In this dissertation, there will be examinations of how the horror genre depicts the menstruating teenage girl. Therefore, the specific focus will be on teen horror films. The teen horror film discussed in this dissertation refers to a hybrid of the coming-of-age genre with the body horror genre. The dissertation will explore the feminine sexuality (specifically of teenage girls) in horror movies, which includes films featuring female protagonists as the monstrous feminine. In our society, when a woman is going through menstruation she is often referred to as a monster due to her intense emotions. In horror films, that notion is exaggerated, and as a result the teenage girl transforms into a literal monster instead of maturing into a woman. In early society, both men and women feared and admired the menstrual process. They were fascinated that the woman had the ability to bleed for days without ending up in death, which meant that the woman was set apart from the man due to their mysterious magical ways. Men feared more what they couldn’t understand and therefore isolated the menstruating woman by making her a taboo. (Delaney et al., 1976, 1) In this dissertation, using the notion of the menstruation taboo, horror films will be analysed.
The dissertation is split into three chapters. The first chapter contextualises the cultural history of menstruation in our society while offering an overview of the history of horror films and their evolution. In the second and third chapters, there will be a textual analysis of the films Ginger Snaps (2000) and Jennifer’s Body (2009) on how the horror genre depicts the monstrous feminine. The textual analysis is conducted by applying various film theories. The film theories include the feminist film theory that focuses on the female characters in the film narratives and the stereotypes of how society views women. Additionally, the film structure is also analysed by looking at how the films convey meaning through the use of codes and conventions that are similar to constructing meaning in communication. Ginger Snaps and Jennifer’s Body are used as case studies in this dissertation as they feature teenage girls going through puberty in a high school setting. In both these films, the female characters develop a blood lust that goes beyond their control and cannot be helped.
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