Stock Characters

• Slasher movies have a ‘formula’ for the characters in the movie. They are usually teens, who party and like to have a good time.

• There is The Jock, the one who is the cool one in school, and tries to be the protector of the group. The is also the Wanderer, who wanders off and gets themselves killed. The Final Girl, who is the one who survives the horror. The pervert, who lusts for one of the other characters, be it the final girl or the popular girl. The Popular Girl is typically in a relationship with the jock, and they are at the top of the high school hierarchy.

The Wanderer• The wanderer is the character who always wanders off, and typically gets killed first.• The wanderer is also often the comedic influence of the group, as it fits his nature

to be the one to wander off, and get himself killed.• They could also think of themselves as the ‘responsible’ one of the group, for

example needing to go off and get help, as they feel they are best suited to represent the group.

The Final Girl• The Final Girl is the one who “lives to tell the tale”.• She is often a virgin, as pointed out in Scream, when explaining the rules to

survive a horror movie.• She has friends, but not quite the same reputation that The Popular Girl has.• She is usually quite sensible, and has something which links her to the killer.

Nancy Thompson – A Nightmare on Elm Street

(1984)

Daughter of Freddy Krueger’s killers

Adults dismiss her as being crazy

Both well behaved, responsible

Turns out to be the baby sister of Michael Myers

Sensible. spends Halloween babysitting instead of partying

Laurie Strode – Halloween (1978)

Her father is the sheriff of the town, who is in charge of finding Myers

Both wear modest clothing, Not too revealing

The Popular Girl• The popular girl is typically a friend to the main character ‘The final girl’.• Also typically blonde, and the good looking one, objectified for the audience.• Also she is often quite skeptical about the situation, and she typically gets

killed off near the beginning.• Although being popular, they aren’t always particularly nice people, that you

can route for. They are more likely ‘popular’ due to good looks and wealth.

Tatum – Scream (1990)

The characters best friend

Blonde, skinny, big boobs. Someone for the male audiences to look at.

Quite vain, and is popular in school.

Sarcastic, bitchy, not taking the situation seriously.

Jules – Cabin In The Woods (2012)

The ‘slutty’ one.

Also for male audiences to look at.

In a relationship with ‘the jock’.

Wears revealing clothes.

The Jock• The Jock is the character who thinks himself the strongest, bravest of the lot.• Usually tries to save the day, but ends up getting himself killed in the process.• Often in a relationship with the popular girl

Both wear sports clothing, and are mentioned to be good at sports in the movie.

Muscular, reinforcing the idea of being good at sports.

Good leadership skills, takes control during the movie to try and keep the group alive.

Curt – Cabin in the Woods (2012)Scotty – Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

Pandora• Pandora is the character who ‘opens the box’ and brings forth whatever evil torments them in the movie.• Doesn’t have a specific gender to the character, is sometimes male and sometimes female.

Insists on listening to the tape containing the spell which awakens the spirit.

Is a coward when the spirits rise, and he tries to escape the first chance he gets.

Scott – The Evil Dead (1981)

The Pervert• The pervert is the character who lusts after one of the female

characters, typically the final girl.• They are often an outcast, who finds themselves put with this group of

friends, whether they just happen to be friends in the first place, or are thrown in with the group during the drama.

Is in love with the main character

He Is a bit of an outcast, not getting along with some of the main characters

Randy – Scream (1990)

The Cabin in the WoodsThe cabin in the woods is a good example to look at the stock characters, as it claims that the killing is an ‘ancient ritual’, and says that the victims need to be of a certain nature, filling all the requirements. They also say that the victims need to die in a certain order, and that the final girl’s death is optional, provided she is the last one alive. This would explain how there is often a girl who gets away, and so rarely a boy.

In the beginning of the movie, you get to see what the characters are like, and they don’t necessarily fit the criteria for the sacrifice, however throughout the film they are manipulated to become the stock characters we are familiar with.

Curt – The Jock

Jules – The Popular Girl

Dana – The Final Girl

The character of Holden doesn’t really fit with these stock characters, but in the movie’s ritual, they had the role of ’the scholar’ which he filled.

Marty – The Wanderer/The Joker