Representation of Women in Horror Films

I have chosen to use a character from the horror film 'The House of Wax' played by Paris Hilton. Paris Hilton is a globally known model and actress. Laura Mulveys theory of the 'Male Gaze' suggests that the males that watch horror films are sexually aroused by the death of women in horror films. Paris Hilton's character The House of Wax runs from the killer in just her underwear and it eventally leads to a gory death. This is all due to the camera angles and lighting e.g. if the camera looks up or down at the female. All of the males deaths were quick and shown for a short amount of time, however, the only female that dies is Paris Hilton's character and the chase lasts for a long time.

Another theory is Carol Clovers final girl theory that relates to 'The House of Wax'. The theory suggests that the final girl to survive is always the one that is not like the other females in the film. The final girl is seen as masculine or inoocent and pure. The characer always remains a virgin or doesnt have sex whilst her freinds are and the ones that die. The name of the final girl is usually a unisex name or not traditionally female. 'The House of Wax' supports this theory as the main character that survives is a female that didnt drink or have sex and was the one that was always alert. The characters that did drink were the ones that eventually died.