Monday, December 1, 2008

HW Week 10

For this week's homework, I watched an old, "b" horror film called "Don't Look in the Basement," or, "The Forgotten." Not what most would call a "slasher" per se, but it was a gruesome horror flick that had a lot of messages embedded in it about our society, including timeless sexism.

This film was made in 1973. It is set in a mental institution in the middle of nowhere, where the patients roam free, and are encouraged to act out their obsessions in mild ways as part of their treatment. The head doctor is killed by one patient with an ax, and one nurse is killed by another patient. Only one nurse remains, and she struggles to regain order. Then... a new nurse arrives, as planned by the deceased doctor. She tries to find her place in the hospital, as odd happenings and deaths continue.

So, for starters, the new nurse that arrives is of course - a young, attractive blond woman that wears nothing but a short nurse's smock. Also, the film definitely plays on our society's discomfort and fear of the insane, and the elderly. What I found most noticeable, was one character, Jennifer. She is represented as an unloved woman, so traumatized by failed relationships that she will seduce anything that moves, hoping for a connection. This includes scarily forcing a repair man to say he loves her. He dies, but she ends up sleeping with his dead body. The actress is nude in the film occasionally, but I don't think she was ever nude right before or during a killing scene. Other patients refer to her as a whore, and I slut I believe, and slap her.

Horror movies are quite a genre. I have to admit, I enjoy watching old horror movies (pre-80's), and this one was decently well made. Creepy, and unexpected at times. I enjoy dissecting these films, and frequently, laughing at them. But I certainly wouldn't want my kids watching these films.

An interesting last note, this films is being re-made, due out next year some time.

2 comments:

Patti Watkins, Ph.D. said...

Wow--you did a great job analyzing this film---Have you thought about taking Women in the Movies online (or may be offered as a one-week summer class)?! I liked that you pointed out the ageism factor in addition to everything else. Indeed, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland has "scary" portraits on the walls which in essence are just portraits of older people. No wonder people, especially women, spend so much money on "anti-aging" potions and procedures!

Patti Watkins, Ph.D. said...

Wow--you did a great job analyzing this film---Have you thought about taking Women in the Movies online (or may be offered as a one-week summer class)?! I liked that you pointed out the ageism factor in addition to everything else. Indeed, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland has "scary" portraits on the walls which in essence are just portraits of older people. No wonder people, especially women, spend so much money on "anti-aging" potions and procedures!