Respresentation of women in the Cabin in the woods

1. What were Jeremy Tunstall's 4 character roles for women and do they apply to The Cabin in the Woods?

Jeremy Tunstall identified four character roles for women in films, these were:

• domestic 
• sexual 
• consumer 
• marital 

These can be applied to The Cabin in the Woods. There are two main female characters, Dana and Jules. Jules takes on the sexual character role, as she is portrayed as 'the slutty teenager' and is therefore seen as a sex object by the male characters and the audience. The other female character in the film is Dana. Dana is seen as the more sensible character in the film as she is interested in her studies and although she does show an interest in Holden, she isn't like Jules. Dana, therefore doesn't fit any of these character roles. She is the final girl and Carol Clover said in her final girl theory, that this girl normally took on a more masculine role. Therefore, it could be argued that Dana does not fit any of these four character roles in the film as she takes on the role of a male.

2. How is Dana typical of Clover's 'Final Girl' theory? Please mention: the ending; Dana's appearance and her actions during the film.

Dana fits the 'final girl' theory by Clover as this character is androgynous as she fights back against the Buckner's. She is also very involved in her studies as we see from the beginning of the film when she is worrying about her books and college work. She also does not join in with the others in the group when they are getting drunk whilst playing truth and dare and Curt also makes a reference to her being 'boring' as she never does the dares when they play the game. Although Dana shows an interest in Holden, she does not pursue the potential relationship anymore and settles with them being friends. As i mention before, Dana fights back in the film and does not accept her fate and is the opposite to Jules who is killed off early in the film. However, Dana does go against the idea of the final girl being against sex, drugs and getting drunk because at the end scene Dana smokes marijuana with Marty.

3. Jules undergoes mental and physical transformations during the film, what are they and how do they cause her to become a horror archetype?

The first physical transformation Jules undergoes is the change in her hair colour. We do not see her hair before but there are mentions she has recently dyed her brown hair to bleach blonde. Jules then is seen as 'dumb blonde'. Gary Sitterson and Steve Hadley then drop hints that they have tampered with the hair dye and the consequence of this meant Jules then fits the stereotype of dumb blonde and also becomes very careless due to the hair dye containing toxins that have decreased her cognitive ability. We see that Jules is a pre medical student meaning that these toxins turn her into a completely different person. Jules is seen as 'The Whore' and acts in a provocative way, for example her dancing in front of the mantelpiece. This is also seen against when she goes into the woods and is sprayed with pheromone mist before planning to have sex with Curt.

4. Is Mulvey's Male Gaze theory exemplified in the film and if so, how? Think about framing, camera angles and POV shots.

The male gaze theory is seen in the film when we see Jules dancing seductively in front of the others. Tilt shot is used in this scene so the audience see Jules legs before her upper body. Low shots give Jules the impression that she is more superior to the audience which may appeal to the male audience. These shots also make Jules appear to be an object to the audience watching.

5. In the film we, as an audience, are made to be voyeurs; when does this happen and why is it important in regards to representation of character?

We are made to be voyeurs as the film has a lot of sexual innuendos. For example, the scene where Holden finds the 'mirror' behind the painting that allows you to see into the next room without them seeing you. In this scene, Dana goes to take her top off in her room without realising Holden can see her doing. This suggests that a sexual scene could take place but then Holden surprises us by telling her about the mirror and they swap rooms. We then see Dana look through the mirror at Holden when he isnt wearing a top.

We also are made to be voyeurs in the scene where Jules and Curt go into the woods to have sex. This is when Jules is sprayed with a gas that makes her want to have sex. We then see Sitterson and Steve Hadley watching the two carrying out this scene on a big screen. They urge Jules, from behind the screen, to take her top off and this supports the idea of women playing the role of a object.

6. (Briefly) summarise the way women are represented in The Cabin in the Woods. Are they objectified and there to provide satisfaction for heterosexual males and/or do they fulfil another role/purpose?

Women are regularly seen as sex objects in this film, as we see in the scenes where Jules transforms into the role of 'The Whore' so that the males in the film can get pleasure from the scenes. This also is shown in the scene of Dana/Holden seeing each other through the mirror. However, Dana fulfills the role of the final girl as she fights back against the 'evil' that is Sitterson and Hadley. I think the idea that she fights back helps to show that women arent always seen in the light that they cannot protect themselves, for example the damsel in distress role.