Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre

In class we have been studying the film Psycho (1960) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Psycho is a black and white film, which was purposely chosen about a mentally ill man who looks normal but is a serial killer. The film Texas Chainsaw Massacre was inspired by Psycho, as a class we analysed both films to see the similarities and differences. From my table you can see the relation between the two films and how Texas Chainsaw Massacre was influenced by Psycho 

Claude Levi Strauss

All narratives had to be driven forward by conflict that cause by a service of opposing forces

Binary opposition examples:

Light----Dark

Good----Evil

Sanity----Insanity

Strength----Weakness  

Aristotle >> action

Aristotle

“For tragedy us a representation not of me, but action and life, of happiness and unhappiness- and happiness and unhappiness are bound up with action”

Action needs to represent life and the question of what’s right or wrong is then relative. 

Marry Whitehouse

" If violence is on TV, society will be Violent " 

Todorov's narrative theory

Todorov believed that in every horror movie went through these steps to have a final/complete ending

Theory of narratives:

Equilibrium

Disruption

Recognition

Repair                                                         

Reinstatement 

Propp's Character theory

Vladimir Propp

Propp’s character theory is that there were only 8 character types. The emphasis was on looking at the characters not as representing real people but as functions whose role was to move the narrative forward.

The 8 characters are

1 Hero- seeks something

2 Villain- opposes the hero

3 The donor- helps the hero by providing magic

4 The dispatcher- sends hero on his way

5 The false hero- falsely assuming the role

6 The helper- gives support to the hero

7 The princess- the reward for the hero, also needs protecting

8 Her father- protects princess  

Conventions