Representation of women:

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Jeremy Tunstall

Tunstall theorised that texts depict and exploit four different types of woman…

Jeremy Tunstall’s 4 character role models for women

Domestic Consumer

MaritalSexual

However…

After watching the film The Cabin in The Woods, I would argue that only one of these types of

woman is present in the film…

Jeremy Tunstall’s 4 role models in The Cabin in the Woods

Sexual Marital

Domestic Consumer

Carol Clover

One of Clover’s most significant contributions to film theory was the idea of the ‘Final Girl’. Previously, females were only seen as damsels in distress, but Clover argued that Final Girls have the capabilities of fighting back. Clover

argued that because of this, the whole audience identifies with the final girl, not just the female percentage. As such, the Final Girl’s name and clothes are usually none gender

specific, and her sexual fluidity allows audiences to identify with the fear of being attacked. The main antagonist also usually has experienced a traumatic event or has some

psychological problem, which means the audience is almost diverted away from relating to them.

Clover’s Final Girl TheoryFor and Against

Dana is saved by Marty.

The name ‘Dana’ is androgynous.

Dana remains virginal

throughout the film.

Dana acts assertively in some scenes.

Dana’s clothes aren’t particularly

androgynous.

Marty also survives and has traits of the Final Girl. (Could be a new type of character: a

‘Final Boy’?

Marty does do drugs, but he is the only

one who knows what is happening and remains focused.

Dana does not partake in taking

drugs, getting drunk or having sex.

Jules’ transformations

New hair dye – At the start of the film, Jules has her hair dyed blonde. Fans have speculated that this is the beginning of the ritual, as the dye could somehow have chemically changed her personality.

Kissing the wolf – After this particular scene, Dana acts even more provocatively, suggesting that not just the mounted wolf head, but every other object that she interacts with could have been laced with a psychology enhancing substance.

Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory

At a few points in he film, Mulvey’s theory can be applied:• Jules, ‘The Whore’: The dance scene, the wolf kiss scene, and the

sex scene. The sex scene especially, as we watch the technicians gazing upon her, extenuating that Jules is in a horror film within a horror film.

• Dana: Behind the two-way mirror. Again, in this scene the subject is being observed within the film, this time by one of the characters: Holden.

An audience of voyeurs

At all of these points of the film (the dance, the kiss, the sex, and the mirror), we as an audience are made to feel like we are watching the characters, and that we are enjoying what is happening on-screen. The use of seductive music during Jules’ dance, and the reactions of other characters in the film observing these events makes it apparent that the audience is supposed to be enjoying these scenes.

Summary

The only obvious references to women being objectified/sexualised are the parts where Jules is

being sexually active. The justification for this is that she is unwillingly transforming into a much more whorish person. But this must mean that

she normally doesn’t behave like this. Therefore, Jules is a puppet, or rather a more powerful source is using her as an object in order to

achieve some other goal. This implies that Jules is only being objectified/sexualised because it is

integral to the plot of the film.

Summary

Dana is, on the face of it, the ‘Final Girl’, because she is a girl. However, the presence of Marty, and the way they both behave, suggests that they are both in fact

the Final Girls. Males can relate to Marty, and females can identify with Dana. Marty saves Dana,

and earlier, Dana acts boldly by unleashing the monsters, but they both together make the ultimate decision in the film. They both have bold traits, and

they both have credentials which may divert the audience from identifying with them, but together they both possess the basic characteristics of the

‘Final Girl’.