The Representation of Women in Relation to The Cabin in the Woods(Goddard, 2012)

1. What were Jeremy Tunstall's 4 character roles for women and do they apply to The Cabin in the Woods?

In 'The Cabin in the Woods', the last character introduced to us that the (person who sleeps around with people) 'whore' dies first (in this case, Jules dies first), then followed by the others who include:

The Scholar (Curt) Curt is smart and brave. He is also very cultured.
The Athlete (Holden) Holden is somewhat good at sports, as suggested when he catches the football earlier in the film.
The Fool (Marty) Marty smokes pot and is irresponsible. He is also very unaware of situations, or at least the others think he is unaware or being dramatic.
and The Virgin (Dana) 

According to the film, the gods care not for the order in which they die, but they want the virgin to survive until the end, and then the gods decide whether Dana lives or dies.

2. How is Dana typical of Clover's 'Final Girl' theory? Please mention: the ending; Dana's appearance and her actions during the film.

During the film, Dana is involved with some relations with Holden, though she never decides to actually fully engage in sexual intercourse. At the ending, the Director mentions that Dana is the Virgin and that Marty must die, which leaves Dana the last to live, but Dana and Marty do end up overcoming the Director, though then she sits with Marty to foresee the end of the world. Dana's appearance is a little androgynous, wearing Jeans with the slight feminine shirt. Most of her skin is covered and she doesn't really show any parts of her body that can be sexualised etc.

3. Jules undergoes mental and physical transformations during the film, what are they and how do they cause her to become a horror archetype?

Jules' hair product (to dye her hair blonde) had been drugged by the scientists, and the drugs make her less intellectual. This is so she suits the typical stereotype of a 'blonde bimbo', as the drugs have made her less smart.

4. Is Mulvey's Male Gaze theory exemplified in the film and if so, how? Think about framing, camera angles and POV shots.

Yes, I think it is exemplified in the film because of how the cameras make the relation between the audience and the scientists, which builds the bond between us and the POV of the scientists. Also, when the male is shown on screen, the camera usually has a lower angle looking up at the guys, and usually a more level camera for the female characters. This also shows us that the men are the more powerful of the genders in this film.

5. In the film we, as an audience, are made to be voyeurs; when does this happen and why is it important in regards to representation of character?

One particular scene is when Holden finds the one way mirror, and sees Dana undress. the whole concept of the scientist watching the group, trying to engage them into sexual action, and it's like the scientists are like the audience, so we relate to the scientists as being one of us, or us being one of them.

6. (Briefly) summarise the way women are represented in The Cabin in the Woods. Are they objectified and there to provide satisfaction for heterosexual males and/or do they fulfil another role/purpose?

I think that the film doesn't provide enough satisfaction to heterosexual males, as the film is, in my opinion, really gender-friendly. Though the film does sexualise Jules with Curt (which pleases hetero males), but I feel like that is a very small compared to the entirety of the film. The representation of Dana is (somewhat) the hero, and makes the representation of the women in this strong. Marty is actually the one to save Dana by not telling her there was a werewolf behind her.