Stock characters

Stock characters

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  Stock Characters
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  • 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.
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  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.
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  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. Adults dismiss her as Turns out to be the baby sister of Michael Myers being crazy Sensible. Both wear modest Daughter of Freddy spends clothing, Halloween Krueger’s killers Not too revealing babysitting instead of partying Both well behaved, responsible Her father is the Nancy Thompson – A Nightmare on Elm Street sheriff of the (1984) town, who is in Laurie Strode – Halloween (1978) charge of finding Myers
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  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. Blonde, skinny, big boobs. Someone The characters best for the male audiences to look at. friend Quite vain, and is popular Sarcastic, bitchy, not taking the in school. situation seriously. Also for male audiences to look at. Tatum – Scream (1990) The ‘slutty’ one. Wears revealing clothes. In a relationship with ‘the jock’. Jules – Cabin In The Woods (2012)
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  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. Scotty – Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003) Good leadership skills, takes Curt – Cabin in the Woods (2012) control during the movie to try and keep the group alive.
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  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)
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  The Pervert • Thepervert 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 Randy – Scream (1990) getting along with some of the main characters
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  The Cabin inthe Woods The 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 Jules – The Popular Girl 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 Dana – The Final Girl away, and so rarely a boy. Curt – The Jock 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 Marty – The The character of Holden doesn’t really characters we are familiar with. fit with these stock characters, but in Wanderer/The Joker the movie’s ritual, they had the role of ’the scholar’ which he filled.