsionatthesightofthebloodystump.Therapidalternation
betweenregistersbetweensomethinglikerealhorrorononehandandacamp,

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selfparodyinghorrorontheotherisbynowoneofthemostconspicuous
characteristicsofthetradition.(Clover205)
Slasherfilmsarenotfullyhorror,sincetheyincorporateahealthydoseofironyandblack
comedy,andyettheyincitegenuinefearinaudiences.Thepostmodernconventionsofslasher
filmsareevidentinthewaysaidfilmsborrowfrommultiplestylesandregisters.
Psycho
isas
muchamysteryfilmasaprototypicalslasher.Thelatterquarterof
ANightmareonElmStreet
incorporatesideasandtropesfromvigilantefilmsofthe1970s,andmanyslasherscanbeseenas
modernbildungsromans,whereyoungcharactersmustwitnessandpreventsacrificialbloodshed
inordertomoveontoadulthood.Becausethesefilmsareverydifferentfromothergenresand
yetborrowheavilyfromallcornersofculture,wecanbegintoseetheslashersubgenreasa
postmoderncollectionofvoicesandstyles,atoncefamiliarandstrange.
Conclusion
Nowthatwehavelookedatthehistoryofpostmodernslasherfilmsinrelationtotheir
classicalpredecessorsanddistinguishedseveralexamplesofpostmodernaestheticsprominently
featuredintheslashersubgenre,nowwecanturnquicklytothefutureofthecanon.Recent
yearshaveseenslasherfilmsevolvingintotextsthataremuchlessironicintermsofthe
spectacleofviolence.Franchiseslike
Saw
and
Hostel
madetheirnamebysurpassingallprevious
slasherfilmsintermsoftherealismandgruesomenessofkillscenesdepicted.AdamLowenstein
believesthesefilms,whichnowconstituteanevenmorespecificsubgenreofslasherfilms
dubbedtortureporn,cametoprominencewithinafewyearsafterthe9/11attacks,andthey
differfrompreviousslashersinthattheyaremuchmoreviolent,withsaidviolencenowbeing
directedtowarddecentpeoplewithrecognizablehumanemotionsforachange(Edelsteinqtd.

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inLowenstein42).Thisstraightfacedbrutalitymightbeattributedtoafurtherlossofidealism
inNorthAmericaintheaftermathofanotherfailedwarandissuesofnationalsecurity.Perhaps
theslashersubgenrehasmovedfrominitialsuccesses,towantonfranchisement,tobrazen
parody,andnowtoselfawarecastigationafterseveraldecadesoflaughingatthedemiseof
innocentvictims,thesubgenremaywellbeheadedinthedirectionoffilmsthat
force
viewersto
turnaway,oratleastrequirethemtofurtherquestiontheircomplicityinthesedeaths.Inatime
wherepostmodernismitselfisdenied,itmaybethattheslashersubgenrehasevolvedtomeetthe
artisticaestheticsofasocietythatissodulledtodeaththatitnowstaresatbloodshedwitha
bold,realisticeye.

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