Allegories of Vampire Cinema

Abstract

Allegories of Vampire Cinema is a theoretical film essay involving the issue of spectator relations to vampire films before, during, and after viewings. The piece closely examines which character the spectators are truly meant to connect with. This is an interesting and important issue to raise as it offers a new analysis that had not previously been explored, aligning the spectators not with the protagonists of these stories, but with the vampire itself. In my research, I gathered dozens of books, magazine articles, and journal entries to delve deeply into the horror genre and vampire subgenre. I also screened over three dozen vampire films, though only a handful are cited directly. The essay was pieced together from the beginning of January through March when, upon completion, I presented my findings at the 2008 PCA/ACA National Conference in San Francisco. Implications that are brought to light upon the revelation that the spectator is being aligned with vampires include the notion that the vampire film may not be an isolated case. With further study, theories and analyses may bring about spectator relations and alignments with not only a myriad of other antagonistic horror icons, but antagonists throughout the entire scope of film.