The Slasher Film The Modern Day Fairy Tale - 2034 Words

The Slasher Film: The Modern Day Fairy Tale General Purpose: To inform the audience about the psychological appeal of the slasher film, a brief history of the genre, and the links to urban legends and fairy tales. Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about direct link to morality tales and the slasher film genre. Thesis Statement: Slasher films are modern day morality tales, rooted deeply in urban legends and fairy tales, as clearly depicted in John Carpenter’s Halloween, where characters are punished with violence for their risky behavior. I. Introduction A. When asked to describe the two types of horror films, director Guillermo del Toro stated: â€Å"Much like fairy tales, there are two facets of horror. One is pro-institution, which is the most reprehensible type of fairy tale: Don t wander into the woods, and always obey your parents. The other type of fairy tale is completely anarchic and antiestablishment†-Guillermo del Toro. (Attention Getter) In my presentation I will focus on the aspect of the slasher film genre as modern day fairy tales, with an underlying message of morality. B. John Carpenter’s 1978 film Halloween epitomizes the slasher films, encompassing the most common themes of this genre, including teenagers making the transition into adulthood by engaging in reckless behavior, a maniac using violence as a teaching tool for the audience, a final survivor girl, and an immortal maniac. (Thesis) C. In my presentation I will briefly describe the history