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The Predator-Victim Ambivalence of the Female Monster in Wolwedans in Die Skemer (2012)

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The Predator-Victim Ambivalence of the Female Monster in Wolwedans in Die Skemer (2012) The predator-victim ambivalence of the female monster in Wolwedans in die Skemer (2012) Wendy Elizabeth Foster 21224250 Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Artium in the Faculty of Arts, Potchefstroom Campus of the North- West University Supervisor: Prof. J.R. Botha Potchefstroom May 2015 CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. i Opsomming en sleutelwoorde ................................................................................. ii Abstract and key words .......................................................................................... iv 1. Chapter One: Introduction–The hunt begins ................................................. 1 1.1. Introduction and context ............................................................................... 1 1.2. A synopsis of Wolwedans in die Skemer ...................................................... 4 1.3. Theoretical foundation .................................................................................. 5 1.3.1. Mise-en-scène .............................................................................................. 5 1.3.2. Horror genre ................................................................................................. 6 1.3.3. Monster Theory ............................................................................................ 7 1.3.4. Horror, the monster and ambivalence .......................................................... 8 1.3.5. The female monster ...................................................................................... 9 1.4. Problem statement and research questions ................................................. 9 1.5. Objectives ................................................................................................... 10 1.6. Central theoretical statement ...................................................................... 10 1.7. Methodological framework .......................................................................... 11 1.7.1. Literature study ........................................................................................... 11 1.7.2. Reading and interpretation of the characters Sonja, Adele and Maggie ..... 11 1.8. Work Plan ................................................................................................... 12 2. Chapter Two: Theoretical context - Mise-en-scène, Carroll's Philosophy of Horror, Cohen's Monster Theory, monsters and ambivalence ............. 13 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 13 2.2. The visual narrative of the mise-en-scène ................................................. 13 2.2.1. Defining the mise-en-scène ........................................................................ 13 2.2.2. Film-makers/critics and mise-en-scène ..................................................... 14 2.2.3. Elements of mise-en-scène ........................................................................ 17 2.3. The horror genre and its visual elements ................................................... 26 2.3.1. The genre of horror ..................................................................................... 26 2.3.2. Horror sub-genres ...................................................................................... 28 2.3.3. Unravelling the horror film: Plot, characters and themes ............................ 33 2.4. The monster within Carroll's Philosophy of Horror and Cohen's Monster Theory ........................................................................................................ 37 2.4.1. A monster is born: Defining the monster .................................................... 38 2.4.2. Carroll's theories on art-horror and the monster ......................................... 41 2.4.3. Cohen's Monster Theory ............................................................................ 51 2.5. The female monster: and the ambivalent and monster-victim complex ...... 59 3. Chapter Three: Little girls that talk to wolves: Contextual aspects of the Red Riding Hood tale and its adaptations ........................................ 66 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................. 66 3.2. Story and myth of Red Riding Hood ........................................................... 67 3.2.1. The story of the Grandmother..................................................................... 68 3.2.2. Perrault's Le Petit Chaperon Rouge .......................................................... .70 3.2.3. The Grimm's Rotkäppchen ......................................................................... 72 3.2.4. Adapted versions of the Little Red Riding Hood tale ................................ ..74 3.3. The characters: Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf ................................. 76 3.3.1. Little Red Riding Hood ................................................................................ 76 3.3.2. The Wolf ..................................................................................................... 80 3.3.3. Little Red Riding Hood as the Wolf ............................................................. 82 3.4. Encountering the Bzou: Defining the werewolf ........................................... 84 3.4.1. The werewolf: A definition .......................................................................... 84 3.4.2. Social context of werewolf lore in Western mythology ................................ 85 3.4.3. Social context of Werewolf lore in "Other world" mythology ....................... 88 3.5. Werewolves and monsters of the 'silver' screen ......................................... 90 3.6. Wolwedans in die Skemer .......................................................................... 98 4. Chapter Four: Monsters or victims: Interpretation and reading of ambivalence within the characters, Sonja, Adele and Maggie, according to Carroll's Philosophy of Horror and Cohen's Monster Theory ............. 102 4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 102 4.2. The making of monsters and Victims: Sonja Adele and Maggie ............... 103 4.2.1. Sonja as monstrous victim ........................................................................ 108 4.2.2. Adele as monstrous victim ........................................................................ 109 4.2.3. Maggie as monstrous victim ..................................................................... 112 4.2.4. The shifting transformations of Sonja, Adele and Maggie ........................ 115 4.3. Summary and concluding remarks ........................................................... 126 5. Chapter Five: Conclusion: Ambivalent transformations of Sonja, Adele and Maggie ................................................................................................... 128 5.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 128 5.2. A summary of the study ............................................................................ 129 5.2.1. Chapter One: Conclusions and findings. .................................................. 129 5.2.2. Chapter Two: Conclusions and findings ................................................... 129 5.2.3. Chapter Three: Conclusions and findings ................................................. 132 5.2.4. Chapter Four: Conclusions and findings ................................................... 134 5.3. Final conclusions: He that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by a wolf. .......................................................................................................... 136 5.4. Shortcomings of the study ........................................................................ 138 5.5. Areas for future research .......................................................................... 139 List of figures ....................................................................................................... 140 Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 147 LIST OF FIGURES Figure One: Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Woman carrying dead wolf pup. Film still. ........................................................................ 140 Figure Two Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Sonja’s accident scene. Film still. .................................................................................... 140 Figure Three. Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Sonja: Flash sequence suggesting memory loss. Film still. ..................................................... 140 Figure Four. Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Sonja’s realisation that Ryno is her brother. Film still. ...................................................... 141 Figure Five Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Recollection of past images. Film still. ......................................................................................... 141 Figure Six. Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Adele. Film still.141 Figure Seven. Leon Van Nierop. Wolwedans in die Skemer. 2012. Funeral. Film still. .............................................................................................................
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