Conventions of the vampire sub-genre (Ed Sheeran, Kiss of the Vampire)

Conventions of the vampire sub-genre

ED SHEERAN - BAD HABITS ANALYSIS

Traditional vampire tropes/traits

- Death by sunlight

- Superhuman abilities – flight, jumping, manipulation

Mise en scene

- Fangs

- Dark eye makeup

- Contrasts with Pale skin

- Long Nails

- Yellow Balloons

- British shops in background (Iceland, Pound Stretcher)

- Dark lighting/contrasts with daylight

Kiss Of The Vampire - trailer analysis

Traditional vampire tropes/traits

- Bats 

- Typical dark Creepy house

- Flowing clothes/capes

- Female victim 

- Night/ Dark atmosphere

- Foggy

Ways vampire genre has evolved since the 1960s

- Vampires made to seem more desirable

- Less terrifying

Kiss of the Vampire poster analysis

 

- Poster shows typical vampire trope characteristics: Dark, cloudy, creepy atmosphere. We can also see vampire characterises such as fangs, bats, long flowy capes, blood and a full moon. Shows that this is a stereotypical vampire film. 

- Mise en scene of dripping blood on poster, stereotypical vampire clothing, 

- Sharp font symbolises sharp teeth or bloody dagger, this symbolises the fact this is a conventional vampire film.

-Woman leaning back represents her submissiveness and shows her weakness and vulnerability. Creates a sexualised representation due to the amount of skin showing and the dress she is wearing. Sexualisation of woman was common in the 1960s, and often needed rescued by men. 

- Sharp teeth make the man seem as if he is the villain. They present him to look very aggressive and dangerous. The black and red colours used in the poster help this representation.

- Represents patriarchal idea that men are dominant and powerful whereas women are submissive and weak. 

- Wide eyes and defensive body language make him seem as if he is also a victim. He is looking to seem scared and vulnerable. 

- The male on the right is in an unconscious state. He is represented as submissive and weak. The representation of men seeming weaker reflects the shift in gender roles and gender expectations happening in the 1960s. 

- This is continued through the representation of the woman to the right of the man. She has an aggressive look on her face and presented to seem powerful due to her body position. Her teeth are bared an her arm is raised. She looks as if she is going to be the one to kill the man on her right, which places her in a dominant position. This would also be unconventional as it is breaking the stereotypical representation that woman are submissive and men are dominant. 

- It can be seen as reflecting the shift in society that was happening terms of feminism in the 1960s. 

- Some equality is suggested in terms of the amount of men and woman is equal. 1 male victim, 1 female victim, 1 male vampire and 1 female vampire. 

- Gender is not represented in an old fashioned binary way on the poster. However, the credit block suggests that, due to there only being one female name, that woman were less important behind the scenes.

-  The tight silk dresses that both the woman are seen wearing have been used to sexualize them. An objectified view of the woman is created. 

- The woman on the right is in control, powerful and dominant, whereas the other woman is weak and submissive. She is the victim.

- Male and female vampires hold the victims is a controlling and dominant way, this easily tells the audience who has the power and holds dominance.