Do Now

List as many Gothic films as you can think of?

What are the traits of Gothic film?

Are there any different traits between Gothic film and Gothic literature?

GOTHIC AND MOVIES

Atmosphere & Setting

Macbre, phantasmagorical settings Brooding and dark How we see this in the movies:

Low-key and indirect lighting Using plenty of shadows

Young Frankenstein Setting in ancient castles/ labyrinths

Labyrinth castle in Dracula Grotesque parallel universes

Halloween Town in The Nightmare Before Christmas Dismemberment of bodies, dolls, etc. Isolated environment that makes the protagonist feel

vulnerable

Introspective Characters

Troubled nature of main characters reflected by the dark atmosphere

Protagonists must wrestle with their own weaknesses, dark pasts, and/or insecurities while dealing with an external crisis

How we see this in the movies: Monologues, internal dialogue, questioning,

extremes of emotion, destroying things

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein– Victor Frankenstein’s monologues

Evil Forces and Their Victims

Usually an external force brings out internal issues

How we see this in movies: The chase scenes– great for creating

suspense– draw these out with “near misses”/ hiding and seeking/ using “jump” scenes

Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demonic spirits, savage beasts, zombies, serial killers, psychotic beings

“Monster Fodder”

Standard, stock characters that have been placed in the movie only to be killed/ builds tension with the threat of what could happen to the protagonist Jurassic Park Prom Night Texas Chainsaw Massacre Can you think of any more??

Death

Death as the cause of action How we see this in the movies:

Flashbacks The death of Batman’s parents

Prophecies & Foreshadowing The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari– prophesy of Alan’s

death the next day Obsessed characters Extremes of behavior as a result of prior death

or impending death

Grotesque

Grotesque imagery– HORROR GENRE How we see this in the movies:

Bloodsucking scenes Dracula, Interview with a Vampire

Bleeding scenes & dismemberment Saw

Physical harm– threat or real Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Transformations into scary monsters, animals, insects, etc. The Fly– starring Jeff Goldblum

Creepy Sound Elements

How we see this in the movies: Sudden loud bangs Unlikely falling objects A darting animal or monster Chopping of body parts Squeaky door/ stairs– creates nice tension Silence followed by loud sounds or “jump

scenes” Musical score-- usually simple and repetitive at

tense moments low notes/ foreboding/ Jaws high notes or strings/ impending doom/ Psycho

Tension and Release

Gothic films create moments of tension and release

Each scene is a miniature plot– exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution

In this way, a film is much like a roller coaster ride of emotions, constantly manipulating us through the threat of “steep descents” and then taking us down them, letting us rest and then look up to see the next hill ahead… they are relentless!

Typical 3 Part Structure

I. Threat is introduced/ possible “monster fodder” depending upon the film

II. Confrontation with the threat

III. Protagonist either solves the problem by destroying or evading the threat OR the protagonist is destroyed by the threat and loses.

Typical Themes

Binary opposites:

Known vs. unknown Life vs. death Natural vs. unnatural Human normality vs. the unconscious self Social order vs. disorder Sanity vs. insanity Health vs. disease