Introduction
This essay explores key concepts in horror cinema from the perspective of sexuality studies, focusing on two influential films: Halloween (1978, directed by John Carpenter) and Carrie (1976, directed by Brian De Palma, based on Stephen King’s novel). The analysis addresses three interconnected questions. First, it examines how Carol J. Clover and Stephen King conceptualise the ‘Final Girl’ trope, assessing how protagonists Laurie Strode (Halloween) and Carrie White (Carrie) align with or challenge this characterisation. Second, it relates Noël Carroll’s theory on the representation of the monstrous and audience interpretation to these films, particularly through a queer lens, highlighting how monstrosity can resonate with queer experiences of otherness. Third, it discusses the interplay between author/producer intentions and audience reception, drawing on elements such as story and casting in Carrie. These discussions draw on sexuality studies to underscore themes of gender, queerness, and power in horror. The essay argues that while these films reinforce certain tropes, they also offer subversive potentials for queer readings, reflecting broader tensions in horror’s cultural role.
The Final Girl Concept in Clover and King: Fitting and Challenging Character Snugly
In her seminal work, Carol J. Clover (1992) introduces the ‘Final Girl’ as a recurring figure in slasher horror films, typically a resourceful, virginal young woman who survives by confronting the killer, often adopting masculine traits to do so. Clover argues this character subverts gender norms, embodying a ‘victim-hero’ who shifts from passivity to agency, challenging patriarchal structures in horror (Clover, 1992). Stephen King, through his novel Carrie (1974), presents a related but distinct female protagonist. While not explicitly theorising the Final Girl, King’s Carrie White is a telekinetic teenager whose powers erupt in rage against abuse, blending victimhood with monstrous empowerment. King’s portrayal emphasises social isolation and repressed sexuality, aligning with horror’s exploration of female agency, though in a more tragic, destructive vein (King, 1974).
In Halloween, Laurie Strode exemplifies Clover’s Final Girl. She is intelligent, sexually inexperienced, and resourceful, using household items as weapons against Michael Myers. Laurie’s survival involves a gender fluidity—Clover notes how Final Girls often ‘become’ masculine to triumph, such as wielding phallic tools like knives (Clover, 1992). This fits Clover’s framework, as Laurie’s agency critiques the vulnerability of women in patriarchal society. However, Laurie partially challenges the trope by not fully embodying aggression; her survival relies somewhat on male intervention (Dr. Loomis), suggesting limitations to female empowerment in 1970s horror.
Contrastingly, Carrie White in Carrie both fits and challenges the Final Girl. Like Laurie, Carrie is an isolated, virginal figure victimised by peers and her fanatical mother, whose telekinesis represents repressed sexual awakening—a theme King explores as explosive female power (King, 1974). Carrie’s prom-night rampage inverts the Final Girl’s survivalist heroism; instead of targeted confrontation, she unleashes indiscriminate destruction, becoming the monster herself. This challenges Clover’s model, as Carrie’s agency leads to her demise rather than triumph, highlighting the punitive consequences of female rebellion in a sexist society (Magistrale, 1988). From a sexuality studies viewpoint, Carrie’s story critiques heteronormative pressures, with her menstruation triggering events symbolising feared female sexuality. Thus, while Laurie aligns closely with Clover’s trope, Carrie subverts it by embodying tragic monstrosity, reflecting King’s interest in sympathetic monsters over heroic survivors.
Carroll’s Theory on the Monstrous and Queer Audience Interpretations
Noël Carroll (1990) posits that horror films represent the monstrous as impure or category-violating entities, eliciting audience fascination and fear through cognitive disruption. This representation shapes interpretations, as viewers project cultural anxieties onto the monster, interpreting messages about societal norms. In sexuality studies, this relates to queer audiences, who may identify with the monstrous as metaphors for non-normative identities, subverting intended messages of horror (Benshoff, 1997).
In Halloween, Michael Myers embodies Carroll’s monstrous impurity—a human yet emotionless killer, defying life-death boundaries. For mainstream audiences, he represents repressed suburban evil, but queer readings interpret him as queerness itself: an unstoppable ‘other’ threatening heteronormative family structures (Doty, 1993). Carroll’s framework suggests audiences interpret this as fear of deviation, yet queer viewers might find empowerment in Michael’s indestructibility, relating to experiences of marginalisation. However, this is limited; the film’s focus on straight female victims reinforces heteronormativity, potentially alienating queer interpretations.
Similarly, in Carrie, the monstrous is Carrie’s telekinesis, violating natural-human categories, aligning with Carroll’s impurity (Carroll, 1990). Her powers manifest during puberty, symbolising sexual awakening as horrific. For queer audiences, this resonates with the ‘monstrous’ labelling of non-heterosexual desires, where Carrie’s isolation mirrors coming-out struggles (Benshoff, 1997). Carrie’s rage against bullies can be read as queer revenge against homophobia, challenging the film’s intended tragedy. Yet, her destruction of innocents complicates sympathy, illustrating Carroll’s point that monstrous representations invite diverse interpretations. Indeed, queer scholars argue such films inadvertently provide ‘camp’ readings, where excess horror becomes subversive pleasure (Doty, 1993). Therefore, Carroll’s assertion highlights how these films’ monstrous elements, while producer-intended as cautionary, enable queer audiences to reinterpret them as affirmations of otherness, though not without tensions.
Author/Producer Intention Versus Audience Reception: Story and Casting in Carrie
The relationship between author/producer intention and audience reception is complex, often revealing disjunctures in how horror films convey messages about sexuality. In Carrie, Stephen King’s intention was to explore female adolescence and bullying, drawing from personal observations of high school dynamics (King, 1974). The story emphasises Carrie’s victimisation, intending a sympathetic portrayal of her rage as a response to cruelty, critiquing religious repression and peer pressure. However, audience reception varies; some interpret it as a feminist tale of empowerment, while others see it as reinforcing stereotypes of women as hysterical (Magistrale, 1988). From a sexuality perspective, queer audiences receive the story as an allegory for suppressed desires, with Carrie’s telekinesis symbolising queer emergence, subverting King’s heteronormative focus (Benshoff, 1997). This gap illustrates how intentions—here, King’s aim for social commentary—can be reshaped by viewers’ contexts.
Regarding casting, producer Brian De Palma intentionally cast Sissy Spacek as Carrie for her awkward, ethereal quality, aiming to evoke vulnerability and transformation (Spoto, 1978). This choice aligns with intentions to humanise the monster, making her relatable. Yet, reception often emphasises Spacek’s performance as iconic, with audiences praising its intensity, sometimes overlooking the story’s tragic elements in favour of celebrating Carrie’s power. In queer reception, Spacek’s portrayal is seen as embodying gender fluidity—Carrie’s prom makeover queers her from outcast to beauty, challenging binary norms (Doty, 1993). However, some critics argue the casting reinforces beauty standards, limiting subversive potential. Thus, while intentions focused on realism, receptions—especially queer ones—extend interpretations beyond producers’ scopes, highlighting horror’s polysemic nature.
Conclusion
In summary, Laurie Strode fits Clover’s Final Girl while Carrie White challenges it through tragic monstrosity, reflecting King’s nuanced take on female power. Carroll’s theory illuminates how these films’ monstrous representations invite queer reinterpretations, turning fear into identification. Finally, in Carrie, story and casting reveal tensions between intentions for social critique and diverse receptions, particularly queer ones subverting norms. These analyses underscore horror’s role in sexuality studies, offering spaces for critiquing and reimagining gender and queerness. Implications include the genre’s potential for inclusive narratives, though limitations persist in mainstream representations. Further research could explore contemporary remakes, such as Carrie (2013), for evolving queer readings.
References
- Benshoff, H.M. (1997) Monsters in the Closet: Homosexuality and the Horror Film. Manchester University Press.
- Carroll, N. (1990) The Philosophy of Horror: Or, Paradoxes of the Heart. Routledge.
- Clover, C.J. (1992) Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. Princeton University Press.
- Doty, A. (1993) Making Things Perfectly Queer: Interpreting Mass Culture. University of Minnesota Press.
- King, S. (1974) Carrie. Doubleday.
- Magistrale, T. (1988) Landscape of Fear: Stephen King’s American Gothic. Popular Press.
- Spoto, D. (1978) The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years of His Motion Pictures. Anchor Books.
