Essay 1- For this assignment, you will review the film Let Me In(2010), and, if you wish, youmay compare this film toInterview with the Vampire,The Lost Boys, or any other vampire film you feel will help you examine the film in question, and to situate it in both traditional or modern culture. For your review, please consider the following:
In the film Let Me In, Abby is a vampire who appears to be a 12-year-old girl, but she has been that way for hundreds of years. Is Abby a sympathetic character, meaning does the audience sympathize with her and want her to succeed? Why or why not? In your answer, use specific references to the film.
We are used to seeing the vampire as a villain or monster. Is Abby a villain, or is someone else the villain in this story? Support your answer with specific details from the film.
What is the significance of "eternal youth" in this story? Is it a gift or a curse? You may wish to consider how Abby is similar to other "young" vampires, like Carmilla in the novellaCarmilla, the vampires in The Lost Boys,or Claudia in Interview with the Vampire.
Investigate film reviews online, to get an idea of how people write about films. You may wish to do a webquest for this, or look at sites like "Rotten Tomatoes", or read film reviews in popular journalism.
In essence, your task is to write a reflective paper about the cinematic construction of the vampire, based upon traditional vampire myths, modern vampire fiction, and the creative vision of 20th Century film directors. How does the film, or films, reflect traditional vampire legends? How does it fit within the spectrum of various types of vampire fiction (Classic Adventure Tale, Psychological Vampire, etc.) we have been discussing in class?
Essay 2- Comparative Essay - "Carmilla" and Julie Delpy's "The Countess". This essay is also worth 20% of your final grade.
Choose ONE of the following topics for your second essay. Please note that submission guidelines are as above.
1. Which of the following themes is most significant in Carmilla: sexuality, evil or seduction? Be sure to look at how the theme isexplored in the story, whether itis explicit or implicit and how it is developed as the narrative progresses. You must also mention how plot, character and setting influence theme in your response. Are the same or similar themes explored in "The Countess"?
2. Which themes are most significant in the film, "The Countess"? How faithfully has the film's director represented the story of Elizabeth Bathory? Note also that in the first part of the course we studied six different kinds of vampires. Which kind of vampire would Elizabeth Bathory be, if she's indeed a vampire at all?
3. Analyse the character of bothCarmilla and Elizabeth Bathory: are theymonsters orinnocent victims in the narratives? Be sure to look at how character is developed in the narrative, which characteristics each woman possesses and whether they are flat or round characters. You must also mention how plot, setting and theme influence Carmilla'sand The Countess' character in your response.
4. Consider the social construction of the vampire, especially of the female vampire. Is it more acceptable that males act as vampires? What happens when females act in this way, and especially if they take control of their romantic or erotic lives? Consider the circumstances that the Countess finds herself in. What did she stand to lose? What would she gain by the dreadful murders that she's committed? How do the ways in which Elizabeth Bathory acts compare with how the Countess Karnstein? What does this say about how society sees the female vampire? You may consider some research for this topic, if you wish.
5. You may also wish to compare these two female vampires with female vampires in popular culture (i.e. film or television). What has changed in terms of the portrayal of the predator/outsider/iconoclast/transgressor? What does this say about women, an particularly about women's empowerment in society? Has very much changed as we begin the 21st Century?